Atkin Chambers > London, England > Set Profile

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

Known for their exceptional work both domestically and abroad, the barristers at Atkin Chambers have continued to lead the construction legal market. Stephanie Barwise QC and Omar Eljadi have been acting on behalf of the largest group of victims in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, and in addition, barristers who have a significant practice handling PFI disputes have been instructed on fire safety defect-related cases, including Serena Cheng QC, Dominique Rawley QC and Steven Walker QC. In the TCC, Stephen Dennison QC led Mathias Cheung and Felicity Dynes in Energy Works (Hull) Ltd v MW High Tech Projects UK Ltd & Others, a dispute relating to the termination of construction work on a waste to energy plant. Away from the London courts, members continue to be instructed in arbitrations concerning the UK’s and world’s key infrastructure projects.

Rising stars

Lauren Adams - Atkin Chambers ‘ Succinct, tenacious, she sees through the smoke and mirrors very quickly. Easy to work with and a great team player. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

Dr Nicholas Maciolek - Atkin Chambers ‘ He is incredibly bright and his drafting is very clear and persuasive. I have found him a pleasure to work with. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

Christopher Reid - Atkin Chambers ‘ Christopher is very hard working, and thorough in his approach and at the same time very efficient. Very good in cross-examination. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Silks

Stephanie Barwise QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ The gold standard in counsel: excellent advice at all times but perfectly tailored for the client and always reliable. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

Stuart Catchpole QC – Atkin Chambers ‘Stuart is a phenomenally skilful barrister, with an exceptional ability both to seize the high-level points in a given dispute and to capture the most granular details in issue. He is relentlessly commercial in his approach, combined with a remarkable ability to persuade, at both the level of the client and the tribunal. He is one of the finest barristers of his generation.’

Ranked: Tier 1

Simon Lofthouse QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ Bright, hardworking, prodigious memory, has mental agility in hearings, tactical nous, commercial, pleasant, and a team player. Simon consistently outclasses opposing silks, because he works harder and has a passion for the case that means he doesn't just walk the extra mile, he thoroughly maps it. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

Manus McMullan QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ Manus always has a problem solving attitude which is very helpful in an environment when different interests are at stake. He is a brilliant cross-examiner. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

David Streatfeild-James QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ David is a highly experienced construction and international arbitration specialist. He understands the construction industry well, and he is able to listen carefully to the client’s needs and then get to the heart of the matter. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

Andrew White QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ Andrew is a leading light at the construction Bar and an absolute delight to work with. He has massive gravitas but at the same time is humble and approachable. A real heavyweight who understands the industry and provides exceptional client service. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

Nicholas Baatz QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ Highly skilled at grasping the key issues and advising clearly in easy to understand language and concepts. My clients are always impressed by Nick and his approach. ’

Ranked: Tier 2

Stephen Dennison QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ He is excellent, thorough and calm under pressure. He is an absolute joy to work with and a true team player. ’

Ranked: Tier 2

Chantal-Aimee Doerries QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ Clearly an expert in her field, with the ability to provide strong technical and commercial advice in a complex area of law that the client was able to understand and appreciate. ’

Ranked: Tier 2

Martin Bowdery QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ A well-spoken advocate who is thoroughly prepared and quick on his feet. His case law knowledge is detailed and thorough. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Jonathan Acton Davis QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ He is immensely charming, which he uses to great effect on his feet. He's done it all before, which gives clients enormous confidence in him. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Nicholas Dennys QC - Atkin Chambers

Ranked: Tier 3

Andrew Goddard QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ Thorough and decisive with a good eye for detail. A good strategist. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Riaz Hussain QC –Atkin Chambers ‘Riaz is very personable and user friendly, and he goes the extra mile. He is tenacious and leaves no stone unturned.’

