Mr Rupert Choat KC > Atkin Chambers > London, England > Barrister Profile
Atkin Chambers Offices
1, Atkin Building, Gray's Inn
LONDON
WC1R 5AT
England
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Mr Rupert Choat KC
Position
Rupert has specialised since 1997 in construction, engineering, PFI/PPP, energy and similar disputes. He has considerable experience in related claims involving professional negligence as well as bonds and guarantees. He has worked on disputes concerning projects in over 50 jurisdictions, with most of them governed by the local law. He is an experienced advocate from the English Court of Appeal to arbitration venues around the world.
Rupert is a practising arbitrator and has sat in ICC, LCIA, SCC, DIAC and ad hoc arbitrations. He has also acted as the expert in expert determinations. In addition, Rupert is a CEDR accredited mediator.
Rupert teaches on the MSc in Construction Law & Dispute Resolution at King’s College, London.
Career
LLB Law (Hons), Warwick University; LLM Commercial Law (Hons), Cambridge University; Lincoln’s Inn – Hardwicke and Sir Thomas More scholar; teaches at King’s College, London – MSc (Construction Law & Dispute Resolution); Co-Chair of the Dispute Resolution Sub-committee of the IBA’s International Construction Projects Committee; ranked the No. 1 Thought Leader in Europe by Who’s Who Legal Construction 2017.
Languages
Basic Russian.
Lawyer Rankings
London Bar > Professional negligence
(2022 Silks)Ranked: Tier 1Rupert Choat KC –Atkin Chambers ‘Sharp and extermely attentive to details.’
London Bar > International arbitration: counsel
(2022 Silks)Ranked: Tier 1Rupert Choat KC –Atkin Chambers ‘Rupert Choat is a refined strategist in construction law and a brilliant cross examiner.’
(2022 Silks)Ranked: Tier 1Rupert Choat KC – Atkin Chambers ‘Rupert is a refined strategist in construction law and a brilliant cross examiner.’
London Bar > Energy
(2022 Silks)Ranked: Tier 1Rupert 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.’
(2022 Silks)Ranked: Tier 1Rupert Choat KC – Atkin Chambers ‘Very commercial and client-focused, Rupert grasps the client’s strategic objectives and finds a way through even the most complicated cases.’
London Bar > Construction
(2022 Silks)Ranked: Tier 1Rupert Choat KC – Atkin Chambers ‘Rupert is superb. Extremely intelligent and knowledgeable but also excellent at communicating with clients. He’s very strategic and responsive to the need to be commercial in approach.’
Retaining its firm standing as a ‘market-leading’ set for construction disputes, Atkin Chambers has continued handling high-stakes matters in the UK and internationally. As one example of the chambers’ prowess in construction-related international arbitrations, the set’s mainstay, the Third Set of Locks Project on the Panama Canal saw Manus McMullan KC and Christopher Lewis KC represent the Panama Canal Authority in a series of high-value claims. Domestically, Dominique Rawley KC and Jennifer Jones defended Balfour Beatty Kilpatrick and Balfour Beatty Group in Northumbria Healthcare NHS v Lendlease Construction, a case concerning alleged structural defects at the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital, while Simon Lofthouse KC and Omar Eljadi represented one of Lendlease’s subcontractors in the related Lendlease Construction v MPB Structures counterclaims. In an expansive multi-party dispute, among others Chantal-Aimée Doerries KC and David Streatfeild-James KC acted for Morrisons against Lorien Engineering Solutions regarding alleged defects in the refrigeration systems of its pork abattoir in Colne. Stephanie Barwise KC has been advising on cladding issues and the Building Safety Act, and has made clarification submissions on Grenfell – a number of other members of chambers have been involved in litigation surrounding related issues of cladding and fire safety. Notable internal changes include Stuart Catchpole KC joining from 39 Essex Chambers and Rupert Choat KC taking silk in March 2022.