CURRICULUM VITAE
John is a specialist in international building, civil engineering, marine, power and water projects and has advised on and prepared all types of project agreements (particularly FIDIC-based) and contractual structures (BOT/PPP) in English and French relating to projects in 60 countries for over 40 years.
In connection with such projects, he has also advised and been involved as Solicitor and Advocate in the conduct of many ICC, UNCITRAL and ad-hoc international construction arbitrations involving claims from $20m to $200m, under both English Common Law and French Civil Law procedural and applicable laws in London, Paris, Stockholm, Geneva, Cairo and Singapore.
BAR ADMISSIONS & QUALIFICATIONS
- Solicitor, England & Wales - admitted to the Roll in 1971
- College of Law, now University of Law, London – 1966 - 1969
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
1966 Trained with London City firm with offices also in Paris and admitted in July 1971 as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales.
1971 Senior Solicitor then Legal Director and Department Head in major UK Developer and Construction Group, firstly specializing in developer work in the UK and in the Caribbean and then generally in international project work around the world both from the side of the Developer and the Main Contractor and dealing with all aspects of legal documentation to be drafted and negotiated and with all related legal and claims advice and the conduct of any subsequent international arbitration proceedings.
1986 Left the development and construction industry to start own private practice in London specializing in international project and arbitration work and acting for utilities, developers, contractors and subcontractors (including former Employer) mainly of European Union nationality from the principle European countries in connection with their projects of which many were in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa but also in the Far East.
1996 After merging practice with another firm in London, left to take “Of Counsel” role to a Law Firm in Cairo and a Law Firm in Paris where many common clients had been taken and specializing mainly in Projects in the Middle East and Africa and the conducting of related international construction arbitrations.
MEMBERSHIPS
- International Bar Association (IBA)
- International Construction Law Association (ICLA)
- Dispute Resolution Board Foundation (DRBF)
- Society of Construction Law (SCL)
- Law Society of England and Wales
LANGUAGES
- English (native speaker)
- French
PROJECT DETAILS
Algeria
Have acted for developer in major housing project and negotiation of Joint Venture and Contract documentation in French
Have acted for contractor in regard to Embassy project and the conduct of the subsequent lengthy ad-hoc arbitration in Paris under the UNCITRAL Rules to Final Award where substantial legal issues arose
Have acted for developer in the negotiation of the usual suite of agreements in French (Concession, Shareholders, EPC and O&M) relating to a BOT water treatment plant
Argentina
Have acted for Middle East developer in the negotiations of documentation relating to a major leisure and hotel complex
Australia
Have acted for contractor in the negotiation of a marine works contract relating to an airport project
Bahrain
Have acted for contractor in regard to the negotiation of contracts for two hotel projects
Have also in regard to one hotel project conducted subsequent arbitration proceedings on behalf of the contractor in Geneva under the ICC Rules to Final Award where substantial procedural issues arose
Bangladesh
Have acted for marine and dredging contractor on a major bridge project
Barbados
Have acted for developer in negotiations relating to leisure hotel and housing projects
Belgium
Have acted for dredging contractor relating to a river and harbor project where all the documentation was in French
Botswana
Have acted for contractor regarding claims and disputes relating to a major housing development
Bulgaria
Have acted for developer in negotiating a contract for a winter sports complex and development
Cayman Islands
Have acted for contractor in the negotiation of a hotel and leisure project
China
Have been involved with contractor in the early stages of major dam project
Czech Republic
Have been involved with developer in a major hotel project
Denmark
Have acted for contractor in Joint Venture and contract negotiations relating to a major series of bridge projects connecting Copenhagen
Egypt
Acting on the following projects where the applicable law was Egyptian Law which is derived from French Law and therefore all legal arguments were based on French legal principles
Acting for contractor in regard to negotiating a contract for a tank factory
Acting for dredging contractor in regard to major port works on the north coast and advising on claims arising thereafter
Acting for dredging contractor in regard to the creation of a port on the Suez Canal and conducting subsequent arbitration proceedings to Final Award under the UNCITRAL Rules at the Cairo Regional Arbitration Centre where complex technical Expert Evidence was involved
Acting for dredging contractor in regard to major contract relating to the Suez Canal and subsequently assisting local lawyers in extensive litigation before the Egyptian Courts where complex legal issues arose
Acting for contractor in regard to a hotel development in the centre of Cairo and conducting subsequent multi-party arbitration proceedings under the ICC Rules in Paris to Final Award where complex procedural issues arose
Acting for contractor in regard to further hotel development in central Cairo
Acting for contractor in regard to major public building contract in Alexandria and advising on claims arising thereafter
Acting for contractor in regard to a Media Complex in Cairo and conducting subsequent arbitration proceedings under the UNCITRAL Rules at the Cairo Regional Arbitration Centre where complex technical Expert Evidence was involved
Acting for contractor in regard to the construction of a major pumping station on Lake Aswan in the south of Egypt
Acting for contractors in regard to the construction of major waste water projects in Cairo and advising on preparation of subsequent claims
Acting for contractor in regard to a Bank Headquarters in the centre of Cairo and subsequently conducting arbitration proceedings under the ICC Rules in Paris to Final Award where complex delay arguments arose
Ethiopia
Have been involved with contractor in the negotiation of a major road project and advising on subsequent claims and disputes
Fiji
Acting for developer in regard to a hotel leisure complex
France
Have been involved with contractor in regard to a major bridge project where all documentation was in French
Have acted for various non-French subcontractors in the negotiation of subcontracts in French on the Euro Disney Project and subsequently advising on claims
