Keating Chambers

Dr Robert Gaitskell KC is an internationally recognised arbitrator, adjudicator, dispute board member, neutral evaluator and mediator specialising in construction, engineering, energy and technology disputes. Called to the Bar in 1978 and appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1994, he is both a barrister and Chartered Engineer, combining legal and technical expertise.

Dr Gaitskell has extensive experience sitting as chair, sole arbitrator and tribunal member in domestic and international arbitrations under the rules of leading institutions, including the ICC, LCIA, SIAC and UNCITRAL. He is regularly appointed in disputes arising from major infrastructure, energy and industrial projects worldwide, including matters involving power generation, oil and gas facilities, pipelines, transport infrastructure, utilities and other technically complex engineering works.

Dr Gaitskell sits in a wide range of domestic and international disputes. He is particularly recognised for his expertise in technically complex disputes and for his appointments on some of the world's largest infrastructure, energy and engineering projects. He is frequently appointed in matters requiring substantial technical and industry knowledge. He recently completed seven years chairing the dispute board for the ITER/F4E nuclear fusion project in France.

A former Vice President of the IEE/Institution of Engineering and Technology and former Senator of the Engineering Council, Dr Gaitskell has written and lectured extensively throughout the world on construction law, engineering and dispute resolution, including in Silicon Valley and CERN. He is editor of the Keating Construction Dispute Resolution Handbook and serves on the Singapore National Electricity Market Dispute Resolution & Compensation Panel.

Qualified engineer 1971; barrister 1978; Gray’s Inn; QC 1994; recorder (part-time judge) 2000-2010.

English

Chairman of the Joint IET/IMechE Committee on Model Forms (which produces the MF/1-4 suite of contracts)
Heilbron Committee on Civil Procedure
Technology and Construction Bar Association (Committee Member 1987-1993),(TECBAR)
London Commercial & Common Law Bar Association (Committee Member 1987-2000)
Singapore International Arbitration Centre 2006 (Fellow)
CEDR Adjudication Panel
SIMC Mediation Panel (top level)

KCL (PhD); BSc Engineering; Barrister, FIET; FIMechE; CEng; FCIArb; AKC.

Dr Gaitskell is a Bencher of Gray’s Inn. He was also a member of the Bar Council’s Information Technology and Services Committee, and serves on various other professional committees. He is a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Engineers, and of the Company of Arbitrators and was a member of the Court of Assistants of the latter.