Set Profile > Atkin Chambers > London, England
Atkin Chambers Offices
Atkin Chambers
1, Atkin Building, Gray's Inn
LONDON
WC1R 5AT
England
Profiles
- Profile > Chambers of Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC > Bar – London
- Profile > Chambers of Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC > Bar – Asia
Atkin Chambers > The Legal 500 Rankings
Construction Tier 1
The 'extremely strong' and specialist Atkin Chambers has an international reputation for leading advocacy and advisory work in the construction, engineering, and infrastructure arenas, with the set's international projects accounting for more than 50% of its members' instructions. The 'impressive' David Streatfeild-James QC led Andrew Fenn in securing a judgment for Connect Plus in Connect Plus (M25) Ltd v Highways England Co Ltd, a £100m dispute in the TCC arising out of payment provisions in a £6bn PFI contract. Stephanie Barwise QC appeared in the TCC acting for BHC Limited in BHC Limited v Galliford Try Infrastructure Ltd, seeking Part 8 declaratory relief as to the meaning of certain variations issued under the contract.
Leading Silks
Leading Juniors
Energy Tier 2
Atkin Chambers is 'a "go-to" set for energy construction and engineering disputes'. Clients remark that it is 'very strong academically and has excellent counsel' and that the clerks are 'impressive, welcoming and efficient'. It is a commercial set with an international reputation in energy project disputes, including the construction of power generation plants, FPSOs, drilling rigs, and subsea cabling and pipe-laying vessels. Andrew White QC and Mark Chennells acted in a $400m TCC action arising out of Greater Gabbard Offshore Wind Farm project – one of the biggest cases by quantum in the TCC. Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC handled a high-value claim arising from an EPC project in the Gulf.
Leading Silks
Leading Juniors
International arbitration: counsel Tier 2
Atkin Chambers is the 'number one set for construction law' with some 'standout barristers' whose 'competence and experience is really what you need for complex and international disputes'. The set has a hugely impressive global reach, and members are extremely experienced acting on disputes in the Middle East and Asia. In Latin America, Manus McMullan QC successfully represented the Panama Canal Authority which received another award in its favour in December 2018 as part of its ongoing series of arbitrations with Grupo Unidos per el Canal.
Leading Silks
Leading Juniors
Professional negligence Tier 2
Atkin Chambers is an 'extremely strong construction set' and is therefore 'well placed to handle complex construction, engineering, infrastructure and energy-related professional negligence disputes.' Nicholas Baatz QC represented the developer in Bullring Ltd Partnership v Laing O'Rourke, which examined the design and construction of the iconic Selfridges store at the Birmingham Bullring. Stephanie Barwise QC is representing a group of survivors, bereaved relatives, and former residents in The Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry. Phase 2 of the inquiry is due to commence in 2019 and will involve matters which could eventually give rise to actions for negligence. James Howells QC is leading Lucie Briggs in acting for the first defendant in Premier Inn Hotels Ltd v AP14 Ltd & S&T (UK) Ltd & SD Samuels (Special Projects) Ltd, a £6m claim brought by the hotel chain arising out of the design and specification of the cladding on its hotel at Heathrow.
Leading Silks
Leading Juniors
Product liability Tier 3
Leading Juniors
Mediators Tier 4
Atkin Chambers' Michael Shane has mediated over 1,700 disputes; his areas of expertise include insurance, finance, construction and engineering, energy and IP disputes.
IT and telecoms
Atkin Chambers is a set to note for IT infrastructure disputes, within which its barristers have acted both for and against software providers. In a recent work example, James Howells QC is representing PTT Limited in a dispute with Triple Point Technology Inc relating to $13m claims and counterclaims arising out of the termination of a contract for the design and implementation of IT systems across Asia and Gulf businesses.
