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Atkin Chambers
1, Atkin Building, Gray's Inn
LONDON
WC1R 5AT
England

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Profile > Chambers of Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC > Bar – London
Profile > Chambers of Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC > Bar – Asia

London Bar > Construction Tier 1

Atkin Chambers has a sterling reputation as a specialist set for construction disputes, covering a range of work in the UK and abroad. In domestic courts, Dominique Rawley KC and Jennifer Jones are instructed to act for the defendants Balfour Beatty Kilpatrick and Balfour Beatty Group on Northumbria Healthcare NHS v Lendlease, a matter concerning a hospital built in 2015 alleged to have wide-ranging structural defects to the extent a temporary replacement needed to be built. Meanwhile, Simon Lofthouse KC and Omar Eljadi are acting for MPB Structures in defence of defects claims in a related case, Lendlease Construction v MPB Structures, regarding flooring and drainage work at the same hospital. Chantal-Aimée Doerries KC is acting for Morrisons supermarkets in a large multi-party dispute regarding the extension of an abattoir. Stephanie Barwise KC continues to act on behalf of the largest group of bereaved, survivors and residents in the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry. In addition, members of the set have seen increased instructions on fire safety defect cases and PFI-related disputes. International highlights include Manus McMullan KC and Christopher Lewis KC continuing to act for the Panama Canal Authority in a series of high-value claims arising from the Third Set of Locks Project, one of the largest engineering projects in the world at the time. Stuart Catchpole KC has joined from 39 Essex Chambers, and Rupert Choat KC took silk in March 2022. Nicholas Baatz and Sebastian Pigott retired in February 2022 and May 2022 respectively.

Rising stars

Dalton Hale – Atkin Chambers ‘Dalton’s technical ability is extremely good and his commitment to finding creative ways to deal with difficult issues is also a key strength. He is a safe pair of hands that can be trusted with complex claims.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Silks

Stephanie Barwise KC – Atkin Chambers ‘Stephanie is extraordinarily hardworking. She is able to speak with real insight and knowledge about many complex construction law issues, and is able to explain these issues with clarity. She is insightful and very engaged.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Stuart Catchpole KC – Atkin Chambers ‘He is without question a pre-eminent construction silk, with vast specialist experience. He is a persuasive advocate, renowned for his attention to detail, preparation and devastating cross-examination. He is a great team player with commercial and strategic insight.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Simon Lofthouse KC – Atkin Chambers ‘Simon is one of the greatest silks of his generation. He is very focused, and his cross-examination is ruthless. He picks up on small details that others may miss, and he has a good feel for most senior arbitrators and opposing counsel, and no challenge is too great for him.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Manus McMullan KC – Atkin Chambers ‘Manus is a superior advocate. He has excellent judgment and a first-rate legal mind, his cross-examinations are incisive and powerful, and his oral arguments are crisp, persuasive and go straight to the heart of the matter.’

Ranked: Tier 1

David Streatfeild-James KC – Atkin Chambers ‘David’s advocacy is excellent; he knows how to persuade tribunals and is very effective. Phenomenal grasp of the detail and outstanding on his feet. He is a good leader who is not averse to rolling his sleeves up.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Andrew White KC – Atkin Chambers ‘Andrew is world-class; he is incredibly knowledgeable, has the ear of any leading tribunal, and has an extraordinary eye for details. He is an experienced advocate and has top-rated cross-examination skills.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Chantal-Aimée Doerries KC – Atkin Chambers ‘Chantal is absolutely top-flight. She is a brilliant advocate, both in writing and on her feet. She takes a commercial approach to solving problems and identifying courses of action, manages to explain complex issues in a straightforward manner, and is blessed with a real feel for which points to make to tribunals and how they should be made in order to win.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Stephen Dennison KC –Atkin Chambers 'Excellent advocacy - quiet but very effective, great at thinking outside of the box, very astute, and great with clients.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Fiona Parkin KC – Atkin Chambers ‘Technically excellent and able to handle demanding clients with ease on very complicated international arbitrations and on issues of international enforcement. Fiona’s confident advocacy is always supported by her meticulous attention to detail; no stone is left unturned.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Dominique Rawley KC – Atkin Chambers ‘Dominique is a very accomplished advocate and a very safe pair of hands. She has excellent attention to detail, even in relation to complex technical aspects, and has very good risk awareness too.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Steven Walker KC – Atkin Chambers 'Steven is exceptional in every aspect. He is extremely knowledgeable which coupled with his experience makes him a formidable force both in his writing and research as well as in his advocacy skills.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Riaz Hussain KC – Atkin Chambers ‘Riaz is unbelievably calm under pressure and incredibly versatile as an advocate – being able to flex his style to deal with any situation. He is great at dealing with very complex issues, fantastic on his feet, and not one to shy away from a difficult and contentious issues.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Martin Bowdery KC – Atkin Chambers ‘Martin is a persuasive advocate with huge gravitas. He is a great creative thinker and has been a go-to Silk when in particular tricky situations that need considered input to achieve the best outcome possible.’

Ranked: Tier 3

Jonathan Acton Davis KC – Atkin Chambers 'Jonathan is very commercially minded and has great instincts.'

Ranked: Tier 3

Nicholas Dennys KC – Atkin Chambers 'Nicholas provides very high-level advice and is a fantastic mediator. He has the ability to make complex areas of law seem more straightforward and always develops a strong rapport with clients.'

Ranked: Tier 3

Andrew Goddard KC – Atkin Chambers 'Andrew is a very experienced construction barrister. His opinions are thorough and easy to understand, his advocacy is extremely effective, and his strategy is effective and pragmatic.'

Ranked: Tier 3

James Howells KC – Atkin Chambers ‘James is an excellent technical barrister, with a deep knowledge of construction issues. As well as being an excellent advocate, what sets James apart is the time and effort he puts into client care.’

Ranked: Tier 4

Serena Cheng KC – Atkin Chambers

Ranked: Tier 5

Christopher Lewis KC – Atkin Chambers 'He inspires confidence with the depth of his analysis and strategic thinking.'

Ranked: Tier 5

2021 Silks

Mark Chennells KC – Atkin Chambers ‘Mark is a good, strong advocate with an excellent mind. He’s very clever and identifies difficult and compelling arguments.’

Mark Chennells KC - Atkin Chambers 'Was always going to get silk. Very clever and knows which arguments to make.'

2022 Silks

Rupert Choat KC – Atkin Chambers 'Rupert is incredibly switched on and detailed orientated. He throws himself into the case and absorbs vast amounts of information in very short spaces of time, which makes his advocacy particularly good.'

