Veronique Buehrlen KC > The Chambers of Alexander Nissen KC > London, England > Barrister Profile
Keating Chambers Offices
Keating Chambers
15 ESSEX STREET
LONDON
WC2R 3AA
England
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Veronique Buehrlen KC
Position
Veronique Buehrlen KC has a wide-ranging commercial litigation, international arbitration and advisory practice with special emphasis on complex energy disputes, construction and engineering (both on and offshore). Her unique practice spans working as an International Arbitrator, Leading Counsel and Deputy High Court Judge. As counsel, Veronique is known for her meticulous preparation of complex, highly detailed, matters requiring penetrating and determined cross examination of expert and other witnesses. As an International Arbitrator, Veronique is known for being fair, thoughtful and measured. She has a wealth of experience of the workings of the Technology and Construction Court (in which she also sits), of the Commercial Court and of various international arbitral fora. As an expert in energy construction disputes Veronique represents parties in substantial litigation. She (for instance) represented the main contractor in a € billion ICC arbitration following the suspension and subsequent termination of the South Stream gas pipeline project.
Veronique is recommended by the leading directories for her energy, construction, and international arbitration counsel work, and as an international arbitrator. In these guides she receives praise from those she has worked with for getting “on top of complex cases in an incredibly short time” and “working at the coal face of the dispute”. Clients appreciate her “strong commercial perspective” and forensic approach to cases, and describe Veronique as a “ferocious cross-examiner” with a “razor-sharp brain” and “laser focus on the fine detail”. Veronique was shortlisted by The Legal 500 for their prestigious “international arbitration counsel of the year” (2019) and “arbitrator of the year” awards (2022).
Veronique specialises in all aspects of energy and construction disputes including termination, suspension, rights to payment, varied work, force majeure, frustration, delay and disruption and defective works. Her experience spans the full spectrum of commercial litigation encompassing major trials, jurisdiction and applicable law disputes, preliminary issues and interim relief. Veronique has worked (as counsel and International Arbitrator) on disputes arising out of projects worldwide including in (or offshore) Scotland, France, Italy, Slovakia, Kuwait, Qatar, Iraq, Algeria, Mozambique, Nigeria, Guinea, South Africa, Brazil, Indonesia, Russia and Kazakhstan.
As an international arbitrator, Veronique sits both as Chair and Tribunal Member and receives both party and institutional appointments. Her appointments include a broad spectrum of construction and energy disputes, as well as commercial disputes in other fields (including insurance, aviation, joint ventures, sale of goods and commodities). Veronique is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a member of the ICC’s Commission on Arbitration and ADR and of the ICC’s task force on maximizing the probative value of witness evidence and a member of the SIAC Arbitrator Panel. She has experience of most institutional rules (ICC, LCIA, SIAC, UNCITRAL etc) as well as ad hoc arrangements.
In May 2017 Veronique was appointed a Deputy High Court Judge and now sits regularly in the Technology & Construction Court on a broad range of cases. As judge, arbitrator and leading counsel Veronique has an in depth understanding of the litigation and decision making processes. As leading counsel, Veronique fully comprehends what a Court or Tribunal requires to reach the right decision. As judge and arbitrator, she remains mindful of the challenges and pressures facing the parties and their representatives.
Career
Deputy High Court Judge, Queen’s Bench Division, 2017
Fellow Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, 2013
Keating Chambers, 2011-present
Queen’s Counsel, 2010
Fountain Court Chambers, 1991-2011
Called to the Bar, 1991
Prior to being called to the Bar, Veronique worked with KPMG’s Strategic Consultancy team.
Languages
Bilingual French/English
Education
Queen Mothers’ Scholar (Middle Temple), 1990- 1991
Diploma in Law, City University, Distinction, 1990
MA Hons. St Andrews, First Class (French and International Relations), 1988
Lawyer Rankings
London Bar > International arbitration: arbitrators
(Leading counsel as arbitrators)Ranked: Tier 2Veronique Buehrlen KC –Keating Chambers ‘Offers very strong legal analysis, very responsive and efficient as a tribunal member, user-friendly and understands the parties’ commercial priorities.’
Keating Chambers ‘remains the leading set for construction and engineering disputes’. Members act as arbitrators, either on a full-time basis, or in addition to counsel practices, and receive regular arbitration appointments in large-scale, high value and complex commercial international arbitrations including many of the largest infrastructure, construction, energy and offshore disputes globally. Barristers are often dual-qualified as chartered engineers, such as Robert Gaitskell KC
, and are particularly renowned for their significant expertise in construction, engineering, energy and natural resources. On the senior end, John Marrin KC, Veronique Buehrlen KC and Marcus Taverner KC secure notable appointments, particularly in the Middle East.
London Bar > Construction
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 3Veronique Buehrlen KC – Keating Chambers ‘Veronique’s ability to untangle convoluted technical, delay and quantum issues and present them in a clear and unambiguous style is genuinely impressive.’
London Bar > Energy
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 2Veronique Buehrlen KC –Keating Chambers ‘Veronique is surpassed by no one on the construction side, you can never pull the wool over her eyes and her ability to untangle convoluted technical issues is genuinely impressive.’
London Bar > International arbitration: counsel
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 2Veronique Buehrlen KC –Keating Chambers ‘Offers very strong legal analysis. Very responsive and efficient; user-friendly and understands the parties’ commercial priorities.’
‘Leading chambers for construction and energy disputes’, Keating Chambers houses barristers ‘at the top of their game with strong technical ability’ and offers comprehensive expertise across a wide range of sectors and across multiple rulesets. Thanks to an array of international members, most notably in the Middle East, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Africa, the set has an impressive international presence demonstrated by global instructions. Senior silk Veronique Buehrlen KC is currently instructed on several high-profile energy arbitrations, both in relation to renewables and oil and gas. At the junior end Rachael O’Hagan often acts as sole counsel going up against silks in high-value arbitrations with particular ability in the construction and infrastructure sectors. William Webb KC and Paul Buckingham KC bolstered the senior end of the set having joined the silk ranks in March 2023, the latter with particular expertise in complex technical disputes as a former engineer in the oil and gas industry.