IT and telecoms (excluding regulatory) - Leading Silks
IT and telecoms (excluding regulatory) - Leading Juniors
Set overviews: England and Wales
Atkin Chambers is ‘an extremely strong construction set’ with ‘competent, down-to-earth barristers, who are commercial and demonstrate excellent client service’. Chambers has ‘an impressive number of skilled international arbitration practitioners at senior level and some of the most impressive arbitrators sitting on international disputes’. Chambers has been strengthened following the arrival of construction and professional negligence junior Katie Powell from 4 New Square. The clerks’ room ‘appreciate the bigger picture and need for lasting relationships’. The clerks are ‘knowledgeable, helpful, and proactive and work to find solutions to issues that arise’. Chief executive and director of clerking David Barnes is ‘a consummate professional. Provides a reassuring and reliably excellent level of service’. Chambers is ‘fortunate to have the standout’ senior clerk Justin Wilson, who is ‘impressive and particularly helpful’ to instructing solicitors. Senior practice manager Rob Bryant is ‘an up-and-coming star’. Fellow senior practice manager Andrew Burrows and practice manager Matthew Ashman are ‘very responsive and a pleasure to work with’. Offices in: London
Atkin Chambers > Firm Profile
Atkin Chambers is a set of commercial barristers with an international reputation for providing advocacy and advice on construction, engineering, and infrastructure project development and disputes. Disputes are extremely varied and include transport, power, water/sanitation, IT and telecommunications, and social infrastructure projects. Wider commercial and professional negligence work is often related to such disputes.
The set: Members have wide experience of courts and tribunals ranging from the Supreme Court to the county court, international and domestic arbitrations, public inquiries, adjudications and all forms of alternative dispute resolution. Members also deal with litigation and advice in many jurisdictions around the world. They are frequently appointed as arbitrators, adjudicators and mediators.
In the UK members work on cases of all sizes in court and arbitration from domestic disputes to many landmark and high-profile cases including disputes relating to the Shard, Wembley Stadium, Heathrow T5, and London Underground, as well as major oil and gas, and renewable energy projects.
Atkin is also known for substantial international disputes. Members are regularly involved in high-value construction, energy and infrastructure projects around the globe, and appear in international arbitrations seated in all continents.
Members author and edit a number of authoritative and influential texts. Hudson’s Building and Engineering Contracts, the seminal work on the law relating to building and engineering contracts in the UK and internationally, has been edited in Chambers for over 50 years and is cited in many common law jurisdictions.
Types of work undertaken: Construction: members provide representation and advice on a wide range of legal issues in a domestic and international context. Projects in relation to which members’ services are sought include house construction, roadbuilding, power plants, tunnels, bridges, airports, telecommunication projects, submarines, railway construction and rolling stock disputes, and shipbuilding and ship repair projects. Clients also seek advice and representation on matters such as PFI, PPP and public procurement.
Energy: members act in connection with national and international projects relating to energy matters, including oil and gas, power generation from traditional technologies and newer technologies like solar and wind, and waste-to-energy. Members are regularly instructed on the related commercial disputes such as shareholder, supply/sales, power purchase, offtake and farm-in agreements, and issues around feed-in tariffs.
IT and telecommunications: disputes including those concerning hardware and software development, procurement and maintenance, systems integration, distribution, licensing and outsourcing agreements, and more general litigation involving smartcards, robotics and network infrastructures. Members have expertise in telecoms, including specification and performance, as well as regulation.
Professional indemnity: members often provide advice and representation to professionals covering such as aspects as negligence, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and fraud. Such professionals include architects, engineers, surveyors, project managers, valuers, solicitors and those who provide IT services.
General commercial: members have expertise in a wide range of commercial matters, both as an adjunct to construction, energy and IT matters, but also independently of them. Services are provided in conjunction with banking, performance bonds and guarantees, insurance, PFI matters and the financing and structuring of large, multi-party commercial projects.