Leading Juniors

Patrick Clarke – Atkin Chambers 'Patrick is a master of his game. He remains acutely focused in cases and never fails to deliver the most efficient and effective strategy. He has a thorough command over the changing dynamics of a case and clients feel protected and confident with his representation.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Nicholas Collings – Atkin Chambers 'Nicholas is an outstanding junior. A knowledgeable team player, and good cross examiner, with experience across the construction field. One to watch.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Robert Clay – Atkin Chambers 'Robert has an extremely sharp mind enabling him to drill down into the key issues. His advice is clear and thorough, leaving no stone unturned. '

Ranked: Tier 2

Lucie Briggs – Atkin Chambers 'Lucie is a first-rate barrister. She is an effective advocate, gets to grips with issues quickly, and is very user friendly. She has an enviable understanding of the construction sector, and her knowledge of the law is first class.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Andrew Fenn – Atkin Chambers ‘Andrew is absolutely excellent in driving forward the path to a successful strategy. His written advocacy is first-class from the first draft he issues. His oral advocacy is calm, measured, robust and highly persuasive.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Shourav Lahiri – Atkin Chambers 'Shourav is a formidable advocate and adept at the tactics of litigation. He is extremely capable and knowledgeable, and is excellent in setting up the right strategy for the cases he is handling.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Rónán Hanna – Atkin Chambers ‘Highly analytical, intimidatingly bright, and very commercial. Ronan’s ability to understand the technical detail of engineering disputes is outstanding. He gives clear and very direct advice and has excellent advocacy skills.’

Ranked: Tier 3

Omar Eljadi –Atkin Chambers 'Omar is on top of the detail. He has vast and distinguished experience in construction cases.'

Ranked: Tier 3

David Johnson – Atkin Chambers 'David never fails to impress with his submissions and oral advocacy. He really gets into the detail of the case and is never one to shy away from taking on the difficult technical issues.'

Ranked: Tier 3

Jennifer Jones – Atkin Chambers 'Jennifer is confident and direct whilst being very commercial and outcome focussed. She understands the commerciality of the matters involved.'

Ranked: Tier 3

Samar Abbas Kazmi – Atkin Chambers 'Samar is an excellent all-rounder. He is bright and works extremely hard.'

Ranked: Tier 3

Camille Slow – Atkin Chambers 'Camille is extremely bright and pragmatic, and her tactical ability is excellent. Her advocacy is perfectly balanced, and clients really appreciate her skills in distilling a complex dispute into its commercial fundamentals.'

Ranked: Tier 3

Mathias Cheung –Atkin Chambers 'Mathias is extremely bright with a wealth of knowledge in this area of work. He gets to grips with the key issues quickly and his drafting is excellent. He is extremely approachable and works as an integral part of the overall team.'

Ranked: Tier 3

Lauren Adams – Atkin Chambers 'Lauren is highly intelligent and her ability to quickly grasp complex issues is second-to-none. Stellar drafting and advocacy skills, and incredibly calm under pressure.'

Ranked: Tier 4

Nicholas Maciolek – Atkin Chambers 'Nicholas is very attentive, commercial, and pragmatic. At the same time, he is ready to get stuck into the technical detail.'

Ranked: Tier 4

Christopher Reid – Atkin Chambers ‘Christopher is very hardworking. When this is combined with the fact that he is very intelligent, has good judgment, and is very personable, it makes for a winning combination.’

Ranked: Tier 4

Mischa Balen – Atkin Chambers 'Mischa blitzes through complex legal, technical, and factual issues. He is extremely bright, produces clear drafting, and delivers results without a hitch.'

Ranked: Tier 4

Simon Crawshaw – Atkin Chambers 'Fantastic ability to digest complex issues quickly and define clear strategy of solution. Simon is a brilliant negotiator, a good listener, and has thorough knowledge of relevant subject matters.'

Ranked: Tier 4

Felicity Dynes – Atkin Chambers 'Felicity is a very effective advocate - very incisive, good at tackling large amounts of material, and a clever cross-examiner.'

Ranked: Tier 4

Zulfikar Khayum – Atkin Chambers 'He is calm, insightful, and a good team player. Zulfikar is the consummate all-rounder. His brain is a database of construction law, he immerses himself in the evidence, and he is a seasoned warrior in the trenches.'

Ranked: Tier 4

Marc Lixenberg – Atkin Chambers 'Marc is a very diligent and responsive barrister who is able to process and analyse the facts in the most complex technical disputes in a clear and concise way. Great attention to detail and truly excellent drafting.'

Ranked: Tier 4

Edmund Neuberger – Atkin Chambers 'Edmund is extremely composed under pressure and pragmatic. He is able to absorb and analyse highly complex construction delay claims and make the most of the factual and expert evidence.'

Ranked: Tier 4

Katie Powell – Atkin Chambers 'An impressive ability to communicate complex legal concepts to clients. She has a keen eye for detail, which she leverages to develop winning strategies for the most challenging issues in the case.'

Ranked: Tier 4

Testimonials

Set

‘Atkin Chambers has a wealth of knowledge and experience which is second-to-none. They are the first port of call for all construction matters.’

‘Atkin Chambers provide a first-rate service with considerable strength and depth across all areas of construction law.’

‘Atkin remain the premier set for construction disputes work and their roster of advocates is second-to-none. Their continued efforts in training are also much appreciated and valuable.’

‘The team’s strengths at Atkin Chambers include its vast expertise in this area and excellent quality of legal services that are tailored towards the client’s needs.’

‘Atkin Chambers is a real construction law powerhouse acting domestically and internationally. They have real strength in depth with many leading KCs.’

Clerking

‘David Barnes is still the gold standard.’

Work highlights

London Bar > Energy Tier 2

Atkin Chambers 'has an excellent offering of construction and engineering counsel both at junior and senior levels’, with ‘incredible strength in depth'. The 'very professional and responsive set' ’s presence in this space comes from handling disputes arising construction projects in the energy and natural resources sector, the set’s work covers upstream and downstream oil and gas, coal-fired and nuclear power stations, and renewable energy projects including solar, wind, hydro and biofuels, as well as projects in the nuclear industry. Stephen Dennison KC and James Howells KC continued to act in one of the largest LMAA arbitrations by value and hearing length of the last couple of years relating to offshore construction. The highly respected David Streatfeild-James KC is currently handling major disputes in the LNG sector. Among its strong roster of juniors, Simon Crawshaw stands out. He is currently acting unled in disputes concerning onshore and offshore wind projects. Patrick Clarke has a well-established energy practice and has been heavily involved in a major oil and gas construction dispute in Central Asia.

