Mr Andrew White KC > Atkin Chambers > London, England > Barrister Profile
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Mr Andrew White KC
Position
Andrew enjoys an international reputation as a commercial silk. He regularly appears as counsel in English High Court litigation, and international and domestic arbitrations, as well as mediations and expert determinations. He appeared in the House of Lords for the landmark decision of Murphy v Brentwood District Council.
Clients talk of his abilities as an authoritative, heavyweight, measured and incisive advocate with an ability to master the most complex of cases while also being a commercial team player who works “ferociously hard” on behalf of his clients. He is regularly instructed by the world’s largest law firms on behalf of major construction, engineering and energy companies, governments and state entities.
Andrew’s practice includes large civil engineering and building disputes such as hospitals and airports, shipbuilding and ship conversion, rail and rolling stock, and significant work in energy – both oil and gas, and renewable projects. He is also called on for related disputes, such as contracts for the sale and purchase of oil and gas, and more general commercial work.
Most of his work is international in nature and in recent years he has acted in disputes in Europe, North and South America, Australia, the UAE and across Asia. He has been instructed as counsel in the Court of Appeal in Gibraltar, in the High Court of Hong Kong and in arbitrations in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman, Qatar, Singapore, Hong Kong, Brussels, Gibraltar, and Tanzania.
Andrew has also been appointed as an arbitrator – both as chair and party-appointed – in UNCITRAL, ICC, SIAC, LCIA and ad hoc arbitrations in England, Singapore, Nigeria, Switzerland, Paris, Trinidad, Australia, New Zealand and New York. In 2018 Andrew was appointed to the approved panel of arbitrators at the Astana International Arbitration Centre (AIAC) in Kazakhstan.
He has recently worked on one of the largest claims before the TCC arising out of the Greater Gabbard Offshore Wind Farm off the coast of East Anglia acting for a major Chinese state-owned multinational engineering company (Fluor v Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industry Co, [2016] EWHC 2062 (TCC) and also [2016] EWHC 2500 (TCC), [2018] EWHC 1 (TCC), [2018] EWHC 490 (TCC)).
Other recent energy disputes include representing one of the world’s largest offshore drilling companies in a dispute related to exploration operations offshore Libya; an ad hoc arbitration under an amended EPC agreement on behalf of the Chinese contractor in a dispute in relation to a coal-fired power plant in India, and a multi-million-pound ICC arbitration with an Abu Dhabi seat in relation to a contract dispute concerning the upgrading of one of the world’s largest oil refineries.
His wider commercial experience is significant. In recent years this has included a Middle East dispute over a royalty agreement. He also has considerable experience in the professional indemnity, IT and telecommunications, and procurement fields.
Career
Educated University College Cardiff, LLB (Hons), 1975-79. Megarry Scholar and Hardwicke Scholar of Lincoln’s Inn. Called to the Bar 1980, QC 1997, Bencher of Lincoln’s Inn 2003. Appointed to the approved panel of arbitrators at the Astana International Arbitration Centre (AIAC) 2018
Memberships
Andrew is a member of TECBAR, COMBAR and the Western Circuit.
Lawyer Rankings
London Bar > International arbitration: arbitrators
(Leading counsel as arbitrators)Ranked: Tier 2Andrew White KC –Atkin Chambers ‘As an arbitrator he has an enviable reputation. He is in the absolute top echelon of arbitrators.’
London Bar > Construction
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 1Andrew White KC – Atkin Chambers ‘Andrew is a silk at the top of his game. Very detail-driven and really rolls his sleeves up and gets stuck into the detail. Excellent strategist.’
London Bar > Energy
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 1Andrew White KC –Atkin Chambers ‘Andrew has no weakness. He is a strong advocate and for a person of his seniority he makes an impressive effort to get into the detail.’
London Bar > International arbitration: counsel
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 1Andrew White KC –Atkin Chambers ‘Andrew is a silk at the top of his game. Very details driven and really rolls his sleeves up and gets stuck into the detail. Excellent strategist.’
London Bar > Professional negligence
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 2Andrew White KC –Atkin Chambers ‘Excellent attention to detail, capable of managing large volumes of information, very bright indeed.’
Asia Pacific - The English Bar > Construction, energy and infrastructure
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 1Andrew White KC – Atkin Chambers ‘He has an excellent mind, and his advocacy is sharp and eloquent.’
‘A go-to set for any construction dispute‘, Atkin Chambers maintains a strong presence across multiple Asia Pacific jurisdictions, including Singapore, Vietnam, India, the Philippines and Greater China. Chantal-Aimée Doerries KC is noted for her excellent track record in handling disputes arising from LNG and oil field projects, and Andrew White KC garners praise as ‘one of the top barristers in the field of construction and engineering disputes‘. Arbitration expert Stuart Catchpole KC is highly regarded for his ‘very extensive specialist construction expertise‘. Samar Abbas Kazmi continues to act in complex international construction and energy arbitrations, and ‘rising star‘ Mathias Cheung is ‘extraordinarily detailed and can assess critical issues quickly‘.
Middle East: The English Bar > Construction
(Leading silks)Ranked: Tier 1Andrew White KC – Atkin Chambers ‘His ability to grasp complex technical issues and present them in a simple and understandable way, makes him standout. He is a very passionate and dedicated lawyer and communicates very well.’
Atkin Chambers is renowned for its proficiency in construction, energy, and infrastructure disputes, notably mixed-use, transportation, and power developments. Chantal-Aimée Doerries KC often handles disputes arising from the development of sizeable infrastructure and industrial facility projects. Andrew White KC, Fiona Parkin KC, and Simon Lofthouse KC act as counsel in arbitrations across the Gulf while David Streatfeild-James KC is experienced in renewable energy and mixed-use construction projects. James Howells KC specialises in contentious power mandates, and Riaz Hussain KC is often instructed by sizeable contractors and developers. Zulfikar Khayum is principally focused on international arbitration, and Samar Abbas’ recent caseload includes transport and water infrastructure projects. Christopher Reid is also a key member of the set.