John Marrin QC is the 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 for his ‘subtlety, focus and incisiveness’ and his 'authoritative manner and instinctive ability to understand a tribunal.'
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. He also has particularly extensive experience of claims related to the energy sector. His expertise includes acting as counsel or arbitrator on claims relating to off-shore oil and gas facilities, oil processing plants and pipeline projects. Mr Marrin 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 whose name features on various panels of arbitrators and adjudicators in the UK including the arbitration panels of the Institution of Civil Engineers, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Railway Industry Dispute Resolution Council. Internationally, Mr Marrin is regarded as having enormous authority whether it be as adjudicator, arbitrator or mediator by the legal directories. He is often appointed by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) for heavyweight arbitrations and is also a strong favourite with regional centres such as the Dubai, Hong Kong and Singapore International Arbitration Centres and the London Court of International Arbitration.
Mr Marrin sits as a Deputy High Court Judge of the Queen's Bench Division, 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
- Representing the employer in arbitration proceedings relating to delay and disruption claims arising from the construction of a major public building in Hong Kong.
- Appearing for the Special Purpose Vehicle (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 in the 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 a team defending the employer against claims arising from the construction of a hydro-electric dam in the People’s Republic of China.
- Advising an engineering contractor on its claims under an EPC contract to build six pumping station facilities in Africa.
- Leading Counsel in the case of 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.
Technology
- Representing a UK Government department on its claims against the supplier of a traffic analysis software package. The claims related to extensive issues of design specification, performance and termination.
- Advising a defence contractor on their position in relation to a contract to provide hardware and software for a naval telecommunications network.
- Advising UK Government on claims related to a contract for the supply of computerised modelling software for the military.
Notable Appointments
Construction and Engineering
- 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.
- Adjudicator on dispute relating to the design of a steelwork arch for a national football stadium.
- Nominated as adjudicator on a series of disputes arising out of a PFI contract for the construction of a toll road.
Energy
- 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.
- 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.
Technology
- Party appointed arbitrator on an LCIA arbitration relating to a software licensing dispute between American and Scandinavian companies dealing with performance, pricing and termination issues.
- Presiding over the case of Serck Controls Limited v. Drake & Scull Engineering Limited while sitting as Recorder of the Technology and Construction Court. The claim related to a computerised building management system for the process plant sector.
Appointments as Mediator
Disputes relating to:
- The construction of a series of six oil rigs bound for service off the Atlantic Coast of South America.
- The construction in the Far East of two drilling platforms bound for service in the North Sea.
- Construction of roadworks in the West Indies.
- Defects in a series of ships' propellers manufactured in the Far East.
- National 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 the 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 Us
If you would like to discuss ways in which Keating Chambers can assist you or your organisation, please contact the Senior Clerk,
Nick Child, in the first instance, on +44(0)20 7544 2600. The teams of Clerks will be pleased to advise you on the member of Keating Chambers appropriate to your requirements.
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