Rising stars

Mathias Cheung –Atkin Chambers ‘Mathias is extremely smart, hardworking, and a very quick study, which allows him to get up to speed in short order and make himself indispensable to his client.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Silks

Stephen Dennison KC –Atkin Chambers ‘Very astute and great with clients, he provides excellent advocacy and is great at thinking outside of the box.’

Ranked: Tier 1

David Streatfeild-James KC –Atkin Chambers ‘Smart and focused, he is the most able of the construction Bar, he knows how to persuade tribunals.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Andrew White KC –Atkin Chambers ‘He is able to condense and synthesise complex factual and legal disputes to distil the key issues, and his vast international arbitration experience gives him unmatched insight into the tribunal's thinking.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Stuart Catchpole KC –Atkin Chambers ‘A fearsome advocate, renowned for his attention to detail, preparation and devastating cross-examination, he is a great team player with commercial and strategic insight.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Chantal-Aimée Doerries KC –Atkin Chambers 'Very through, with no airs, she will roll up her sleeves and muck in with the team.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Steven Walker KC –Atkin Chambers ‘Steven has an excellent mind and is one of the very best around for PFI and energy matters - good on strategy and excellent in front of clients.’

Ranked: Tier 3

Simon Lofthouse KC –Atkin Chambers ‘He is very focused, his cross-examination is ruthless, and he picks up on small details that others may miss.’

Ranked: Tier 3

Dominique Rawley KC –Atkin Chambers ‘A very bright barrister with great experience and knowledge of the energy sector, she can handle the toughest energy cases and deliver the best result.’

Ranked: Tier 3

Nicholas Dennys KC –Atkin Chambers ‘He uses his experience to his client's benefit by thinking about and working the problem, and he has a very rare ability to find new lines to take.’

Ranked: Tier 3

James Howells KC –Atkin Chambers ‘He is particularly good on the technical detail of complex disputes, and carries out effective cross-examination.’

Ranked: Tier 3

Manus McMullan KC –Atkin Chambers ‘A superior advocate with excellent judgment and a first-rate legal mind, his cross-examinations are incisive and powerful.’

Ranked: Tier 3

Serena Cheng KC –Atkin Chambers 'Her key strength is her analysis of the law.’

Ranked: Tier 4

Christopher Lewis KC –Atkin Chambers ‘He provides practical advice on complex issues, recognising the commercial priorities of the client.’

Ranked: Tier 4

Fiona Parkin KC –Atkin Chambers ‘Popular with clients, her confident advocacy is always supported by her meticulous attention to detail.’

Ranked: Tier 4

2021 Silks

Mark Chennells KC –Atkin Chambers ‘He is very good at getting into the detail of a case whilst keeping an eye on the overall strategy, and his advocacy skills are very good.’

2022 Silks

Rupert Choat KC –Atkin Chambers ‘He is helpful and patient, accommodating urgent requests for help, and he is quick to explain aspects of complex supporting evidence.’

Leading Juniors

Simon Crawshaw –Atkin Chambers ‘He has a fantastic ability to digest complex issues quickly and not get bogged down by emotion but see a best path to resolution.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Patrick Clarke –Atkin Chambers ‘He has excellent interpersonal skills, which are really handy when you are working under pressure, and demonstrates great advocacy skills.’

Ranked: Tier 3

Samar Abbas Kazmi –Atkin Chambers ‘A total star, very good with clients, he is bright and works extremely hard.’

Ranked: Tier 3

Mischa Balen –Atkin Chambers ‘His written advocacy is compelling, and he is rightly feared as an opponent.’

Ranked: Tier 4

Nicholas Collings –Atkin Chambers ‘The perfect senior junior, he provides clear, concise advice and is a good strategic thinker.’

Ranked: Tier 4

Shourav Lahiri –Atkin Chambers ‘Shourav is very quick to get up to speed with the matter, a good strategist, and a clear, concise and confident advocate.’

Ranked: Tier 4

Testimonials

Set

‘A very professional and responsive set of chambers.’

‘Atkin Chambers have incredible strength-in depth.’

‘Atkin Chambers is one of my go to chambers for technical offshore disputes.’

‘The set has an excellent offering of construction and engineering counsel both at junior and senior levels.’

‘Atkins are one of the go-to chambers for construction matters and have a strong reputation for excellence.’

Clerking

‘David Barnes is especially helpful, prompt and a very professional CEO and Director of Clerking.’

London Bar > International arbitration: counsel Tier 2

The barristers at Atkin Chambers have ‘vast experience and remarkable knowledge in international arbitration‘, built around a market-leading standing for global construction and engineering disputes. The set’s ‘great bench strength‘ was further enhanced by the high profile arrival of the highly esteemed Stuart Catchpole KC from 39 Essex Chambers. Clients appreciate the members’ experience of working in ‘Hong Kong, the Middle East and around the world‘. They are regularly involved in long-running infrastructure disputes covering a range of industries, a prominent example being Manus McMullan KC and Christopher Lewis KC‘s ongoing role representing the Panama Canal Authority in a series of multi-billion dollar claims arising from the Third Set of Locks Project. The set’s impressive stable of experienced juniors regularly act unled, with Shourav Lahiri and Samar Abbas Kazmi recently involved in several high profile development disputes in the Middle East.

Leading Silks

Stuart Catchpole KC - Atkin Chambers ‘Stuart is an outstanding advocate who is always thoroughly prepared and his cross-examination of witnesses is second to none. His reputation as being one of the leading silks in construction and international arbitration is well-deserved.’

Ranked: Tier 1

David Streatfeild-James KC –Atkin Chambers ‘Works extremely hard. Phenomenal grasp of the detail and outstanding on his feet.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Manus McMullan KC –Atkin Chambers ‘A very authoritative advocate with an outstanding ability to master the most complex of cases. Manus has excellent analytical skills and gives clear and very pertinent advice based on a thorough review of the relevant material.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Andrew White KC –Atkin Chambers ‘Incredibly hard-working and extraordinary eye for details. Consummate advocate who can lead a witness down paths they do not want to go without them noticing.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Stephen Dennison KC –Atkin Chambers ‘He is thorough, thoughtful and amazingly calm under pressure. A pleasure to work with and the clients adore him.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Chantal-Aimée Doerries KC – Atkin Chambers ‘One of the first names on the list for big ticket construction disputes. Very well respected as counsel in Asia.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Andrew Goddard KC –Atkin Chambers ‘Top notch cross-examination and advocacy skills. Very hard working with good attention to details. Excellent in developing case strategy and easy to work with.'

