Editors' Notes - Douglas James, 4 New Square

Evidential matters in adjudication - Nigel Ribbands

Clarifying the Payment Notice Requirement’ - Craig Halliday

Disputes arising under a construction contract - Sue Ryan, Jessica Tresham and Emma Knight

The art of interpretation in dispute resolution - Faith Bonyongwe and Tim Willis

Adjudication under the Defective Premises Act - Jim Armstrong

Beyond Adjudication - Josep Galvez

Challenging Adjudication: A Rise in Part 8 Claims? - David Banks and Matthew Cookson

How do experienced adjudicators make decisions in challenging cases?’ - Nigel Davies

Adjudication: Play the Ball, Not the Player - Yosof Ewing

Adjudication Panel Mock Interview - Penelope Ashmore-Mellor

Case Notes

Adjudication Society Regional Update - Carly Thorpe

Adjudication Society debate - Jonathan Clarke

Welcome to our new members in 2025

Douglas James, 4 New Square

Spring has sprung. Easter being a little later this year means that this edition presents no fewer than ten articles. They cover a wide range of topics, and showcase the breadth and depth of members’ interests. 

Recent cases have naturally provoked reaction: Sue Ryan, Jessica Tresham and Emma Knight of Gowling WLG, Faith Bonyongwe and Tim Willis of Irwin Mitchell and Jim Armstrong of JS Held all offer their thoughts on BDW v Ardmore, while Craig Halliday considers Placefirst v CAR and David Banks and Matthew Cookson of Hill Dickinson consider the rise and rise of Part 8 claims. These cases and more are covered in Fenwick Elliott’s distillation of six Case Notes.

The conduct of adjudications is also a common thread of several articles: Nigel Ribbands explores the fundamentals of evidence and how tribunals interpret it; Yosof Ewing of Adjudicate gives a passionate cri de coeur on parties’ behaviour and potential reforms to the ‘office’ of adjudicator; and Nigel Davies dives into the detail of the psychology of adjudicators’ decision making.

Meanwhile: Josep Galvez of 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square offers a fascinating glimpse into the legal and cultural underpinnings of Spanish construction law; Carly Thorpe of Walker Morris summarises the Society’s recent and forthcoming regional events; and there are write-ups from Penelope Ashmore-Mellor of Yelland Savageand Jonathan Clarke of Fenwick Elliott on two recent such events, the ANB Panel mock interview and the London’s committee’s joint AdjSoc-DRBF debate on the role of adjudication in public works contracts.

We are grateful for all contributions. Please contact Bernadette Barker if you wish to contribute to the next edition. 

Happy Easter!

Disclaimer

None of the articles in this Newsletter should be relied on as offering legal advice on any specific matter.

^BACK

Nigel Ribbands

Read the full article

^BACK

Craig Halliday

Craig Halliday looks at the recent case of Placefirst v CAR and the timing of pay less notices.

Read the full article

^BACK

Sue Ryan, Jessica Tresham and Emma Knight

Sue Ryan, Jessica Tresham and Emma Knight of Gowling WLG consider BDW v Ardmore.

Read the full article

^BACK

Faith Bonyongwe and Tim Willis

Faith Bonyongwe and Tim Willis of Irwin Mitchell interpret BDW v Ardmore.

Read the full article

^BACK

Jim Armstrong

Jim Armstrong of JS Held summarises BDW v Ardmore.

Read the full article

^BACK

Josep Galvez

Josep Galvez of 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square considers how construction disputes are resolved in Spain.

Read the full article

^BACK

David Banks and Matthew Cookson

David Banks and Matthew Cookson of Hill Dickinson consider the rise of Part 8 claims.

Read the full article

^BACK

Nigel Davies

Nigel Davies explains how in a detailed study of the psychology of decision making.

Read the full article

^BACK

Yosof Ewing

Yosof Ewing of Adjudicate presents a passionate plea for adjudication reform.

Read the full article

^BACK

Penelope Ashmore-Mellor

Penelope Ashmore-Mellor recounts an evening dedicated to being interviewed for an ANB panel.

Read the full article

^BACK

Case Note Contributors: Nicholas Gould, Ava Solouk, Freddy Ashe and Oliver Weisemann, Fenwick Elliott

Essential Living (Greenwich) Ltd v Conneely Facades Ltd

Reference: [2024] EWHC 2629 (TCC)
Date: 17 September 2024
Judge: Mr Adrian Williamson KC
Keywords: Adjudicators' decisions; Jurisdiction; Natural justice; Summary judgments

Read the full case note

Malin Industrial Concrete Floors Ltd v Volkerfitzpatrick Ltd

Reference: [2024] EWHC 2890 (TCC)
Date: 22 October 2024
Judge: District Judge Baldwin
Keywords: Adjudicators' decisions; Cross-claims; Enforcement; Insolvency; Set-off; Sub-contractors; Summary judgments

Read the full case note

Workman Properties Ltd v ADI Building And Refurbishment Ltd

Reference: [2024] EWHC 2627 (TCC)
Date: 3 October 2024
Judge: HHJ Stephen Davies
Keywords: Adjudicators' decisions; Construction contracts; Contract terms; Design and Build Contract; Interpretation; Part 8 claims

