Gatehouse Chambers

Kort specialises in domestic and international commercial disputes with particular expertise in construction, energy and related insurance matters. Kort also has experience in general commercial disputes, aviation and shipbuilding.

As well as being ranked in the Legal 500 2025 for Professional Negligence, Kort is one of only three barristers to be ranked for Construction as “Up and Coming” in Chambers and Partners 2025, and as a “Rising Star” in the Legal 500 2025. Kort is described as a “very strong advocate” and his drafting/written work  as “excellent” and “superb”.

Kort is trusted to handle high value and complex disputes as sole counsel. Recent work as sole counsel includes:

• Acting in a multi-million pound claim in which damages and a building liability order are sought in respect of alleged defects.
• Drafting the Defence to a £2.5 million claim in respect of a call on a bond.
• Successfully acting in an adjudication worth c£4.5 million concerning the assessment of compensation events under a form of NEC3 contract.
• Successfully enforcing various adjudicators’ decisions in the High Court TCC and obtaining an award of indemnity costs in each instance.
• Drafting the Defence in an international arbitration concerning a wind farm.
• Drafting the Defence to a professional negligence claim brought against an architect worth c£700k.
• Successfully representing the defendant in lengthy proceedings concerning works carried out by the defendant to a boat. Following multiple CMCs, a six-day trial and a consequential hearing in the County Court, Kort’s client was the net beneficiary of the judgment, was awarded costs on the indemnity basis and a substantial payment on account. Kort appeared at trial against counsel significantly beyond his call.
• Successfully defending employers in smash and grab adjudications worth over £2 million, c£2million and over £1.5 million. In the adjudication worth over £1.5 million, Kort appeared at a meeting against counsel significantly beyond his call year.
• Advising a sub-contractor in respect of a dispute worth over £15 million concerning a power plant.

Called 2017, Gray’s Inn

In addition to his work as sole counsel, Kort has acted as junior counsel for leading silks and senior juniors. Recent led work includes:

Successfully representing a subcontractor in a multi-million pound delay dispute (led by David Pliener KC). Various multi-million pound professional negligence disputes (led by David Pliener KC). A coverage dispute worth c£15 million concerning cladding (led by Paul Reed KC). A final account dispute involving issues including rectification and the proper interpretation of a number of terms of the NEC3 Subcontract (led by Simon Hughes KC). A dispute worth in excess of AED 600 million concerning a hotel in the UAE (led by Paul Reed KC and Helena White). An £80 million contractual dispute arising out of the liquidation of public sector contractor Carillion (led by Paul Reed KC). An adjudication concerning whether a contract was validly terminated (led by Catherine Piercy).

Kort has extensive experience with the major standard form contracts including the JCT and NEC and brings particular expertise to disputes concerning FIDIC contracts. Kort contributed several chapters to the book Understanding the FIDIC Red and Yellow Books, which contains a clause-by-clause commentary of the updated 2017 FIDIC contracts.

Through his practice at Gatehouse Chambers and his time spent assisting Simon Hughes KC prior to joining Chambers, Kort has worked on disputes in England and Wales, continental Europe, the Caribbean, Africa, the UAE, Qatar, Oman and Saudi Arabia.

Prior to pupillage, Kort acquired commercial experience with the Royal Bank of Canada Capital Markets, Google and Cambridge Intelligence, a data-visualisation start-up. He also ranked first in his year in his business management MPhil at the Judge Business School in Cambridge. Kort is able to draw upon his business acumen and experience to provide practical and commercial advice to clients.

BPTC, BPP, Prince of Wales Scholar of Gray’s Inn

GDL, BPP, Distinction (1st in year overall and in 5 of the 7 core modules)

MPhil Management, Gonville and Caius College, University of Cambridge, Distinction (1st in year)

Theology and Religious Studies, Gonville and Caius College, University of Cambridge, Double First

TECBAR, COMBAR, Gray’s Inn