Ranked: Tier 2

James Howells KC –Atkin Chambers ‘James is first an foremost an excellent technical barrister, with a deep knowledge of construction issues from experience and from keeping up to date with latest developments. As well as being an excellent advocate, what sets James apart is the time and effort he puts into client care, taking the time to explain issues to clients, addressing their concerns and working to ensure key issues are understood.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Simon Lofthouse KC –Atkin Chambers ‘Simon is very focused and his cross-examination is ruthless. He picks up on small details that others may miss and he has a good feel for most senior arbitrators and opposing counsel.

Ranked: Tier 2

Riaz Hussain KC –Atkin Chambers ‘He is unbelievably calm under pressure and incredibly versatile as an advocate – being able to flex his style to deal with any situation. He has particular expertise in the energy sector – specifically oil and gas.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Nicholas Dennys KC –Atkin Chambers ‘Nicholas uses his accumulated experience wisely in the interests of his clients. He often brings fresh insights to complex matters, and is convincing and brief at explaining complicated things simply. Excellent.'

Ranked: Tier 3

Christopher Lewis KC –Atkin Chambers ‘He inspires confidence with the depth of his analysis and strategic thinking.’

Ranked: Tier 3

Serena Cheng KC –Atkin Chambers ‘Strong analysis of the law.’

Ranked: Tier 4

Fiona Parkin KC - Atkin Chambers 'Technically excellent; and able to handle demanding clients with ease on very complicated international arbitrations and on issues of international enforcement.'

Ranked: Tier 4

2021 Silks

Mark Chennells KC –Atkin Chambers ‘He is very hard working and really gets into the detail which provides dividends when you are in the hearing. He also has a good feeling for strategy and is excellent on his feet.’

2022 Silks

Rupert Choat KC –Atkin Chambers ‘Rupert is incredibly switched on and detailed orientated. He throws himself into the case and absorbs vast amounts of information in very short spaces of time. This makes his advocacy particularly good as he is able to cross refer to other evidence and react to comments from witnesses very efficiently and tactfully.'

Leading Juniors

Andrew Fenn –Atkin Chambers ‘Andrew is absolutely excellent in joining the legal team and driving forward the path to a successful strategy. He gets across the core issues that have to be won and helps massively with guiding the client team and experts to produce what is needed to support the case. His written advocacy is first class from the first draft he issues. His oral advocacy is calm, measured, robust and highly persuasive.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Zulfikar Khayum –Atkin Chambers ‘Zulf is a pleasure to work with. He is calm, insightful, a good team player and extremely hard working. He hits way above his weight on both written and oral advocacy.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Samar Abbas Kazmi –Atkin Chambers ‘Total star - very very good with clients.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Simon Crawshaw –Atkin Chambers ‘Brilliant negotiator, good listener, thorough knowledge of subject matters, effective communications.'

Ranked: Tier 3

Shourav Lahiri – Atkin Chambers ‘Very quick to get up to speed with the matter, good strategist, an excellent advocate (clear, concise, confident and to the point) and an effective cross-examiner with very good tribunal etiquette.’

Ranked: Tier 3

Testimonials

Set

‘Atkin Chambers is one of my first stop chambers for construction and arbitration work.’

‘Atkin Chambers have many reputable international arbitration barristers. They work in Hong Kong, the Middle East and around the world.’

‘Atkin is the number one construction arbitration set with a great bench strength.’

‘Atkin chambers is the leading set for construction and engineering disputes. There is a wide array of counsel at every level with deep understanding of their subjects and are mostly very approachable.’

‘They have vast experience and remarkable knowledge in international arbitration and its concentration on construction matters in addition to energy and power. They have vast expertise in this area and excellent quality of legal services that are tailored towards the client’s needs.’

Clerking

‘Its clerking service is top quality especially David Barnes and Justin Wilson. They provide superb service.’

Work highlights

London Bar > IT and telecoms (infrastructure and contracts) Tier 2

Recognized as a ‘go to chambers for technology claims’, the barristers at Atkin Chambers have particular expertise in high-profile IT projects, often crossing over with the set’s expertise in construction work. In British Telecommunications PLC v TII Technologies Limited, Patrick Clarke was instructed on behalf of the defendant, in a claim relating to the supply and performance of connection hardware installed across the BT Openreach network. In addition, David Streatfeild-James KC acted for an insurance company in a dispute concerning IBM’s delivery of an Extract Transform Load framework, forming part of a project aimed at updating and replacing an IT system used by the insurer to manage claims and policy renewals.

Leading Silks

David Streatfeild-James KC –Atkin Chambers

Ranked: Tier 2

James Howells KC –Atkin Chambers ‘James is a go to leading counsel. He is commercial and turns matters round quickly and effectively.‘

Ranked: Tier 2

2021 Silks

Mark Chennells KC – Atkin Chambers

Leading Juniors

Patrick Clarke –Atkin Chambers

Ranked: Tier 3

Testimonials

Set

‘Go-to chambers for Technology claims.‘

Clerking

‘The clerks are always helpful and accommodating.‘

‘Very collaborative.‘

London Bar > Professional negligence Tier 2

Atkin Chambers is known for professional negligence in the construction, engineering, technology, energy and infrastructure spheres. The chambers benefits from a strong team of barristers who have specialist knowledge in construction based cases and can apply it to issues surrounding professional negligence. Stephanie Barwise KC has a diverse practice spanning a range of issues arising in construction, civil, mechanical and geotechnical engineering work. Martin Bowdery KC acts for a range of different professionals, including financial services advisers in numerous multi-million-pound professional negligence actions. Rupert Choat KC has been appointed silk as of March 2022.

