Recognised for its ‘deep knowledge of construction law’, barristers at Atkin Chambers have extensive experience advocating in major international disputes concerning construction and engineering worldwide. Stuart Catchpole KC and Samar Abbas Kazmi have recently acted in substantial construction arbitrations in the Middle East, while Manus McMullan KC continues to act in Grupos Unidos per el Canal v Autoridad del Canal de Panama for the Panama Canal Authority in the dispute concerning the expansion of the Panama Canal and challenges brought to previous awards made. Zulfikar Khayum has an active arbitration practice, recently concerning hospital, airport, transport and energy developments and Edmund Neuberger also has a broad construction arbitration practice and Andrew Fenn KC is experienced in major energy infrastructure disputes and was made silk in March 2025.
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Profile
Position
Zulfikar practices across all areas of the construction, engineering, energy and IT sectors in both the domestic and international context.
His practice combines substantial UK infrastructure projects (with a number under PFI) along with major projects in Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Africa. His recent experiences includes projects relating to major hospitals, airports, city centre transport, oil refineries and energy plants.
He has a particular focus on large, technically complex, international disputes.
He has been instructed in as counsel in a range of dispute resolution procedures including litigation, arbitration, adjudication and mediation. He has experience in advising and drafting pleadings in relation to all aspects of his practice. As part of his role he has been asked to advise on tactical as well as legal issues and is experienced in pre-action matters. He is regularly instructed as both junior and sole counsel, and has appeared in a number of trials in both court and arbitration, as well as at various interim hearings.
In addition to purely legal and tactical issues, he has been involved in cases dealing with a wide range of highly technical issues in the construction and engineering sector. His experience extends to cases requiring the involvement of multiple experts in a number of different disciplines and in particular experts dealing with architectural, engineering, fire safety, delay and quantum issues.
Career
LLB (Hons); BCL (Oxon). Called 2006.
Memberships
Zulfikar is a member of the SCL, TECBAR and COMBAR.
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