Main Contacts
| Department | Name | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Principal contact for counsel appointments | Justin Wilson | ||
| Principal contact for arbitrator, adjudicator and mediator appointments | Daniel Jones | ||
| Chief Executive & Director of Clerking | David Barnes | ||
| Members of Chambers | DOERRIES QC, Chantal-Aimée (1992) | ||
| Members of Chambers | DENNYS QC, Nicholas (1975) | ||
| Members of Chambers | ACTON DAVIS QC, Jonathan (1977) | ||
| Members of Chambers | WHITE QC, Andrew (1980) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BAATZ QC, Nicholas (1978) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BOWDERY QC, Martin (1980) | ||
| Members of Chambers | DENNISON QC, Stephen (1985) | ||
| Members of Chambers | STREATFEILD-JAMES QC, David (1986) | ||
| Members of Chambers | GODDARD QC, Andrew (1985) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BARWISE QC, Stephanie (1988) | ||
| Members of Chambers | LOFTHOUSE QC, Simon (1988) | ||
| Members of Chambers | McMULLAN QC, Manus (1994) | ||
| Members of Chambers | PARKIN QC, Fiona (1993) | ||
| Members of Chambers | RAWLEY QC, Dominique (1991) | ||
| Members of Chambers | WALKER QC, Steven (1993) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HOWELLS QC, James (1995) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HUSSAIN QC, Riaz (2001) | ||
| Members of Chambers | LEWIS QC, Christopher (1998) | ||
| Members of Chambers | CHENG QC, Serena (2000) | ||
| Members of Chambers | ROYCE, Darryl (1976) | ||
| Members of Chambers | CLAY, Robert (1989) | ||
| Members of Chambers | COLLINGS, Nicholas (1997) | ||
| Members of Chambers | CLARKE, Patrick (1997) | ||
| Members of Chambers | CHOAT, Rupert (1998) | ||
| Members of Chambers | SLOW, Camille (2002) | ||
| Members of Chambers | CHENNELLS, Mark (2002) | ||
| Members of Chambers | JONES, Jennifer (2003) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BRIGGS, Lucie (2004) | ||
| Members of Chambers | PIGOTT, Frances (1994) | ||
| Members of Chambers | CRAWSHAW, Simon (2005) | ||
| Members of Chambers | LIXENBERG, Marc (2005) | ||
| Members of Chambers | POWELL, Katie (2005) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HANNA, Rónán (2006) | ||
| Members of Chambers | FENN, Andrew (2007) | ||
| Members of Chambers | KHAYUM, Zulfikar (2006) | ||
| Members of Chambers | LAND, Peter (2007) | ||
| Members of Chambers | NEUBERGER, Edmund (2008) | ||
| Members of Chambers | ELJADI, Omar (2009) | ||
| Members of Chambers | JOHNSON, David (2010) | ||
| Members of Chambers | DYNES, Felicity (2010) | ||
| Members of Chambers | BALEN, Mischa (2011) | ||
| Members of Chambers | ADAMS, Lauren (2013) | ||
| Members of Chambers | REID, Christopher (2013) | ||
| Members of Chambers | MACIOLEK, Nicholas (2013) | ||
| Members of Chambers | CHEUNG, Mathias (2015) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HALE, Dalton (2015) | ||
| Members of Chambers | HUSSEY, Laura (2016) | ||
| Members of Chambers | GRAHAM-DIXON, Arthur (2017) | ||
| Members of Chambers | GREENFIELD, Caroline (2017) | ||
| Members of Chambers | TWIVY, Max (2018) | ||
| Members of Chambers | AKENHEAD, Sir Robert * | ||
| Members of Chambers | BLACKBURN QC, John (1969)* | ||
| Members of Chambers | FORBES, Sir Thayne * | ||
| Members of Chambers | JONES, Professor Doug (Australia)* | ||
| Members of Chambers | KIRKHAM CBE, Her Honour Frances * | ||
| Members of Chambers | LLOYD QC, His Honour Humphrey (1979)* | ||
| Members of Chambers | SHANE, Michael (USA)* |
Lawyer Profiles
| Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
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Mr Jonathan Acton Davis QC | View Profile | |
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Miss Lauren Adams | View Profile | |
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Sir Robert Akenhead | View Profile | |
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Mr Nicholas Baatz QC | View Profile | |
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Mr Mischa Balen | View Profile | |
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Mr Stephanie Barwise QC | View Profile | |
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Mr John Blackburn | View Profile | |
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Mr Martin Bowdery QC | View Profile | |
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Miss Lucie Briggs | View Profile | |
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Miss Serena Cheng QC | View Profile | |
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Mr Mark Chennells | View Profile | |
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Mr Mathias Cheung | View Profile | |
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Mr Rupert Choat | View Profile | |
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Mr Patrick Clarke | View Profile | |