Leading Silks

David Streatfeild-James KC - Atkin Chambers

Ranked: Tier 1

Stuart Catchpole KC - Atkin Chambers ‘Stuart is tremendously intelligent. He is always able to see the wider picture, and his work ethic is ferocious.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Chantal-Aimée Doerries KC - Atkin Chambers

Ranked: Tier 2

Simon Lofthouse KC - Atkin Chambers

Ranked: Tier 2

Dominique Rawley KC - Atkin Chambers ‘ She is a very accomplished, quick-thinking silk. ’

Ranked: Tier 2

Andrew White KC - Atkin Chambers

Ranked: Tier 2

Stephanie Barwise KC - Atkin Chambers ‘ Stephanie has a supreme sense of gravitas and clients immediately trust her. An authority in cladding-related claims. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Serena Cheng KC - Atkin Chambers ‘ Serena is a very skilled counsel, who quickly gets on top of her brief. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Nicholas Dennys KC - Atkin Chambers

Ranked: Tier 3

James Howells KC - Atkin Chambers ‘ A compelling advocate with excellent analytical skills. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Manus McMullan KC - Atkin Chambers ‘ Manus is simply fantastic. He is extremely intelligent yet so user friendly, and clients love him. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Fiona Parkin KC –Atkin Chambers ‘An excellent advocate, her always-stylish delivery is always supported by meticulous preparation.’

Ranked: Tier 3

Martin Bowdery KC - Atkin Chambers ‘ A well spoken advocate, who is thoroughly prepared and quick on his feet. ’

Ranked: Tier 4

Riaz Hussain KC - Atkin Chambers ‘ A very supportive silk who always provides great advice. ’

Ranked: Tier 4

Steven Walker KC - Atkin Chambers ‘ Exceptionally bright, with a calm yet authoritative demeanour which helps cuts through the most difficult of issues. Brilliant on his feet. ’

Ranked: Tier 4

2022 Silks

Rupert Choat KC – Atkin Chambers 'Sharp and extremely attentive to details.'

Rupert Choat KC - Atkin Chambers ‘ Very organised and intelligent. He has a great grasp of the law and the facts. ’

Leading Juniors

Camille Slow - Atkin Chambers ‘ Camille is tenacious and incisive. A quality mind and a successful strategist. ’

Ranked: Tier 2

Omar Eljadi - Atkin Chambers ‘ Omar is thorough and gets on top of his area. Excellent written work. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Jennifer Jones - Atkin Chambers ‘ Jennifer is responsive, approachable and client-focused, as well as exceptionally technically able. Her advice is always clear and straightforward, and she is extremely engaging with clients. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Katie Powell - Atkin Chambers

Ranked: Tier 3

Rónán Hanna – Atkin Chambers ‘A junior with a very precise eye.’

Ranked: Tier 3

Nicholas Collings - Atkin Chambers ‘ Nicholas is measured and thoughtful. His advice is carefully delivered. ’

Ranked: Tier 4

Marc Lixenberg - Atkin Chambers ‘ A very personable junior who is robust in court. ’

Ranked: Tier 4

Mischa Balen - Atkin Chambers ‘ Mischa is diligent, and has a good manner with clients. ’

Ranked: Tier 5

Lucie Briggs - Atkin Chambers ‘ She is pragmatic, responsive and attentive, and provides clear and concise advice. ’

Ranked: Tier 5

Edmund Neuberger –Atkin Chambers 'Edmund is a considered operator and strong at drafting.'

Ranked: Tier 5

Patrick Clarke - Atkin Chambers ‘ A very calm, very experienced advocate who provides sound analysis. ’

Ranked: Tier 5

Testimonials

Set

‘Very good on detail and technical issues.’

‘Go to chambers for construction & engineering matters.’

‘Atkin Chambers is, with Keating, the pre-eminent set for construction litigation.‘

‘Extremely bright, very friendly, very good client manner. Excellent work product.’

‘Atkin is a very set for construction and engineering law with many able Juniors and Silks.’

Clerking

‘The clerks that I have dealt with are always responsive, and excellent at helping identify appropriate Counsel and looking at ways to overcome availability issues.’

London Bar > International arbitration: arbitrators Tier 3

Atkin Chambers is a top choice for international construction and engineering disputes, and this experience feeds into its arbitrator offering. Clients benefit from a good range of former judges, and practicing and retired counsel. The full time arbitrators include Doug Jones

, a leading light major international commercial and investor-state disputes, and former Technology and Construction Court (TCC) judges Sir Robert Akenhead and Her Honour Frances Kirkham. The high profile arrival of Stuart Catchpole KC from 39 Essex Chambers adds weight to the bench of counsel as arbitrators, which also includes Andrew White KC.

Dispute resolution > Mediators Tier 4

Michael Shane – Atkin Chambers Atkin Chambers' Michael Shane

has 'excellent technical knowledge, as well as the ability to get to the core of the issues. His commercial background also greatly assists interaction with clients'. Shane's recent experience includes mediations involving both the construction (including transport and social infrastructure) and energy sectors (including renewables). Insurance mediations are also a key feature of his practice.Sir Robert Akenhead - Atkin Chambers Sir Robert Akenhead at Atkin Chambers is 'personable and able to articulate clearly the arguments of the dispute that require compromise'. Since his retirement as a judge in December 2015, construction law specialist Akenhead acts as mediator in disputes across the world, in addition to being an arbitrator, adjudicator, expert and conciliator.

Hall of Fame

Michael Shane

– Atkin Chambers

Ranked: Tier 1

Employment > Tier 5

London Bar > Insurance and reinsurance

Leading Silks

Stuart Catchpole KC - Atkin Chambers ‘Stuart is tremendously intelligent. He is always able to see the wider picture, and his work ethic is ferocious.’ ‘A spectacular advocate. Stuart always gets to grips with the detail of the case, while retaining a strategic overview and giving clear commercial advice. He has it all.’

Ranked: Tier 4

Asia Pacific - The English Bar > Construction, energy and infrastructure Tier 1

Praised as a ‘premier construction set’ and highly regarded by law firms across the Asia Pacific region, members of Atkin Chambers are eminent in the construction, engineering and infrastructure sectors, with international disputes taking up a significant proportion of their time in this space. The set houses ‘top notch QCs and juniors’ who are accustomed to the main international arbitral institutions. Energy projects continue to feature heavily in members’ caseloads, and the set has seen a growth in the number of transport disputes arising in the region. Andrew White QC is well-established in the region and is noted for his expertise in shipbuilding, oil and gas, engineering and rail disputes, while Nicholas Dennys QC is increasingly appointed as an arbitrator in Korea, Singapore and India.

Rising stars

Mathias Cheung – Atkin Chambers ‘Exceeds pre-requisites for a junior barrister.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Silks

Nicholas Dennys QC – Atkin Chambers ‘He is an excellent strategist and highly regarded advocate.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC – Atkin Chambers ‘Very thorough, meticulous and in high demand for Asian disputes.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Andrew Goddard QC – Atkin Chambers ‘He understands the construction industry and brings a very pragmatic approach to his advice and advocacy.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Andrew White QC – Atkin Chambers ‘An excellent advocate who is the epitome of the steel fist in a silk glove.’

