Keating Chambers is ‘a go-to set for construction resource and support’. Among them is Veronique Buehrlen KC acts for the defendant in Tullow Ghana Ltd v Vallourec Oil & Gas France, a $400m claim for allegedly defective piping installed in water injection wells in the Jubilee field off the coast of Ghana. David Thomas KC is another senior silk with a longstanding reputation in energy disputes, including a recent UK case concerning biomass plants, and international disputes over solar power components. Paul Buckingham KC continues to make a name for himself as a new silk, his work for Valero in bringing claims arising from damage to a petroleum pipeline supplying two major UK terminals illustrating his presence in domestic matters. Promising junior Jennie Wild has a broad practice that includes international disputes concerning power station construction, as well as domestic matters, and Paul Bury’s work in a £132m TCC claim concerning a waste-to-energy power plant gives a glimpse into his broad energy practice.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Profile
Position
David Thomas KC is a hugely experienced advocate.
“Cross-examination skills second to none”
“Extremely hard-working, calm, bright, excellent with clients.”
“He can master complex briefs and articulate arguments speedily and efficiently”
“The doyen of the arbitration world”
“A very modern silk”
are a few of the quotes in Chambers UK, Chambers Global, the Legal 500 and Who’s Who Legal where David has been consistently recommended as a leader in his fields. David has recently been awarded Construction Silk of the Year at the 2021 Chambers UK Bar Awards, having also been shortlisted for the award in 2013 and 2017.
David is known for his forceful advocacy, incisive cross-examination skills, commercial awareness, and the clarity and practicality of his advice. He has been instructed in some of the biggest and highest profile cases in the world including the Shard, Wembley Stadium, the Olympic Stadium and the Burj Khalifa.
A large part of David’s practice arises from GCC countries, Africa and Asia. Recent international arbitrations have concerned a coal-fired power station in South Africa, a major road project in Tanzania, iconic developments and infrastructure in the Middle East, on shore and off shore oil and gas facilities, the construction of a hydroelectric power station in Vietnam, and DIFC cases related to “The World” and “The Palm”. In the UK, he is a regular Court of Appeal advocate and frequently appears before the Technology and Construction Court on high profile matters. He frequently deals with highly technical issues which have ranged from soil mechanics, to the behaviour of powders in hoppers, stresses in steel members, lead contamination of water, the properties of concrete and turbine performance. David has also provided long-term advisory work in relation to landmark developments around the world.
David has experience of all major standard form contracts including the FIDIC (Red, Yellow, Silver and Gold books) EPC contracts, NEC ,JCT, ICE forms, GC/Works/1, CCC/Works/1, ICHEME, MF/1 and SAJ. He also has great experience of amended standard forms. He is the Editor of “Keating on NEC3” (First Edition 2012) and writes the commentary on the NEC form in “Keating on Construction Contracts”. He advises regularly on NEC contract disputes and has conducted numerous adjudications and mediations in relation to the engineering and construction contract, the professional services contract, the term services contract and various amended versions thereof. He has lectured on the NEC and FIDIC forms in the UK, Hong Kong, South Korea, Oman and South Africa.
In addition, David sits as an arbitrator and adjudicator both in the UK and internationally.
Career
Approved Mediator, Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration, 2015
Approved Arbitrator, Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration, 2015
Trained in Dispute Adjudication Board Hearings and Procedure, 2005
CEDR Accredited Mediator, 2003
Queen’s Counsel, 2002
Called to the Bar of Gibraltar, 1996
MA Oxon, 1984
Called to the Bar (Middle Temple), 1982
Languages
Basic French.
Memberships
- Panel of Arbitrators at the Delhi International Arbitration Centre (“DIAC”)
- Technology and Construction Bar Association (TECBAR)
- UK Energy Law Group
- Professional Negligence Bar Association
- The Society of Construction Law
- ICC United Kingdom
- Dispute Resolution Board Foundation
Education
Midhurst Grammar School; Wadham College, Oxford (1981 1st Class Hons).
Content supplied by Keating Chambers
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Top for construction, generally good around with some absolute stars of the construction bar. Good proactive clerking.'
'Keating has a deep bench of barristers at all levels with strong arbitration and wider disputes experience in construction across multiple sectors. The clerks have recommended excellent barristers in this space over the years and work hard to accommodate demands on availability.'
'Keating has the strongest bench when it comes to pure construction and engineering disputes, there are so many Silks and juniors who are at the top of their game.'
'Keating is our go-to chambers for construction and engineering disputes. I have worked with counsel from Keating for many years and have never been disappointed. They have an exceptional level of strength in depth.'
'Keating are a very strong set and highly respected. They are top-quality and have an incredible international reputation; they have a lot of counsel and all the ones in know are amazing. I don’t think you are at Keating unless you are highly talented and razor-sharp.'