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Mr Robert Clay | View Profile | |
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Mr Nicholas Collings | View Profile | |
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Mr Simon Crawshaw | View Profile | |
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Mr Stephen Dennison QC | View Profile | |
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Mr Nicholas Dennys QC | View Profile | |
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Miss Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC | View Profile | |
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Miss Felicity Dynes | View Profile | |
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Mr Omar Eljadi | View Profile | |
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Mr Andrew Fenn | View Profile | |
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Sir Thayne Forbes | View Profile | |
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Mr Andrew Goddard QC | View Profile | |
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Mr Arthur Graham-Dixon | View Profile | |
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Ms Caroline Greenfield | View Profile | |
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Mr Dalton Hale | View Profile | |
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Mr Rónán Hanna | View Profile | |
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Mr James Howells QC | View Profile | |
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Mr Riaz Hussain QC | View Profile | |
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Ms Laura Hussey | View Profile | |
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Mr David Johnson | View Profile | |
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Prof Doug Jones | View Profile | |
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Miss Jennifer Jones | View Profile | |
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Mr Zulfikar Khayum | View Profile | |
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Her Honour Frances Kirkham CBE | View Profile | |
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His Honour Humphrey LLoyd | View Profile | |
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Mr Peter Land | View Profile | |
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Mr Christopher Lewis QC | View Profile | |
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Mr Marc Lixenberg | View Profile | |
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Mr Simon Lofthouse QC | View Profile | |
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Dr Nicholas Maciolek | View Profile | |
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Mr Manus McMullan QC | View Profile | |
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Mr Edmund Neuberger | View Profile | |
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Miss Fiona Parkin QC | View Profile | |
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Mrs Frances Pigott | View Profile | |
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Miss Katie Powell | View Profile | |
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Miss Dominique Rawley QC | View Profile | |
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Mr Christopher Reid | View Profile | |
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Mr Darryl Royce | View Profile | |
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Mr Michael Shane | View Profile | |
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Miss Camille Slow | View Profile | |
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Mr David Streatfeild-James QC | View Profile | |
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Mr Max Twivy | View Profile | |
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Mr Steven Walker QC | View Profile | |
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Mr Andrew White QC | View Profile |
Languages
Cantonese French German Italian Mandarin Punjabi Spanish UrduAtkin Chambers > Firm Profile
Atkin Chambers is a leading set of commercial barristers with an international reputation for providing advocacy and advice on cases concerning construction, engineering, and infrastructure project development and disputes. Disputes are extremely varied and include transport, power, water/sanitation, IT and telecommunications, and social infrastructure projects. Wider commercial and professional negligence work is often, but not always, related to such disputes.
The barristers at Atkin Chambers offer a huge breadth and depth of experience in technically complex disputes and many are recognised as being leaders in their field.
Members’ international work frequently involves complex cross-border disputes, involving parties from several jurisdictions.