Ranked: Tier 1

James Howells QC – Atkin Chambers ‘He manages client expectations very well by his objective approach, honesty and transparency.’

Ranked: Tier 2

David Streatfeild-James QC–Atkin Chambers ‘His advocacy is excellent and his strengths are well-known.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Serena Cheng QC – Atkin Chambers ‘She is very clever, meticulous and is excellent with details and foreshadowing issues.’

Ranked: Tier 3

Simon Lofthouse QC – Atkin Chambers ‘Precise and sharp on his feet in his excellent advocacy and analytical skills.’

Ranked: Tier 3

2021 Silks

Mark Chennells QC – Atkin Chambers ‘He is fiercely intelligent and has a knack for seeing alternative approaches to what appears to be difficult problems.’

Leading Juniors

Shourav Lahiri – Atkin Chambers 'Very thorough, meticulous, extremely hardworking and also an accomplished advocate.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Samar Abbas Kazmi – Atkin Chambers ‘Unrivalled in terms of stamina and energy.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Testimonials

Set

‘Excellent specialist chambers. Always a good range of experienced construction counsel available, as well as knowledgeable and responsive clerks.’

‘An outstanding set with deep bench strength of top experts in construction arbitration. Equally impressed with the quality of the juniors.’

‘Atkin Chambers is the premier construction set.’

‘Atkin chambers has a wealth of experience in construction and energy disputes and is rightfully seen as one of the best. They have top notch QCs and juniors.’

‘Excellent construction set with a heavyweight stable of construction barristers.’

Clerking

‘Andrew Burrows is very responsive, pragmatic and helpful. Likewise David Barnes is exceptionally knowledgeable and resourceful.’

Middle East: The English Bar > Construction Tier 1

Atkin Chambers is a ‘magnificent set‘ and is a ‘go-to set for construction and engineering disputes‘. The members of the set are active across a broad range of large scale and complex infrastructure disputes involving power, water, health, transportation and mixed-use development projects. Andrew White QC represents clients in major infrastructure disputes across the Middle East. Head of Chambers Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC is active in the mixed-use development and oil and gas space. Serena Cheng QC and Shourav Lahiri are other key names to mention for energy and natural resources disputes; Lahiri, who is based in Singapore and was formerly a partner at Reed Smith in Dubai, has substantial expertise in offshore oil and gas storage and production.

Leading silks

Riaz Hussain QC –Atkin Chambers ‘Incredibly hard-working and very much a part of the team. Riaz is both aggressive and imaginative. However, he is very good on his feet and has the respect of his tribunals – he knows how to adapt his style to suit the occasion.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Simon Lofthouse QC –Atkin Chambers ‘The best cross examiner in construction cases. A force to be reckoned with.'

Ranked: Tier 1

David Streatfeild-James QC –Atkin Chambers ‘David well deserves his reputation. He has a profound ability to take a substantial, complex construction case, and bring a unique, often case-winning approach to how the case should be presented and argued. He is a brilliant advocate, and a master of cross examination.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Andrew White QC - Atkin Chambers 'Incredibly hard-working and for such a senior QC is very "hands on" - will really get stuck into a case.'

Ranked: Tier 1

Serena Cheng QC –Atkin Chambers ‘Serena provides calm, logical and precise analysis.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC – Atkin Chambers ‘Chantal is a delight to work with. She is intelligent, friendly and very quick to see issues to be addressed.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Leading juniors

Rupert Choat –Atkin Chambers ‘Phenomenal counsel who gives his 100% to deliver the results for his client. Incredibly hard working professional. A very good arbitrator too.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Andrew Fenn –Atkin Chambers ‘Andrew is a star in the making. He is extremely clever, able to get into complex detail quickly and is very useful friendly. His written work is particularly impressive.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Zulfikar Khayum –Atkin Chambers ‘Forensic brilliance and mastery of technical detail. He has exceptional work ethic. Zulf outclasses most silks.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Shourav Lahiri–Atkin Chambers ‘Shourav has incredible attention to details and is very hard-working.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Camille Slow –Atkin Chambers ‘Camille is extremely easy to deal with. She is an excellent lawyer and tactician. She is very affable but can change tone in cross examination to great effect. Lay clients love working with Camille who at all times provides succinct and easy to digest advice and guidance.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Rónán Hanna – Atkin Chambers ‘Personable, insightful, enthusiastic. Clients are extremely positive about Rónán’s work as advocate.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Samar Abbas Kazmi - Atkin Chambers

Ranked: Tier 2

Nicholas Collings - Atkin Chambers

Ranked: Tier 2

Simon Crawshaw - Atkin Chambers

Ranked: Tier 2

David Johnson – Atkin Chambers ‘David is a very hardworking barrister. He knows construction law inside and out and his advocacy skills are exceptional. Mr Johnson is a pleasure to work with.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Katie Powell-Atkin Chambers ‘An absolute star and someone you always want on your team. Sharp, detail-orientated and a real client favourite.'

Ranked: Tier 2

Testimonials

Set

‘Top construction set in London.’

‘Atkin Chambers is exceptionally well run with a wonderful set of leading barristers.’

‘Excellent specialist chambers. Always a good range of experienced construction counsel available and knowledgeable and responsive clerks.’

‘Magnificent set – by far the best energy and infrastructure specialists at the bar.’

‘One of the ‘go to’ sets for construction and engineering disputes. Always good quality across the board.’

Clerking

‘Very user friendly and a pleasure to work with. Always.’

Atkin Chambers is a leading set of commercial barristers with an international reputation for providing advocacy and specialist legal advice on cases concerning construction and engineering, energy, technology and major infrastructure projects.

The members of Atkin Chambers offer a huge breadth and depth of experience in disputes which are often complex both in terms of the law and the technical nature of the underlying dispute. They are recognised as being leaders in their field.

The disputes in which members are instructed are extremely varied and include transport, oil and gas, renewables, water/sanitation, IT and telecommunications, shipbuilding and conversion, and social infrastructure projects. Wider commercial and professional negligence work is frequently related to such disputes.

Disputes are often commercially and/or politically sensitive and high-profile, and have included landmark UK cases such as disputes relating to The Shard, Wembley Stadium, the Olympic Village, the Channel Tunnel, The British Library, The Rolls Building, Heathrow T5, the M25 and London Underground. International work is equally substantial with major transport infrastructure and energy projects being a common feature – frequently cross-border and/or involving parties from several jurisdictions.

