John Denis-smith > Chambers of Charlie Cory-Wright KC and Richard Harwood KC > London, England > Barrister Profile

John Denis-smith

020 7832 1111 john.denis-smith@39essex.com

Position

John joined Thirty Nine Essex Street in 2006. His practice focuses primarily on construction and commercial disputes. He started his career at the bar with pupillage at 5 Bell Yard and Keating Chambers before moving to the litigation department at Herbert Smith and specialist construction firm Fenwick Elliott. John is dual-qualified as a barrister and solicitor and has returned to the Bar in 2006 where his practice has flourished both domestically and internationally. Due to his prior experience as a solicitor his advice is cost-effective and focused on results for his clients. He was advocate in a $1bn ICC international arbitration arising out of disputes concerning the construction of an oil pipeline in the Middle East and has advised in relation to the resolution of a dispute concerning the construction of a hotel in the UAE. He has considerable experience of construction and related professional negligence cases, including: (1) Tradebe Solvent Recycling Ltd (formerly Solvent Resource Management Ltd) v Coussens of Bexhill Ltd [2013] EWHC 3786 (QB), a claim for remedial costs arising out of the collapse of a crane at a refinery; (2) Berry Piling Systems v Sheer Projects [2012] EWHC 241 (TCC) 141 CON LR 225, successfully enforcing an adjudicator’s decision in the face of defence seeking to resist enforcement on natural justice grounds and the alleged insolvency of the claimant; (3) Aldersgate Estates Ltd v Ham Construction Ltd [2013] EWHC 104 (TCC) (31 January 2013), acting in a professional negligence action, in which the TCC has given the leading case on the appropriateness of ordering hearing of preliminary issues.

Career

Called 1998; former co-editor of the Construction industry Law Letter (‘CILL’); recently contributed to ‘Construction Contracts Law and Practice’ (2nd ed) by Richard Wilmot-Smith QC. He is also contributor to ‘The Technology and Construction Court: Practice and Procedure’ (Robert Akenhead QC and Michael Davis, OUP 2006), which is the leading guide to practice in the TCC.

Languages

French, Romanian (good).

Memberships

Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

Education

St John’s College, University of Oxford (BA first class Honours in English Language and Literature); King’s College London (MSc with distinction in Construction Law and Arbitration); Postgraduate law studies at City University and Inns of Court School of Law.

Leisure

Music, especially opera.