Increasingly members are instructed on behalf of companies from Asia-Pacific operating overseas as they extend their international operations in projects in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Barristers practise in many of the world’s leading arbitration centres and are highly-experienced in handling disputes under the major international arbitration rules including:
- The ICC, LCIA, SCC and UNCITRAL
- The SIAC and SCMA (Singapore), HKIAC (Hong Kong), KCAB (South Korea), and the AIAC (Malaysia)
The barristers at Atkin Chambers have been instructed in major project disputes in the APAC region including: mixed use developments across commercial, retail, domestic and leisure; transport infrastructure across road, rail, air and sea; and energy projects including all upstream and downstream oil and gas work, power generation from traditional technologies like coal-fired and nuclear power stations, and newer technologies like solar, wind and waste-to-energy.
Members also have significant marine and submarine experience — most famously acting in the ‘Solitaire’ bulk carrier conversion dispute in Sembawang Corporation v Pacific Ocean Shipbuilding [2004] EWHC 2743 (Comm).
Since 1959, the members of Atkin Chambers have edited ‘Hudson’s Building and Engineering Contracts’, the seminal textbook on construction law, which is now in its 13th edition. 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.
Areas of practice:
- Commercial
- Construction and engineering
- Energy and natural resources
- Infrastructure and PFI/PPP
- IT and telecommunications
- Professional negligence
- Shipbuilding and offshore construction
- Transport
Languages
Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese)Diversity/Community
Corporate Social Responsibility
Equal opportunities
Atkin Chambers is a modern, forward-looking set with an international outlook.
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.
Please see our section on equality and diversity for further information.
Diversity at the Bar
Chambers understands the importance of the legal profession, including the Bar and the Judiciary, reflecting the make-up of society. Chambers welcomes members, pupils and staff of all ages, genders, socio-economic backgrounds, and sexual orientations/gender reassignment and those with disabilities.
Chambers is proud that members have a diverse range of ages, backgrounds and ethnicities. Languages spoken include Mandarin, Cantonese, Urdu, French, German and Italian. Chambers aims to follow best practice with regards to disability and reasonable adjustments.
25% of members are female. The proportion of female silks is also 25%.
Chambers welcomes the opportunity to work with other groups to foster equality and diversity at the Bar.
For more information about diversity at the Bar, please see the Bar Council website.
Wellness at the Bar
Recognising the importance of work-life balance and providing support to all who work at Atkin Chambers, Chambers has implemented an assistance programme with Health Assured for all members, door tenants and staff at Atkin Chambers. The programme provides top-up support to that provided under Chambers’ private medical health insurance scheme, and that accessible through LawCare.
Atkin Chambers commends the efforts by the Bar Council of England and Wales, the Inns of Court and the Institute of Barristers’ Clerks in its development of the Wellbeing at the Bar portal which provides support and best practice to barristers, clerks and chambers on wellbeing and mental health issues.
Pro Bono
Atkin Chambers, and the vast majority of members have for many years actively supported the Bar Pro Bono Unit, including by being members of the panel of available barristers and through financial donations.
Members and staff of Atkin Chambers also support the London Legal Walk raising money for the London Legal Support Trust, the Free Representation Unit and the Bar Pro Bono Unit.
Active in the community
Many members of Atkin Chambers are, in a private capacity, engaged with a range of community organisations and networks. Chambers is supporting work experience for students of a north London school where a member is on the board of governors.
Many members of Atkin Chambers are also active in the legal community for example Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC was, during 2016, Chairman of the Bar of England and Wales, Martin Bowdery QC is the recent outgoing chair of the Technology & Construction Bar Association (TECBAR). Serena Cheng QC and Felicity Dynes are on the committee and Christopher Reid edits its newsletter. Lauren Adams is a current council member of The Society of Construction Law. Serena Cheng QC and Jennifer Jones are both advocacy tutors for Lincoln’s Inn. Simon Lofthouse QC has been an advocacy trainer for Gray’s Inn since 2004.
Living Wage employer
Atkin Chambers is an accredited Living Wage employer.