In the UK members regularly appear as advocates before the High Court and Appellate Courts, including the Supreme Court, and represent clients in commercial arbitrations seated in London and around the world. Members practise in many of the world’s leading arbitration centres and are highly-experienced in handling international arbitration matters conducted under the auspices of the major arbitral institutions such as the ICC, LCIA, DIAC, HKIAC, SIAC and numerous others.

Members and door tenants are called upon to act as arbitrators, adjudicators, mediators, in expert determination, and as members of international dispute boards and chairs of public inquiries.

A number of authoritative and influential texts are authored and edited in Chambers including the Building Law Reports and the International Construction Law Review. The seminal work on the law relating to building and engineering contracts — Hudson’s Building and Engineering Contracts — has been edited by Chambers since 1959 and is cited in many common law jurisdictions.

International and UK dispute resolution:

■ Commercial
■ Construction & Engineering
■ Energy & Natural Resources
■ Infrastructure & PFI/PPP
■ International Arbitration
■ IT & Telecommunications
■ Professional Negligence
■ Shipbuilding & Offshore Construction
■ Transport

Department	Name	Email
Chief Executive & Director of Clerking	David Barnes	dbarnes@atkinchambers.com
Principal contact for counsel appointments	Justin Wilson	jwilson@atkinchambers.com
Principal contact for arbitrator, adjudicator and mediator appointments	Daniel Jones	djones@atkinchambers.com

Name	Position	Profile
Mr Jonathan Acton Davis	Jonathan specialises in domestic and international litigation and arbitration in the construction,…	View Profile
Miss Lauren Adams	Lauren’s domestic practice involves advising on private residential work and large commercial…	View Profile
Sir Robert Akenhead	In continuous practice from 1973 to 2007 as a specialist construction law…	View Profile
Mr Mischa Balen	Mischa specialises primarily in international commercial disputes with an emphasis on construction…	View Profile
Miss Stephanie Barwise	Widely regarded as a leader in her field, Stephanie’s expertise lies in…	View Profile
Mr John Blackburn	From 1984 until 2006, John was in full-time practice as leading counsel…	View Profile
Mr Martin Bowdery	“Inventive intellectually and tactically superb” Martin Bowdery QC practises as an advocate, arbitrator,…	View Profile
Miss Lucie Briggs	Lucie specialises in construction and engineering, energy, information technology, and professional negligence…	View Profile
Mr Stuart Catchpole KC	Stuart Catchpole QC is recognised as one of the leading advocates at…	View Profile
Miss Serena Cheng	Serena Cheng QC is a commercial litigation and arbitration specialist whose practice…	View Profile
Mr Mark Chennells	Mark Chennells QC was appointed silk in 2021. He has broad experience…	View Profile
Mr Mathias Cheung	Mathias’ domestic and international commercial practice covers all areas of Chambers’ work,…	View Profile
Mr Rupert Choat KC	Rupert has specialised since 1997 in construction, engineering, PFI/PPP, energy and similar…	View Profile
Mr Patrick Clarke	Patrick’s specialist practice principally concerns fighting claims that involve complex technical or…	View Profile
Mr Robert Clay	Robert specialises in litigation and arbitration, domestic and international, in the construction,…	View Profile
Mr Nicholas Collings	Nicholas specialises in commercial litigation and arbitration with a particular emphasis on…	View Profile
Mr Simon Crawshaw	Simon specialises in the construction and engineering and energy sectors representing contractors,…	View Profile
Mr Stephen Dennison	Stephen is a leading specialist in the construction and civil engineering, energy…	View Profile
Mr Nicholas Dennys	Nicholas is a leading specialist in construction, civil engineering, international arbitration, professional…	View Profile
Mr Nicholas Dennys	Nicholas is a leading specialist in construction, civil engineering, international arbitration, professional…	View Profile
Miss Chantal-Aimée Doerries	Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC is the current Head of Atkin Chambers and a…	View Profile
Miss Felicity Dynes	Felicity specialises in all aspects of Chambers’ work including in the areas…	View Profile
Mr Omar Eljadi	Omar Eljadi specialises in contractual and professional negligence disputes within the construction,…	View Profile
Mr Andrew Fenn	Andrew has acted as junior counsel on large litigations, international and domestic…	View Profile
Sir Thayne Forbes	Sir Thayne Forbes is an arbitrator, adjudicator and mediator and chair…	View Profile
Mr Andrew Goddard	Andrew Goddard QC specialises in the law of commercial obligations, professional negligence…	View Profile
Mr Arthur Graham-Dixon	Arthur has a broad practice in all areas of Chambers’ work and…	View Profile
Ms Caroline Greenfield	Caroline joined Atkin Chambers as a tenant in September 2019, following the…	View Profile
Mr Dalton Hale	Dalton has been described by clients as “knowledgeable, thorough, proactive and original…	View Profile
Mr Rónán Hanna	Rónán has broad experience in a wide range of construction and engineering…	View Profile
Mr James Howells	James specialises in infrastructure, construction, energy and IT disputes both domestic and…	View Profile
Mr Riaz Hussain	Riaz acts as leading counsel in high value, complex disputes and advises…	View Profile
Ms Laura Hussey	Laura has a domestic and international practice in all specialist areas of…	View Profile
Mr David Johnson	David practises in the fields of domestic and international construction, engineering, energy,…	View Profile
Prof Doug Jones	Doug Jones AO is a leading independent international commercial and investor-state arbitrator…	View Profile
Miss Jennifer Jones	Jennifer practices both domestically and internationally, with a particular expertise in multi-party…	View Profile
Mr Samar Abbas Kazmi	Samar Abbas Kazmi specialises in commercial, construction and technology disputes. Samar has…	View Profile
Mr Zulfikar Khayum	Zulfikar practices across all areas of the construction, engineering, energy and IT…	View Profile
Her Honour Frances Kirkham CBE	Her Honour Frances Kirkham CBE acts as arbitrator in high-value construction and…	View Profile
His Honour Humphrey LLoyd	His Honour Humphrey LLoyd QC is an arbitrator and mediator. From 1963…	View Profile
Mr Shourav Lahiri	Shourav is a specialist construction and international arbitration lawyer with over 20…	View Profile
Mr Peter Land	Peter practices across all areas of construction, engineering, infrastructure, information technology and…	View Profile
Mr Christopher Lewis	Christopher practises principally in the fields of construction and engineering; energy and…	View Profile
Mr Marc Lixenberg	Confirming his status as a “respected junior”, Marc is a leading junior construction…	View Profile
Mr Simon Lofthouse	Simon Lofthouse QC is widely-recognised as a leading domestic and international lawyer…	View Profile
Dr Nicholas Maciolek	Nicholas’ practice includes disputes relating to construction, engineering and infrastructure, energy and…	View Profile
Mr Manus McMullan	Manus specialises in commercial disputes with an emphasis on energy, natural resources…	View Profile
Mr Edmund Neuberger	Edmund specialises in all aspects of Chambers’ work for a broad range…	View Profile
Miss Fiona Parkin	Recognised for her particular skill in getting to the heart of complex…	View Profile
Mr Sebastian Pigott	Sebastian Pigott is described as “an intelligent and considered thinker” who is “very user-friendly and…	View Profile
Miss Katie Powell	Katie Powell specialises in commercial disputes with a particular emphasis on construction,…	View Profile
Caspar Ramsay	Caspar joined Atkin Chambers as a tenant in September 2022, following successful…	View Profile
Miss Dominique Rawley	Dominique Rawley QC specialises in high value disputes in the field of…	View Profile
Mr Christopher Reid	Christopher undertakes a broad range of commercial work both domestically and internationally,…	View Profile
Mr Darryl Royce	Darryl Royce advises upon, and acts for parties involved in, construction projects,…	View Profile
Ella Rutter	Ella joined Chambers as a tenant in September 2022, following the successful…	View Profile
Mr Michael Shane	Michael Shane is a highly-regarded international mediator and arbitrator. His career has…	View Profile
Miss Camille Slow	Camille’s practice covers a broad range of commercial matters with a particular…	View Profile
Mr David Streatfeild-James	David Streatfeild-James acts as an advocate, adviser and arbitrator in high-value commercial…	View Profile
Mr Ryan Turner	Ryan Turner has significant experience in a wide range of construction and…	View Profile
Mr Max Twivy	Max joined Atkin Chambers as a tenant in 2019. He has gained…	View Profile
Prof Janet Walker	Professor Janet Walker is a leading international commercial arbitrator based in London,…	View Profile
Mr Steven Walker	Steven Walker QC specialises in advising and representing parties to complex commercial…	View Profile
Mr Andrew White	Andrew enjoys an international reputation as a commercial silk. He regularly appears…	View Profile