Ranked: Tier 3

Fiona Parkin QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ She is excellent. Tenacious, an effective advocate, thorough, clever and with good judgement. A pleasure to work with. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Dominique Rawley QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ An expert on PPP/PFI projects and clearly has an in-depth knowledge of where arguments are likely to have merit which is invaluable when strategically assessing the strength of a client's position. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Steven Walker QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ His great skill is making the complicated appear simple, and communicating that clearly to clients and the courts. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

James Howells QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ A highly intelligent and hard-working QC who is always a pleasure to deal with. His legal and strategic analysis is excellent. ’

Ranked: Tier 4

Serena Cheng QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ Serena is obviously a very skilled and effective counsel with a good understanding of how to persuade a technical tribunal. ’

Ranked: Tier 5

Christopher Lewis QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ Very thorough and efficient, but humble and easy to work with ’

Ranked: Tier 5

2021 Silks

Mark Chennells QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ Mark is able to absorb a considerable amount of information, and also is able to get to the core of the problem and identify the key issues. He is hardworking and focuses on the detail. ’

2022 Silks

Rupert Choat QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ Rupert is extremely focused and detailed orientated. He gets thoroughly involved in all aspects of the case, giving you confidence he has grasped all issues fully and comprehensively. ’

Leading Juniors

Patrick Clarke - Atkin Chambers ‘ Extremely bright and is always cool, calm and collected under pressure. He has a wonderful advocacy style which commands respect and is a fantastic team player. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

Robert Clay - Atkin Chambers ‘ He gets to grip with the key issues quickly and is a well-spoken advocate who is well-prepared. ’

Ranked: Tier 2

Nicholas Collings - Atkin Chambers ‘ A strong team player who is great with clients. Rolls sleeves up and gets into the detail - he is able to assimilate a lot of information quickly. Very reliable. ’

Ranked: Tier 2

Lucie Briggs - Atkin Chambers ‘ Lucie is very clear and concise in her dealings with us. She is able to explain matters in a way that is easy to understand and is also commercially aware in her approach ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Omar Eljadi - Atkin Chambers ‘ He contributes deep knowledge and expertise in construction arbitration and that is always portrayed in his work. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Andrew Fenn - Atkin Chambers ‘ Andrew has a first-class brain and his ability to guide clients through an international arbitration inspires great respect and gratitude. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

David Johnson - Atkin Chambers ‘ One of the best barristers I've worked with. Amazing work ethic and consistently produces the highest quality work ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Jennifer Jones - Atkin Chambers ‘ Jennifer is one of the team and rolls up her sleeves up and gets on with the work. Her advice is always clear and straightforward and she is extremely engaging with clients. She is a true trusted advisor. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Samar Abbas Kazmi - Atkin Chambers ‘ Samar has a first-class brain, a commercial mindset and an unparalleled work ethic. Clients love him, as do judges and tribunals. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Shourav Lahiri - Atkin Chambers ‘ Shourav is one of the finest construction lawyers with very good technical appetite. His understanding of technical aspects of the disputes is very strong, which is essential in winning construction disputes ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Sebastian Pigott - Atkin Chambers ‘ He is excellent at digesting complex issues and explaining it in a straightforward way to clients. He has a very reassuring style. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Camille Slow - Atkin Chambers ‘ Camille is exceptional and is extremely easy to work with whilst providing insightful and concise advice on strategy and legal issues. She is always on top of papers, practical, commercial and among the best cross-examiners I have seen. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Katie Powell - Atkin Chambers ‘ Katie is quick to grasp the facts of a case, extremely pleasant to work with, hard-working and very bright. ’

Ranked: Tier 4

Mischa Balen - Atkin Chambers ‘ Very bright, ferociously efficient and able to see straight to the key issues. ’

Ranked: Tier 4

Mathias Cheung - Atkin Chambers ‘ Mathias is top notch. He assimilates information at record pace and quickly gets to grips with the issues. He is great with clients - approachable, dependable, nothing is too much trouble. ’

Ranked: Tier 4

Simon Crawshaw - Atkin Chambers ‘ Simon is very thorough, professional, hard working and responsive. ’

Ranked: Tier 4

Felicity Dynes - Atkin Chambers ‘ A very measured and well prepared advocate, who takes any last minute instructions and variations in her stride. ’

Ranked: Tier 4

Rónán Hanna – Atkin Chambers ‘Very precise, he focuses on the key issues.’

Ranked: Tier 4

Zulfikar Khayum - Atkin Chambers ‘ Zulf is absolutely reliable and works like no one I have ever dealt with. Zulf leaves no stone unturned and where the devil is in the detail in construction cases, he hunts that devil down. ’

Ranked: Tier 4

Marc Lixenberg - Atkin Chambers ‘ Marc is extremely approachable and accessible. Very user friendly. I liked his presentation of the arguments by way of our submissions. He also provided clear advice throughout. ’

Ranked: Tier 4

Edmund Neuberger - Atkin Chambers ‘ A quick and thorough mind able to work well with clients and solicitors. Easy to use and very helpful. ’

Ranked: Tier 4

Testimonials

Set

‘A very strong set for construction work. Would not use any other. The depth of knowledge, even for younger members of the set is impressive.’

