John Marrin QC is the current Head of Keating Chambers and has been a specialist in construction law for over 30 years. His practice encompasses cases relating to the construction, engineering, energy and technology law sectors along with claims for professional negligence within these areas of expertise. He appears principally in the UK High Court and Court of Appeal and before various national and international arbitral tribunals. Mr Marrin has been praised in various legal directories as having the hallmarks of ‘subtlety, focus and incisiveness’, as ‘a very effective advocate who does not take bad points’ and as having ‘enormous authority’ whether it be as adjudicator, arbitrator or mediator.
Mr Marrin has handled a vast number of disputes concerning payment and compensation for disruption and delay. He is a recognised authority on the analysis of delay claims and concurrent delay.
John Marrin QC also has particularly extensive experience of claims related to the energy sector. His expertise includes work acting as counsel or arbitrator on claims relating to off-shore oil and gas facilities; oil processing plants and pipeline projects. He also has considerable expertise in the field of power generation having worked on a number of cases relating to the construction of power stations and turbine failure claims in the UK and abroad.
In addition to his practice as Counsel, Mr Marrin is a Chartered Arbitrator and his name features on various panels of arbitrators and adjudicators, including the arbitration panels of the Institution of Civil Engineers, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre and the Railway Industry Dispute Resolution Council. His arbitration practice is both domestic and international and includes numerous appointments as sole arbitrator, as well as appointments to arbitral tribunals by such bodies as the ICC, LCIA and SIAC.
Mr Marrin also sits as a Deputy High Court Judge of the Queen's Bench Division, as a deputy Judge in the Technology and Construction Court, and as a Recorder of the Crown Court handling criminal cases.
Examples of recent work
Construction and Engineering
- Appearing for the Employer in arbitration proceedings in Hong Kong relating to delay and disruption claims during the construction of a major public building.
- Appearing for the SPV before a Disputes Resolution Panel in a dispute relating to delays in the construction of a new hospital under a PFI contract in the United Kingdom.
- Appearing in the High Court and in the Court of Appeal for the Secretary of State for Transport on case of AMEC Civil Engineering v. Secretary of State for Transport relating to construction work on the M6/Thelwell Viaduct.
- Acting for a train operator in a claim for substantial damages arising from a major rail tunnel collapse in the United Kingdom.
- Appearing for the contractor in the Court of Appeal and the House of Lords in Reinwood v Brown concerning the disputed termination of the contractor’s employment under the terms of the JCT Standard Form of Building Contract
Energy
- Leading the defence team on claims to the construction of a hydro-electric power installation in the People’s Republic of China.
- Advising an engineering contractor on its claims regarding an EPC contract for the construction of six pump station facilities in Africa.
- Acting for Rolls Royce Power Engineering v Ricardo Consulting Engineers in the High Court on claims arising from a design contract for the development of diesel engines for power generation, pumping and marine propulsion.
Notable Appointments
Arbitrator
- Nominated to serve on an Arbitral Tribunal under the auspices of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre to resolve a dispute relating to the construction of a power plant in the People’s Republic of China.
- Nominated to serve on an Arbitral Tribunal under the auspices of the ICC to resolve a dispute relating to the construction of a chemical plant in the Middle East.
- Appointed by the LCIA as sole arbitrator to resolve a dispute relating to the construction of residential and recreational premises in Northern Russia.
- Appointed to chair an arbitral tribunal to resolve a dispute relating to the construction of a major shopping centre in Dubai.
- Appointed to chair an UNCITRAL arbitral tribunal to resolve a dispute relating to the defective piled foundations of a high-rise office block located in the far East.
- Appointed to chair an UNCITRAL arbitral tribunal to resolve a dispute relating to payment for and delay to the construction of two CFB boilers for power plants located in Eastern Europe.
Adjudicator
- A dispute relating to the design of the steelwork for a major UK Football Stadium.
- A series of disputes arising out of a PFI contract for the construction of a toll road.
- A delay claim arising out of a contract for supply and installation of motorway signage.
Mediator
- A dispute relating to the construction of a series of six oil rigs bound for service off the Atlantic Coast of South America.
- A dispute relating to the construction in the Far East of two drilling platforms bound for service in the North Sea.
- A dispute relating to the construction of roadworks in the West Indies.
- A dispute relating to defects in a series of ships' propellers manufactured in the Far East.
- A dispute relating to a major UK Football Stadium
Reported cases
The above are some recent reported cases.
Professional CV
MA in Law, Magdalene College, Cambridge
Called to the Bar, Inner Temple
Keating Chambers
Queen’s Counsel
Assistant Recorder of the Crown Court
CEDR Accredited Mediator
Recorder of the Crown Court
Deputy Judge of the Technology and Construction Court
Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb)
Head of Chambers
Panel Arbitrator, Hong Kong International Arbitrator Centre
Fellow of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre
Deputy High Court Judge | 1973
1974
1976
1990
1993
1993
1997
1997
1998
2005
2005
2007
2008 |
Membership
Member, Common Law Bar Association
Member, Society of Construction Law
Member, Commercial Bar Association
Member, Society for Advanced Legal Studies
Member, LCIA
Member, Standing Conference of Mediation Advocates
Other Information
John Marrin is currently Head of Keating Chambers, having previously served both as Treasurer and Deputy Head of Chambers. He regularly presents papers on topics relating to the Construction Industry. He supervises students undertaking MSc Studies in Construction Law and Dispute Resolution at King's College, University of London. He delivers occasional lectures in the International Construction Contract and Arbitration course at Queen Mary’s College, University of London and he is also a Bencher of the Inner Temple.
Contact UsIf you would like to discuss ways in which Keating Chambers can assist you or your organisation, please contact the Senior Clerks,
John Munton and
Nick Child, in the first instance, on +44(0)20 7544 2600. They and their teams of Clerks will be pleased to advise you on the member of Keating Chambers appropriate to your requirements.
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