Cantonese
French
German
Italian
Mandarin
Punjabi
Spanish
Urdu

Atkin Chambers is a leading set of barristers with an international reputation for providing advocacy and advice on commercial disputes relating to construction and engineering, technology, energy and infrastructure projects.

The members of Atkin Chambers have worked across Asia-Pacific over several decades during which time members and the clerking team have built long-standing relationships with many of the leading law firms and individual lawyers in the region. As a consequence they have acquired a detailed understanding of the commercial landscape within which disputes arise throughout Asia-Pacific

As specialist and practised advocates, members’ expertise in building and presenting a case to international arbitral tribunals makes them in high demand They possess genuine expertise in cases which are legally, factually and technically complex.

Members’ experience with commercial disputes in the region is broad but frequently concerned with infrastructure projects across transport (highways, streets, roads, and bridges; mass transit; airports and airways), energy and power generation (including but not limited to nuclear, oil and gas and renewables), water (supply and wastewater management), waste (management and treatment), and telecommunications. Members also have significant offshore marine and submarine experience from ports to pipe-laying, as well as shipbuilding and conversion/repairs.

Disputes and claims upon which members are instructed relate to commercial obligations and/or tortious issues, and may lead to litigation, arbitration, or other forms of alternative dispute resolution such as mediation.

Members have also acquired significant experience of presenting cases conducted under the auspices of the leading arbitral institutions including but not limited to the Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC), Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC), International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Korean Commercial Arbitration Board (KCAB), London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) and Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration (SCMA).

Members of Atkin Chambers are authors of authoritative and influential legal texts including The Building Law Reports and The International Construction Law Review. The members of Atkin Chambers have edited ‘Hudson’s Building and Engineering Contracts’, the seminal textbook on construction law since 1959. Hudson has always had a strong international element, comparing and commenting on legal developments in numerous Commonwealth and other jurisdictions, including those of Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia.

Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese)

Equality and diversity

Chambers is committed to respecting and understanding the cultural needs of its diverse and global client base, and is committed to equality and diversity in both recruitment and the provision of services.

Chambers operates under an equality and diversity policy in accordance with the Bar Standard Board’s Equality and Diversity Code.

Recruitment and equality and diversity

All applications (be it for staff, tenants, pupils or mini-pupils) are considered on merit alone. All selection procedures are operated without discrimination, that is to say without regard to considerations such as age, sex, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership, religion or belief, or age. Chambers aims to follow best practice with regards to disability and reasonable adjustments.

Chambers also recognises the importance of increasing social mobility at the Bar and looks equally at applications for pupillage and mini-pupillage from graduates of all universities and from all backgrounds and all sectors of the community with the ability and determination to succeed as a barrister.

Partly in recognition of the monetary barriers to entering the Bar, Atkin Chambers offers one of the highest pupillage awards at the Bar and the opportunity to “drawdown” in advance funding towards the costs of the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC). Chambers reimburses all reasonable travel expenses for pupillage interviewees and successful applicants to the mini-pupillage scheme can claim reasonable travel expenses and ask us to arrange overnight accommodation.

Equality and diversity at the Bar

Chambers welcomes the opportunity to work with other groups to foster equality and diversity at the Bar. Atkin Chambers supports FreeBar, a forum focused on LGBT+ people and their allies working at and for the Bar. A number of members of Atkin Chambers are founding members of The TECBAR BAME Network.

Chambers is pleased to support The 10,000 Black Interns Programme for 2021/22 which aims to transform the horizons and prospects of young black people in the UK by offering paid work experience across a wide range of industries, as well as world-class training and development. it is also pleased to be a silver partner of Bridging the Bar and to be participating in its mini pupillage programme for 2022.

Atkin Chambers is a signatory to the Equal Representation in Arbitration Pledge and the Equal Representation for Expert Witnesses Pledge.

Pro Bono

In 2022 Atkin Chambers agreed to support Support Through Court as a “Changemaker Guardian” for an initial three years. In addition, Atkin Chambers has been a supporter of the work of Advocate (the Bar Pro Bono Unit) as a Pro Bono Patron since 2019.