‘A top set of chambers for construction law, good choice of excellent barristers.’

‘Atkins are an excellent set of construction specialist counsel with a good range of junior to senior counsel. They are a go-to chambers for construction sector advice. They are pragmatic and approachable for clients; willing to provide a commercial view as well as excellent advice.’

Clerks

‘The clerks are great. Always helpful and swift to respond – even during the Covid issues. I have found all clerks who I have dealt with similarly professional and helpful. They all know to manage the fee estimate aspects and this is a great relief.’

‘Excellent clerking – the best in this area. Justin Wilson and David Barnes are peerless.’

‘Clerks always helpful and efficient. Particularly Andy Burrows whose understanding of your needs and matching them to the specialisms of the barristers is always spot on.’

London Bar > Energy Tier 2

Atkin Chambers ‘has a worthy claim to the title of top construction-specialised set in London’. For one client, ‘the set remains the first choice for barristers in international energy disputes‘ and it remains ‘a first-rate construction set, boasting a bench strength of talented experts at every level'. Energy and natural resources cases account for a high proportion of the set’s work, drawing on its strength in international arbitration and members’ experience in complex PFI/PPP projects. The work spans upstream and downstream oil and gas, power projects including coal-fired and nuclear power stations, and renewable energy, whether solar, wind or waste-to-energy projects. Members are also involve in cases concerning the construction of supporting infrastructure including FPSOs, jack-up and semi-submersible drilling rigs, and dredging and subsea cabling and pipe-laying vessels. David Streatfeild-James QC is an outstanding advocate and arbitrator in high-value commercial cases involving traditional and renewable energy. Among the juniors, Rupert Choat QC, who is currently involved Commercial Court proceedings regarding a gas concession in Cameroon, is a prominent practitioner.

Rising stars

Mathias Cheung - Atkin Chambers ‘ Incredibly hard working, responsive and helpful, he gets into the detail and is a highly skilled advocate. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

Leading Silks

Stephen Dennison QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ He leads superbly with calm authority, with a very clear and persuasive style. He is one of the best in the business in high-value and complex offshore construction disputes. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

David Streatfeild-James QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ Without question one of the very top London-based silks specializing in the energy, construction and infrastructure sectors, he is unrivalled in his ability to find a way through the most difficult cases. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

Andrew White QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ Andrew understands energy disputes inside out, showing forensic attention to detail and getting stuck into the heart of the dispute. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ Technically exceptional, she exhibits market-leading responsiveness and availability and is always an absolute pleasure to instruct. ’

Ranked: Tier 2

Stuart Catchpole QC – Atkin Chambers ‘An outstanding advocate, probably the best cross-examiner in the energy field, his preparation is always outstanding and his work ethic is ferocious.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Nicholas Dennys QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ He has an intuitive understanding of important areas and an impressive strategic overview. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

James Howells QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ A master of his art, supremely prepared at all times, quick to gain the judge or tribunal's trust and even quicker to unpick a witness in cross-examination. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Manus McMullan QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ He shows precision to detail and strategic planning and has an extremely high intellect and extensive experience in international arbitration. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Steven Walker QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ Understated on his feet but comes with a bite, he is a master tactician who is calm under pressure but deeply forensic in his analysis. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Nicholas Baatz QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ He is highly skilled at grasping the key issues and advising clearly in easy-to-understand language and concepts. ’

Ranked: Tier 4

Serena Cheng QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ An absolute first-rate advocate who reads tribunals very well and astutely formulates arguments for very effective and persuasive delivery. ’

Ranked: Tier 4

Christopher Lewis QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ He combines a sense of fairness and openness in his advocacy with an ability to quickly identify the key points. ’

Ranked: Tier 4

Simon Lofthouse QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ He has a good strategic overview and is good in hearings. ’

Ranked: Tier 4

Fiona Parkin QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ Highly experienced and very client-focused, she is a strategic thinker who provides very clear and commercial advice. ’

Ranked: Tier 4

Dominique Rawley QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ Dominique is a careful and considered practitioner who draws from a very deep well of expertise and deploys it magisterially. ’

Ranked: Tier 4

2021 Silks

Mark Chennells QC –Atkin Chambers ‘Mark is very adept at seeing the commercial issues and cutting through irrelevant material to focus on the issues.’

