Simon Hargreaves QC was called to the Bar in 1991, served on the Attorney-General’s Panel of Treasury Counsel from 2002 to 2008 and took Silk in 2009. He has spent his entire career in Keating Chambers specialising in disputes arising from construction, engineering, IT systems, transport, energy contracts and fires. He specialises in all forums including litigation, arbitration, adjudication and ADR as well as relief concerning pre-action disclosure, summary judgment, interim payment, strike out, security for costs, arbitration applications, injunctions and bond applications.
Simon Hargreaves QC has considerable experience of heavy cases. In recent years he has been involved in claims arising from: the Magna Park fire (£140m); the London Underground transmission and radio upgrade project (£110m); a claim concerning turbine design for a nuclear power station (over £100m); the Chancery Lane derailment in January 2003 (over £100m); the Gerrard’s Cross tunnel collapse; the London Transport Upgrade (including Oystercard) (£80m); claims arising on Wembley Stadium (£30m); bond and defects claims concerning the design and manufacture of a new commuter train.
Simon Hargreaves QC has considerable experience of professional negligence claims and related insurance claims arising from construction, engineering, transport, IT systems, energy contracts and fires, including claims for and against civil and structural engineers, geotechnical engineers, mechanical and electrical engineers, architects, asbestos professionals and contractors, project managers, quantity surveyors and costs consultants.
Examples of recent work
- IT systems contracts, data centres, hosting services
- Warehousing, materials handling and distribution systems (publishers, record companies etc)
- Command and Control Systems (Fire and Ambulance)
- Water treatment works
- Process Plant (various)
- Storage vessels (land and sea)
- Sub-sea engineering
- Oil and Gas Installations
- Wind Turbines
- Claims by and against developers, contractors, management contractors, sub-contractors and suppliers
- Quantum meruit claims
- Site investigation and geotechnical disputes
- Claims arising from developments on peat and landfill, and difficult site development generally
- Subsidence claims
- Earthworks
- Asbestos contamination and removal
- Heavy delay and disruption claims
- Steelwork
- Air-conditioning systems
- Railways, trains, train and bogie design and manufacture
- Tunnelling
- Collapses
- Floods
- Sports stadiums
- Hospitals
- Fires and fire prevention
- Residential developments
- Office developments
- University developments
- Sports developments
- Canals
- Adjudication enforcements
- Adjudication and the economic torts
- Appeals from arbitrators
- Advising on standard terms
- Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977
- Claims in negligence
- Limitation
- Claims against insurers and brokers
Recommendations
Construction
"expected to take off like a rocket."
Professional Negligence
“earmarked for great success. His tenacity and skill have won him a legion of supporters.”
Energy
“took silk this year having had a very successful career as a junior attracting some fine pieces of work.”
Chambers and Partners 2010
Construction
"incisive mind and pleasing bedside manner"…"little doubt that he is going to be one of the most impressive of us all, given time"…"stands out from the crowd for being “just brilliantly clever,”…“able to expertly negotiate the most difficult cases.”
Professional Negligence
"A practical, highly reliable lawyer of strong opinions"…is described by opposing counsel as “a formidable and tenacious senior junior.”
Energy
"user-friendly and has the ability to convey difficult concepts in an easy to understand manner"…“exceptionally strong performer”…"a fine reputation for thoroughness."
Chambers and Partners 2008 and 2009
Nominated for Construction Junior of the Year
Chambers and Partners Bar Awards 2008
"extremely bright."
Legal 500 2007
"clever, literate and persuasive"…"rave reviews and with good reason"...is extremely good at "shaking a case by the scruff of the neck"…"intelligent and dedicated"…"exceptionally good and totally reliable"…”produces excellent paperwork”…”strong attention to detail"...wildly impressive”...considered "the junior most likely to”..."enjoys an active professional negligence practice”…...attention to detail in advising on and drafting pleadings has won him a following among solicitors...continues to work his way up the rankings, with many commentators describing him as a "star of the future."
Chambers and Partners 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007
Simon Hargreaves has been consistently mentioned in Chambers and Partners since 1995.
Publications
Assistant Editor, Construction Law Yearbook 1994, 1995 and 1996.
Editorial team, Keating on Building Contracts 7th edition 2001.
Simon Hargreaves QC has presented seminars to TECBAR, TeCSA, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, firms of solicitors and developers and contractors.
Professional CV
MA in Jurisprudence, Worcester College, Oxford
Called to the Bar (Inner Temple)
Keating Chambers
Appointed Treasury Counsel (B-panel 5-10 years call)
TECBAR Accredited Adjudicator
Queen's Counsel |
1989
1991
1992
2002-2008
2009 |
Memberships
Technology and Construction Bar Association (TECBAR)
Professional Negligence Bar Association
Commercial Bar Association (COMBAR)
Society of Construction Law
Society for Computers and Law
Other Information
Simon Hargreaves QC is married with three daughters, lives in West London and enjoys skiing and diving.
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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