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John Uff originally trained as a civil engineer, becoming a specialist in geotechnics but after five years practice he transferred to the Bar and became Donald Keating’s last pupil.
While developing an extensive practice in all areas of engineering and construction, he has maintained close interests in writing, lecturing and academia. In 1987 he became the founding Director of the Centre of Construction Law and Management at King’s College, London, and was appointed to the Nash Chair of Engineering Law at the University of London in 1992. Since 2003 he is Emeritus Professor of Engineering Law at King’s College. John Uff’s international and national reputation has led to many appointments as arbitrator in substantial disputes in most parts of the world as well as being appointed to chair Public Inquiries in the UK.
He has maintained close contact with the engineering world through the ICE and, latterly, the Royal Academy of Engineering. John has been closely involved in many developments in the construction industry over the past two decades, through committees and publications and has most recently spearheaded the engineering profession's drive to establish a code of ethical principles. In 1996 he served as Chairman of a Public Inquiry in the water industry and in 1998-2001 chaired two Public Inquiries into rail accidents. He has served as a Vice President of the LCIA and as President of the Society of Construction Arbitrators.
Recommendations
International Arbitration
“ever-popular and dependable.”
Chambers and Partners 2010
“willingness to roll up his sleeves and modify procedure in order to get things moving quickly.”
Chambers & Partners 2008
Examples of recent work
Appointed Arbitrator
John Uff has worked on many substantial arbitrations, as sole arbitrator, Chairman or Tribunal member throughout the world from Australasia and the Far East to the Middle East, Europe and North America.
- Party appointed arbitrator in ICC case concerning construction of silos in Middle East.
- Party appointed arbitrator in ICC case concerning a power plant in Kuwait.
- Chairman of a UNCITRAL tribunal dealing with disputes on major building project in Eastern Europe.
- Sole Arbitrator for disputes on off-shore gas rig in Australia.
- Party appointed arbitrator in ad hoc Tribunal to resolve disputes on design and construction of Nickel and Cobalt facility in Western Australia.
- Chairman of ICC Tribunal dealing with issues of delay and defects concerning major power plant in Thailand.
- Chairman of ICC Tribunal on disputes arising from construction of substantial oil-transfer facility in North Africa.
- Party appointed arbitrator on disputes arising from the construction of two high-spec oil drilling vessels.
- Sole arbitrator in LCIA dispute in Caribbean concerning design and construction of substantial beach resort.
- Chairman of ICC Tribunal dealing with issues of delay and defects on international construction project in Gibraltar.
- Chairman of ad hoc Tribunal appointed to determine large number of disputes on design and construction of military air-base in Gulf region.
- Party-appointed member of ICC Tribunal dealing with delay and determination issues arising from power transmission works, South Pacific.
- Chairman of ICC Tribunal dealing with disputes including determination on natural gas process plant, Greece.
Appointed in Adjudications and ADR
John Uff has been appointed on a substantial number of adjudications and ADR proceedings in recent years dealing with claims on major projects.
- Termination of manufacturing plant in North Africa.
- Delay and disruption dispute on national motorway structure.
- Termination of major bank construction project.
- Rail network maintenance contracts.
- Refurbishment works at a major national gallery.
- A major port and ferry terminal upgrade.
Acting as Counsel
Acting for the Treasury Solicitor on projects including:
- PFI project for water services.
- Major facility for UK armed services.
- Disputes on PFI project for National Laboratory.
Also giving specialist advice on construction projects and procedures for dispute resolution, particularly involving international issues and parties.
Reported cases
Landmark reported cases
Bay Hotel & Zurich Indemnity Company v Cavalier Construction [2001] Privy Council Appeal No. 32 of 2000, on enforcement of an AAA award in Turks and Caicos Islands.
John Mowlem Construction Plc v Secretary of State for Defence [2000] CILL 655 Commercial Court, on time limits for the conduct of arbitration.
McAlpine Humberoak Ltd v McDermott International Inc [1992] 58 BLR 1, Court of Appeal on the effect of variations in design in the overall interpretation of the contract and in determining entitlement to extension of time.
Department of Environment v Thomas Bates [1991] AC 499, House of Lords, on the recoverability of economic loss in the tort of negligence.
Publications
- Contributor, Keating on Construction Contracts - 8th Edition 1st Supplement (2008).
- Contributor, Keating on Construction Contracts - 8th Edition (2006).
- Construction Law, 9th edition (2005).
- Contributor to Keating on Building Contracts, 7th edition (Commentary on ICE Conditions of Contract) (2001).
- Joint author, Chapter on Construction Contracts in 28th edition of Chitty on Contracts (1999).
- Principal author: Construction Industry Model Arbitration Rules (1998).
- Principal editor for a series of Construction Law publications, King's College London: Construction Contract Policy (1989), International and ICC Arbitration (1990), Legal Obligations in Construction (1992), Risk Management and Procurement in Construction (1995), Construction Law and the Environment (1997), New Horizons in Construction Law (1998).
- Joint author, Institution of Civil Engineers Arbitration Practice, Thomas Telford (1983).
Lectures
- "The responsibility of being an engineer": Presidential keynote address, BA Festival of Science, Exeter University (2004)
- "Legal duties at the fringe: ethics in construction law": 4th Michael Brown Lecture, King's College, London (2003)
- "Engineering Ethics: do Engineers owe duties to the public": Royal Academy of Engineering Lloyds Register lecture (2002)
- "Risk in Engineering": Thomas Hawksley Memorial Lecture, Institution of Mechanical Engineers (2002)
- Keynote paper, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators' Conference, Dublin. "Dispute resolution in the 21st Century." Arbitration r.67 p.4 (2001).
Professional CV
BSc, Engineering, King’s College, London
PhD, Geotechnics, King’s College, London
Called to the Bar (Gray’s Inn)
Keating Chambers
Fellow, Institution of Civil Engineers
Queen’s Counsel
Director, Centre of Construction Law & Management
Nash Professor of Engineering Law, King’s College, London
Head of Keating Chambers
Fellow, Royal Academy of Engineering
Fellow, King’s College, London
Recorder and Deputy Judge of the Technology and Construction Court
President’s Medal, Society of Construction Law
CBE for services to rail safety
Gold Medal, Institute of Civil Engineers | 1963
1966
1970
1970
1982
1983
1987-99
1992
1992-97
1995
1997
1998
2000
2002
2002 |
Appointments
Council of the Institution of Civil Engineers
Standing Committee on Structural Safety
Dept. of Environment Committee on Latent Damage Insurance
DTI Advisory Committee on Arbitration Law
Chairman, Independent Commission of Inquiry into Yorkshire Water
Chairman, Public Enquiry into Southall Train Crash
Joint Chairman (with Lord Cullen) of Public Inquiry into Train Protection Systems
President, Engineering Section of British Association for Advancement of Science
Vice President, London Court of International Arbitration
President, Society of Construction Arbitrators
Honorary Member, Society of Construction Law (KL & Selangor) | 1982-85
1986-91
1986-88
1993-97
1996
1999
2001
2003-4
2003
2004
2006 |
Other Information
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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