Committee

A committee is elected each year at the AGM in November. Any member may stand for the election which is conducted on the Society's website.

The committee for 2021/2022 is:

Hamish Lal Chair Email Hamish Hamish Lal is ranked Band 1 in Construction and Band 1 in International Construction Arbitration in Chambers & Partners, and in the Top-Tier in The Legal 500 UK. Hamish is a Solicitor-Advocate (All Higher Courts) and admitted to Part II of the DIFC Courts Register of Legal Practitioners. Hamish is also an Adjunct Professor of Law - University College Dublin (UCD) Sutherland School of Law; A Fulbright Scholar; and Author, `Manual of Construction Agreements' published by LexisNexis.

Susan Francombe Senior Vice-Chair Email Susan Susan Francombe has worked in the construction industry for over 30 years on a variety of construction projects including drainage, hospitals, roads, bridges and tunnels. She is a dual-qualified Civil Engineer and registered Barrister and has a keen interest in adjudication, both as an adjudicator and consultant. Susan is also actively involved in the Institution of Civil Engineers, sitting on a number of committees and helping steer the ICE Law & Contract Management Examinations.

Sean Gibbs Junior Vice-Chair Email Sean Sean is a director with Hanscomb Intercontinental and provides expert advisory and expert witness services to the UK and global construction, engineering and shipbuilding industries. He has worked on project & programme values up to $24 bn though is equally at home on much smaller sized projects. His primary profession is Chartered Quantity Surveyor and he holds Fellowships with the RICS, CIARB, CIOB, CICES and is also a non-practising barrister. Sean’s primary expertise as an expert witness is quantum, and he has given evidence before a variety of tribunals around the globe. Sean also acts as a third party neutral sitting as adjudicator, arbitrator, expert determiner and dispute board member. Sean is a keen supporter of the use of adjudication and founded the Adjudicator Nominating Body, UK Adjudicators and regularly speaks about its benefits to global audiences.

Martin Ewen Hon Treasurer Email Martin Martin qualified and practised as a Chartered Quantity Surveyor for several years before qualifying as a solicitor in 2006. Since qualification, Martin has practised solely in contentious construction and engineering matters, with a significant part of his practice comprising adjudication. Martin is a Partner in Fenwick Elliott LLP.

Dean Sayers Regional Coordinator Email Dean Dean has a keen interest in adjudication and is a registered adjudicator on the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators’ (CIArb) Presidential Panel of Adjudicators, the Construction Industry Council’s (CIC) Register of Adjudicators and UK Adjudicators’ (UKA) Adjudicator Panel. Dean is also a regular user of adjudication when acting as advocate on behalf of his employer, contractor and sub-contractor clients.

Richard Booth Secretary Email Richard Richard is a Partner in HFW's Construction and Engineering Group and a past Chair of the Adjudication Society. He has 20 years of experience of advising on construction disputes and is a keen and experienced user of adjudication. He is recommended by Chambers & Partners and Legal 500.

Arran Dowling-Hussey Conference Organiser Email Arran Arran is a Barrister, Adjudicator, Arbitrator and Mediator at 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square London and Law Library, Dublin. CIArb Trustee (2017-2023) and former CIArb Board of Management member. Co-Editor Construction, Engineering and Energy Law Journal of Ireland (2015 to date). Associate law lecturer at Robert Gordon University working on LL.M in construction law and arbitration.

Lawrence Davies General member Email Lawrence Lawrence is a Partner at Pinsent Masons. He is a solicitor with more than 35 years' experience advising on construction and engineering contracts and acting in all forms of dispute resolution procedures including adjudication. He is a Chartered Arbitrator, an Adjudicator on the TeCSA Panel and an accredited Mediator. Lawrence has acted for employers, contractors and subcontractors in scores of adjudications since the HGCRA came into force in 1998, including acting for ISG in the leading case of ISG v Seevic College (2014).

Nicholas Gould General member Email Nicholas Nicholas Gould is a partner in the specialist construction, engineering and energy lawyers Fenwick Elliott LLP, where he conducts a mix of international dispute resolution and non-contentious work. He is a solicitor-advocate, chartered surveyor, accredited adjudicator and CEDR lead mediator. He sits as arbitrator and on dispute boards. He acts for contractors, employers and governments in the building, construction, engineering, infrastructure, transport, energy, oil and gas, and process engineering sectors. Nicholas is a Visiting Professor at King’s College London and Vice President of the ICC’s Arbitration Commission. He is President of the DRBF and past Chairman of the Society of Construction Law.

Claire King General member Email Claire Claire King is a Partner at Fenwick Elliott. She specialises in the resolution of construction and engineering disputes both domestically and internationally. She regularly acts for clients in adjudications and has a keen interest in the law and practice of adjudication more generally.

Gerard McLean General member Email Gerard Gerard McLean studied architecture in Edinburgh and London, and has worked in San Francisco, London, Singapore and rural Ireland. He registered as an architect in 1996. He was worked on a wide range of architectural projects, for private, public, charitable and institutional clients. He is a member of the RIBA and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

Theresa Mohammed General member Email Theresa Theresa specialises in contentious construction and joined Trowers & Hamlins in June 2010 from a boutique construction law practice. Theresa was promoted to Partner in 2015. Theresa has extensive experience of acting for Employers and Main Contractors, making High Court applications and the Enforcement of Adjudicators' decisions in the Technology and Construction Court. She is familiar with both standard and bespoke forms of construction contracts. Theresa also has experience of running High Court trials, instructing experts on technical engineering matters, resolving construction disputes through mediation and drafting settlement agreements, claims, defences and adjudication submissions. Theresa has also acted for clients in domestic and international arbitrations and frequently works with international clients in contentious proceedings.

James Pickavance General member Email James James leads the construction and infrastructure disputes practice at Jones Day in London. He has experience of all major forms of dispute resolution, advising public bodies, international corporations and private clients on domestic and international, single or multi-jurisdictional disputes across a range of industry sectors, in particular energy, major infrastructure and commercial development. He is a Visiting Fellow at Kings College London University and teaches on the Construction Masters Degree Course. He is a board member of the International Construction Law Association. He has authored over 40 articles in various publications. He is author of the 768 page leading text "A Practical Guide to Construction Adjudication", published by Wiley Blackwell.

Edward Quigg General member Email Edward Edward comes from a civil engineering background and is a solicitor and director of Quigg Golden and Edwards & Company. He is a past Treasurer and Chair of the Adjudication Society and has been on the committee for over 15 years.

Tim Willis General member Email Tim Tim practices as a solicitor and also runs his own construction consultancy www.willisconsultancy.co.uk. Tim is a past Chairman of the Adjudication Society and the regional convenor for the Midlands Region. Tim is a member of TeCSA and SCL and tutors for Thomas Telford on NEC contracts. Tim’s practice covers both contentious and non-contentious law , dealing with disputes in all dispute forums. Tim manages the Adjudication Society Newsletter as well as other general committee work.