2022 Silks

Rupert Choat QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ He shows excellent commerciality and ability to identify the points which a court or tribunal will be interested in. ’

Leading Juniors

Simon Crawshaw - Atkin Chambers ‘ Simon is very thorough, professional, hardworking and responsive. ’

Ranked: Tier 2

Patrick Clarke - Atkin Chambers ‘ Patrick is extremely bright and is always cool, calm and collected under pressure, and has a wonderful advocacy style which commands respect. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Samar Abbas Kazmi - Atkin Chambers ‘ Bright, likeable and a persuasive advocate, Samar has great tenacity and skill, and his drafting is excellent. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Mischa Balen - Atkin Chambers ‘ Mischa is a class act and a formidable opponent. ’

Ranked: Tier 4

Nicholas Collings - Atkin Chambers ‘ A strong team player who is great with clients and is able to assimilate a lot of information quickly. ’

Ranked: Tier 4

Shourav Lahiri - Atkin Chambers ‘ A very sound, meticulous and capable advocate, he thinks things through and is a very good cross-examiner. ’

Ranked: Tier 4

Testimonials

Set

‘In my view, Atkin Chambers has a worthy claim to the title of top construction-specialised set in London. In practice, Atkin is typically the first place I look for assistance in high-value and complex energy, construction and infrastructure disputes under English law because of their impressive talent at all levels of seniority.’

‘A high-quality construction set operating also in the energy space.’

‘This was my first experience of working with Atkin Chambers and I was very impressed. I’m aware of their strength in construction cases.’

‘A first-rate construction set, boasting a bench strength of talented experts at every level.’

‘The set remains the first choice for barristers in international energy disputes.’

Clerks

‘Justin Wilson is very responsive.’

London Bar > International arbitration: counsel Tier 2

Atkin Chambers has developed an excellent reputation for international arbitration, and is praised for its 'strength-in-depth for construction and energy related disputes'. The set's credentials for Asia and Middle East-related matters are especially strong, particularly when it comes to infrastructure disputes. On the transport side, Andrew White QC , Nicholas Dennys QC and Sebastian Pigott have all been involved in several high-profile rail and metro-related claims. On the social infrastructure front, Simon Lofthouse QC and Zulfikar Khayum both worked on Obrascon Huarte Lain SA (t/a OHL Internacional) & Anor v Qatar Foundation where they defeated a challenge to a partial arbitral award concerning a hospital project in Doha.

Leading Silks

Andrew White QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ The leading light at the construction Bar and an absolute delight to work with. He has massive gravitas but at the same time is humble and approachable. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

Stuart Catchpole QC – Atkin Chambers ‘Very smart, detail oriented, he makes very persuasive arguments. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

Manus McMullan QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ Extremely highly intellectual and substantial knowledge on relevant areas of law, and extensive experience with international arbitration which shines through in his work. ’

Ranked: Tier 1

Stephen Dennison QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ He is excellent, thorough and calm under pressure. He is an absolute joy to work with and a true team player. ’

Ranked: Tier 2

Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ One of the go-to counsel for complex cross-border construction disputes. She has an active international practice, especially in Asia. She understands what clients want and exceeds their expectations. ’

Ranked: Tier 2

Andrew Goddard QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ A top barrister who is not just excellent in the law, but offers broader advice on strategy and good ideas on alternative approaches. ’

Ranked: Tier 2

James Howells QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ Incredibly hard-working, great attention to detail and very user-friendly. ’

Ranked: Tier 2

Simon Lofthouse QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ Consistently outclasses opposing silks, because he works harder and has a passion for the case that means he doesn't just walk the extra mile, he thoroughly maps it and is prepared for any eventuality. ’

Ranked: Tier 2

David Streatfeild-James QC –Atkin Chambers ‘Without question, one of the very top London-based silks specializing in the energy/construction/infrastructure sectors, and a first choice for any bet the company dispute in those areas.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Nicholas Dennys QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ A great silk. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Riaz Hussain QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ A superstar. He is extremely affable to work with and is a meticulously prepared and forceful advocate. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Christopher Lewis QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ Great attention to detail, highly adept at mastering areas of law outside his usual practice area. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Serena Cheng QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ A brilliant advocate, subtle and measured. There is an almost hypnotic quality to her oral advocacy. ’

Ranked: Tier 4

2021 Silks

Mark Chennells QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ Very quick to get on top of the detail and difficult concepts, user friendly and an excellent advocate. ’

2022 Silks

Rupert Choat QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ Extremely sharp, attentive to details, brilliant cross-examinator. An advantage in any construction arbitration. ’

Leading Juniors

Samar Abbas Kazmi –Atkin Chambers ‘Has a first-class brain, a commercial mindset and an unparalleled work ethic. Clients love him, as do judges and tribunals.’

