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
Veronique Buehrlen KC has a wide-ranging commercial litigation, international arbitration and advisory practice with special emphasis on complex energy disputes, construction and engineering (both on and offshore). Her unique practice spans working as an International Arbitrator, Leading Counsel and Deputy High Court Judge. As Counsel, Veronique is known for her meticulous preparation of complex, highly detailed, matters requiring penetrating and determined cross examination of expert and other witnesses. As an International Arbitrator, Veronique is known for being fair, thoughtful and measured. She has a wealth of experience of the workings of the Technology and Construction Court (in which she also sits), of the Commercial Court and of various international arbitral fora. As an expert in energy construction disputes Veronique represents parties in substantial litigation. She (for instance) represented the main contractor in a € billion ICC arbitration following the suspension and subsequent termination of the South Stream gas pipeline project. In January 2025 Veronique was appointed as an Arbitrator on Asia Pacific International Arbitration Chamber’s (APIAC) Panel of Arbitrators.
Veronique is recommended by the leading directories for her energy, construction, and international arbitration Counsel work, and as an International Arbitrator. In these guides she receives praise from those she has worked with for getting “on top of complex cases in an incredibly short time” and “working at the coal face of the dispute”. Clients appreciate her “strong commercial perspective” and forensic approach to cases, and describe Veronique as a “ferocious cross-examiner” with a “razor-sharp brain” and “laser focus on the fine detail”. Veronique was shortlisted by The Legal 500 for their prestigious “international arbitration Silk of the year” (2019 and 2024) and “arbitrator of the year” awards (2022 and 2023) and by Chambers & Partners for their International Arbitration Silk of the Year award (2023).
Veronique specialises in all aspects of energy and construction disputes including termination, suspension, rights to payment, varied work, force majeure, frustration, delay and disruption and defective works. Her experience has spanned the full spectrum of commercial litigation encompassing major trials, jurisdiction and applicable law disputes, preliminary issues and interim relief. She is familiar with all the standard form contracts including NEC, Logic and FIDIC.
Veronique has worked (as Counsel and International Arbitrator) on disputes arising out of projects worldwide including in (or offshore) Scotland, France, Italy, Slovakia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Algeria, Mozambique, Nigeria, Guinea, South Africa, Brazil, Indonesia, Russia and Kazakhstan.
As an International Arbitrator, Veronique sits both as Chair and Tribunal Member and receives both party and institutional appointments. Her appointments include a broad spectrum of construction and energy disputes, as well as commercial disputes in other fields (including insurance, aviation, joint ventures, sale of goods and commodities). Veronique is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a member of the ICC’s Commission on Arbitration and ADR, a member of the SIAC and TECBAR Arbitrator Panels and of the AIPA (CMC Working Group). She has experience of most institutional rules (ICC, LCIA, SIAC, UNCITRAL etc) as well as ad hoc arrangements and DABs (FIDIC).
In May 2017 Veronique was appointed a Deputy High Court Judge and sat regularly in the Technology & Construction Court on a broad range of cases for six years from May 2017 until May 2023. As judge, arbitrator and leading counsel Veronique has an in depth understanding of the litigation and decision making processes. As leading counsel, Veronique fully comprehends what a Court or Tribunal requires to reach the right decision. As judge and arbitrator, she remains mindful of the challenges and pressures facing the parties and their representatives.
Career
Deputy High Court Judge, Queen’s Bench Division, 2017
Fellow Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, 2013
Keating Chambers, 2011-present
Queen’s Counsel, 2010
Fountain Court Chambers, 1991-2011
Called to the Bar, 1991
Prior to being called to the Bar, Veronique worked with KPMG’s Strategic Consultancy team.
Languages
Bilingual French/English
Education
Queen Mothers’ Scholar (Middle Temple), 1990- 1991
Diploma in Law, City University, Distinction, 1990
MA Hons. St Andrews, First Class (French and International Relations), 1988
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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.'