Read the full case note

Placefirst Construction Ltd v CAR Construction (North East) Ltd

Reference: [2025] EWHC 100 (TCC)
Date: 24 January 2025
Judge: His Honour Judge Stephen Davies
Keywords: Adjudicators' decisions; Construction disputes; Enforcement; Interim payments; Notices; Pay less notices; Sub-contracts

Read the full case note

Grain Communications Limited v Shepherd Groundworks Limited

Reference: [2024] EWHC 3067 (TCC)
Date: 29 November 2024
Judge: Her Honour Judge Kelly
Keywords: Breach of contract; Construction contracts; Implied terms; Variation

Read the full case note

BDW Trading Ltd v Ardmore Construction Ltd

Reference: [2024] EWHC 3235 (TCC)
Date: 16 December 2024
Judge: Mrs Justice Joanna Smith DBE
Keywords: Adjudication clauses; Adjudicators' decisions; Construction contracts; Defective premises; Jurisdiction; Natural justice

Read the full case note

^BACK

Carly Thorpe provides an update on events and news from the Society’s regional committees.

Read the full report

^BACK

Jonathan Clarke of Fenwick Elliott reports on the recent AS-DRBF debate on public works contract.

Read the full report

^BACK

A warm welcome to the 52 new full members and 25 student members who have joined the Society in 2025.

Full members

• Nelida Abi saab, Berkeley Research Group LLC
• Iain Aitchison, Ankura Consulting (Europe) Limited
• Alastair Anderson, HKA Global Ltd
• Craig Ballantyne, FTI Consulting
• Richard Bayliss, Bayliss Commercial Limited
• Keith Bishop, BW Law
• Himmet Chadha,
• Yuting Chen, London South Bank University
• Jonathan Clarke, Fenwick Elliott LLP
• Iain Cole, Davies and Partners Solicitors
• James Coppinger, Buckles Solicitors LLP
• Andrew Davidson, Davidson Commercial Construction Services Limited
• Stephen Evans, Freeths LLP
• John Forson, FTI Consulting
• Edward Gills,
• Luke Gregory, VolkerFitzpatrick
• David Hewitt, Hewitt Associates
• Simon Horton, HS2 Ltd
• Gavin Hughes, HHW Consulting
• Stan Humphries, Commercial & Construction Services Limited
• Thomas Hurst, DAC Beachcroft LLP
• John James, VolkerStevin
• Dale Jones, Keltbray
• Chris Jones, Oraculum Consulting Limited
• Joseph Keane, Joe Keane & Associates
• Dominic Keene, TSA Riley
• Chris Kirby-Turner, Thomson Snell & Passmore
• Richard Lambert, Ormiston James Ltd
• Josiah Lee, JS Held
• Hadley Lenthall, JS Held
• James Lynch, KEO International Consultants
• Martin Lyon, Oak Associates (UK) Limited
• Chris Mallett, Redjak Consulting
• Faviola Martinez Figueroa, Arthur Cox
• Benjamin May, Rowfield Commercial Ltd
• Nick McGuire, Cooper & Hall Limited
• Emily Mossop, Lakesside Ltd
• Kieran Murphy, Red Sea Global
• Tshifhiwa Naledzani, Kumi Consultancy
• Alex Paduraru, A&V Building Solution Limited
• Ian Parkinson, Delta Consulting Group Ltd
• Sandip Patel, Berkeley Research Group LLC
• Lawrence Pearce, Holmes & Hills LLP
• Brian Pitfield, BJ Pitfield Consultants
• Henry Proto, HFW
• Ian Raine, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Ciarb)
• Andrew Shaw, Quantik
• Murray Steel, Faculty of Advocates
• Matthew Thorne, 4 Pump Court
• Alice To,
• Sylvia Walemba, HS2 Ltd
• Samuel Wallis, Gowling WLG (UK) LLP

Student members

• Henry Amurukonye, University of Portsmouth
• Ali Bajwa, King's College London
• James Betteridge, RICS Academy
• Freddie Brennan, Quantik
• James Clayton, Robert Gordon University
• Traoloch Collins, Trinity College Dublin
• Harrison Dodds, University College of Estate Management
• Aleksander Godhe, King's College London
• Jack Hopper, King's College London
• Divjot Kaur, The Adjudication Society
• andrew kemp, RICS Dispute Resolution Service
• David Lane, Leeds Beckett University
• Kampamba Lukwesa, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Ciarb)
• Sam Mason, Sheffield Hallam
• Jonathan Moor, Northumbria University
• Roberto Nino, University of Exeter
• Simon Peacock, Leeds Beckett University
• Arin Roy, The University of Law
• Raymah Selvaraj, harlton Martin Consultants sdn Bhd
• Ibrahim Shaik, King's College London
• Graham Smyth, Leeds Beckett University
• Marina Stylianide, King's College London
• Aleko Vassileiou, RICS Academy
• Sarah Woolham, King's College London
• Oleksandr Zubrytskyi, City Law School

^BACK