Ranked: Tier 2

Andrew Fenn - Atkin Chambers ‘ An excellent team leader. He is very personable, understands the demands of building a case, seeks to draw the best work from those around him and build on it to advance the case. ’

Ranked: Tier 2

Simon Crawshaw - Atkin Chambers ‘ His ability to read, digest and understand complex matters over vast swaths of paperwork in a short timeframe is wonderful. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Zulfikar Khayum - Atkin Chambers ‘ Intelligent, hardworking and very quick on his feet. Also very enthusiastic and passionate about his work. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Sebastian Pigott - Atkin Chambers ‘ Commercial in the application of the advice and aware of the bigger picture whilst retaining an eye for detail and finessing the best approach in the drafting. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Testimonials

Set

‘Atkin is one of the two preeminent construction sets. They have considerable strength in depth at all levels. The barristers are generally competitive and academic colleagues and opponents.’

‘One of my first ports of call when looking for construction and arbitration counsel.’

‘The reputation as one of the best sets for construction and arbitration is well deserved.’

‘Atkin is typically the first place I look for assistance in high-value and complex energy/construction/infrastructure disputes under English law because of their impressive talent at all levels of seniority.’

‘A peerless set for construction, with great strength in depth.’

Clerking

‘Its clerking service is top quality especially David Barnes and Justin Wilson. They are very experienced at dealing with the issues faced when working in Hong Kong.’

London Bar > IT and telecoms Tier 2

A ‘first port of call for IT contract disputes,’ the set at Atkin Chambers acts in high-profile IT and communications project disputes in the construction, banking, and financial services sectors, dovetailing well with the set’s well-known area of expertise in construction projects. James Howells QC was lead counsel for the latter party, the appellant, Triple Point Technology v PTT Public Company, in which the Supreme Court considered the issue of liquidated damages for delay when contracts are terminated, in the context of the procurement of an IT system by a Thai energy company. Patrick Clarke acted for the claimant in Competent Adviser Limited v Forfront Limited, which concerned a claim for injunctions, declarations, and damages related to a long-term agreement for software, development, and website hosting support and maintenance services. David Streatfeild-James QC also handles in cases pertaining to IT infrastructure.

IT and telecoms (excluding regulatory) - Leading Silks

David Streatfeild-James QC - Atkin Chambers

Ranked: Tier 2

Nicholas Baatz QC - Atkin Chambers

Ranked: Tier 3

James Howells QC - Atkin Chambers ‘ James is an excellent barrister. In very complex cases, James has a great ability to quickly identify and clearly explain the key issues and options. James really understands his client. James is a pleasure to work with. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

IT and telecoms (excluding regulatory) - 2021 Silks

Mark Chennells QC - Atkin Chambers

IT and telecoms (excluding regulatory) - Leading Juniors

Patrick Clarke - Atkin Chambers ‘ Well thought-out, logical arguments, client friendly, measured and considered approach. ’

Ranked: Tier 3

Testimonials

Set

‘My first port of call for IT contract disputes.’

Clerking

‘Good clerks. Matthew Ashman is very helpful.’

‘Excellent clerks, very helpful.’

London Bar > Professional negligence Tier 2

Atkin Chambers is 'a very solid professional negligence set' with 'great depth of talent', and due to its reputation as 'a leading chambers for construction and engineering', members have established expertise in handling claims arising from engineering, construction and infrastructure matters. In a recent example, Marc Lixenberg and Katie Powell are acting in Victoria Beckham Limited v Farshid Moussavi Architecture Limited and NJ Richards Project Limited, a claim against the architects of the former Spice Girl's fashion store in London. Members of the set have also been instructed in professional negligence claims against the backdrop of the cladding scandal.

Leading Silks

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

Ranked: Tier 1

David Streatfeild-James QC - Atkin Chambers

Ranked: Tier 1

Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC - Atkin Chambers

Ranked: Tier 2

Simon Lofthouse QC - Atkin Chambers

Ranked: Tier 2

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

Ranked: Tier 2

Andrew White QC - Atkin Chambers

Ranked: Tier 2

Nicholas Baatz QC - Atkin Chambers

Ranked: Tier 3

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

Ranked: Tier 3

Nicholas Dennys QC - Atkin Chambers

Ranked: Tier 3

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

Ranked: Tier 3

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

Ranked: Tier 3

Fiona Parkin QC - Atkin Chambers

Ranked: Tier 3

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

Ranked: Tier 4

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

Ranked: Tier 4

Steven Walker QC - 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 QC - 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

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

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

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

Ranked: Tier 5

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

Ranked: Tier 6

Testimonials

Set

‘A real powerhouse‘.

‘An excellent set‘.

Clerking

‘The clerks are extremely helpful and responsive‘.

‘Justin Wilson is always a pleasure to work with: sensible, pragmatic and very knowledgeable‘.

‘Rob Bryant is excellent. He quickly grasps the issues, and is perceptive, responsive and personable‘.

‘Andy Burrows is very helpful and pragmatic‘.

London Bar > International arbitration: arbitrators Tier 3

Atkin Chambers is undoubtedly one of the top choice sets for those seeking arbitrators with experience in construction, engineering and infrastructure disputes. The set's members have strong experience arbitrating claims in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, many having been (or continue to be) leading advocates in this field. The arbitrators come from a wide range of backgrounds, with Doug Jones having been an eminent solicitor in this field at Clayton Utz before becoming a full-time arbitrator. Former judges such as Sir Robert Akenhead have made a seamless switch to the tribunal and are extremely in demand, while Andrew White QC juggles his high profile counsel role with his regular high-end arbitrator work.

Testimonials

Set

‘Atkin Chambers is always on my go to list for Counsel/arbitrators. It has a full complement of excellent counsel at all levels. Counsel at Atkin Chambers regularly provide training for my team.’

‘Atkin Chambers are well-known market leaders with some of the best construction barristers in the business.’

Clerking

‘The clerking service at Atkin Chambers is excellent. It has been very consistent over the years and I have been dealing with David Barnes and Justin Wilson for 25 years.’

‘Helpful and friendly clerking team.’

‘Excellent. Justin Wilson and Andrew Burrows stand out, as does the leadership of David Barnes.’

‘David Barnes and Justin Wilson are very responsive, sensible and easy to work with.’

Dispute resolution > Mediators Tier 4

Michael Shane – Atkin Chambers Michael Shane at Atkin Chambers is known for 'grasping the details of the underlying facts and the legal issues, but also getting what drives the parties commercially'. A full-time mediator and arbitrator for approximately 25 years, Shane's experience includes mediating over 1,500 major disputes, including a multitude of commercial, IP and banking-related matters.

Hall of Fame

Michael Shane – Atkin Chambers

Ranked: Tier 1

London Bar > Insurance and reinsurance

Leading Silks

Stuart Catchpole QC – Atkin Chambers ‘Tremendously intelligent and with exceptional judgement; Stuart is always able to see the wider picture, and to anticipate the court’s reaction to any line of argument. He is legally knowledgeable, his ability to master technical issues is nothing short of awe-inspiring, he is tremendously collegiate, and he always utterly masters his brief. Lay and professional clients absolutely love him – and with good reason.’

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 QC	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 QC	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
Miss Chantal-Aimée Doerries	Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC is the Head of Atkin Chambers and a former…	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 in…	View Profile
Mr Rónán Hanna	Rónán has broad experience in a wide range of construction and engineering…	View Profile
Mr James Howells	James practises across a broad range of disputes in litigation, arbitration, adjudication…	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
Miss Jennifer Jones	Jennifer practices both domestically and internationally, with a particular expertise in multi-party…	View Profile
Prof Doug Jones	Doug Jones AO is a leading independent international commercial and investor-state arbitrator…	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
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
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 Max Twivy	Max joined Atkin Chambers as a tenant in 2019. He has gained…	View Profile
Mr Steven Walker	Steven Walker QC specialises in advising and representing parties to complex commercial…	View Profile
Prof Janet Walker	Professor Janet Walker is a leading international commercial arbitrator based in London,…	View Profile
Mr Andrew White	Andrew enjoys an international reputation as a commercial silk. He regularly appears…	View Profile

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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)