Have been involved with developer in the preparation of documentation relating to alternative schemes to the Eurotunnel Project
Germany
Have acted for European electricity utility in negotiations with other European electricity utilities for the development of a gas fired power station in East Germany
Ghana
Have been involved for contractor in numerous road projects and claims arising
Have been involved with developer on documentation relating to a Port project
Have acted for contractor on the negotiation of a contract for a hotel project
Guinea
Have been involved with dredging contractor in regard to a Port project where documentation was in French
Greece
Have acted for European electricity utility in regard to the negotiation of the usual suite of agreements (PPA, Shareholders, EPC and O&M) on a BOT basis related to a gas fired power station
Hong Kong
Have been involved with contractor regarding negotiations of the Joint Venture and contract documents for Mass Transit Metro Projects
Have been involved with contractor relating to claims on a Bank Headquarters
Have acted for dredging contractors in regard to the initial contracts and Joint Venture Agreements for the new airport project
Hungary
Have been involved with European electricity utility in regard to the initial negotiation for the development of a gas fired power station
Indonesia
Have acted for contractor in regard to a hotel development and subsequent commencement of international arbitration proceedings in Paris under the ICC Rules
Iran
Have acted for designer/contractor in international arbitration proceedings in Geneva under the ICC Rules relating to a hospital development
Have acted for developer regarding a major housing and apartment development in Teheran and in subsequent international arbitration proceedings in London under the ICC Rules to Final Award where complex procedural issues arose
Jamaica
Have acted for contractor in regard to negotiation of hotel projects
Have acted in international arbitration proceedings for contractor under ICC Arbitration Rules but in Jamaica relating to one of the hotel projects to Final Award where complex procedural issues arose
Jordan
Have acted for developer in regard to the negotiations of a hotel complex
Have acted for contractor in regard to a dam project and negotiation of subsequent claims
Kazakhstan
Have acted for Airport Authority in regard to disputes with contractor relating to an airport project and the conducting of subsequent arbitration proceedings under the ICC Rules in Geneva where substantial technical Expert Evidence was involved
Kuwait
Have acted for dredging contractor in regard to a dredging contract for a royal palace complex on the coast where complex contractual issues were involved
Libya
Have acted for contractor in regard to a drainage contract in Benghazi
Have acted for developer/contractor in regard to water treatment plants on the coast near Tripoli
Lithuania
Have acted for developer in regard to a hotel project in Vilnius
Mauritius
Have acted for developer/contractor in regard to hotel and leisure project
Morocco
Have acted for Contractor in regard to a road project where the documentation was in French
New Zealand
Have been involved with contractor in regard to an oil and gas project off the North Island
Nigeria
Have acted for contractor in regard to a hotel project in Lagos
Have acted for contractor in regard to a commercial development in provincial capital
Have acted for dredging contractor in regard to a river project in the Niger Delta
Have acted for contractor in regard to the construction of installations at a military airport
Oman
Have acted for contractor in regard to two hotel projects in Muscat
Have acted for contractor in regard to the negotiation of a contract for a major university project
Have acted for contractor in international arbitration proceedings under the ICC Rules in Paris relating to a water reticulation project
Pakistan
Have acted for contractor in regard to a major hospital project and have dealt with the conduct of subsequent arbitration proceedings under the ICC Rules with regard to the main contract in Paris and with regard to a major subcontract in London, both to Final Award where complex procedural issues arose
Have acted for contractor on a major airport project and with regard to related claims and disputes
Panama
Have acted for developer/contractor in regard to a hotel project
Poland
Have acted for contractor in regard to negotiations for a central city air terminal building in Warsaw and have been involved in subsequent international arbitration proceedings under the ICC Rules in Paris to Final Award where ubstantial documentation was involved
Have acted for contractor in two hotel projects on the north coast and subsequently conducted international arbitration proceedings under the UNCITRAL Rules with a major subcontractor in Stockholm to Final Award
Portugal
Have acted for European electricity utility in regard to the usual suite of agreements (PPA, Shareholders, EPC and O&M) on a BOT basis relating to gas fired power station
Qatar
Have been involved for contractor setting up joint companies for operations and advising on subsequent large building contracts and related claims
Romania
Have advised developer/contractor on water treatment plant and subsequent claims
Russia
Have advised developer/contractor on major forestry project and construction of saw mills
Saudi Arabia
Have advised contractor on manufacturing plant project
Have negotiated construction contracts and joint venture agreements on behalf of the contractor relating to internal military installations
Sierra Leone
Have advised contractor on dam project
Singapore
Have advised contractor on contracts relating to major commercial developments
Have been involved with contractor regarding negotiations of Joint Venture and contract documents for Mass Transit Metro projects
Have advised contractors and subcontractors regarding disputes on marina developments
Have advised dredging contractor on major off shore island reclamation contract and subsequently dealt with international arbitration proceedings in Singapore under the ICC Rules where substantial technical Expert Evidence was involved
South Africa
Have acted for developer/employer on major oil project and the negotiation of joint venture agreements and construction contracts with several South African contractors
Sri Lanka
Have acted for developer/contractor in regard to a hotel and leisure complex
Saint Lucia
Have acted for developer in negotiations of contracts for hotel and leisure complex and related residential development
Sudan
Have acted for contractor in the conduct of international arbitration proceedings in Paris under the ICC Rules to Final Award relating to a major road project where complex Procedural Law issues arose
Switzerland
Have acted for developer in the negotiation of a winter sports complex and related residential development and in connection with subsequent local litigation
Taiwan
Have advised contractor regarding disputes relating to a contract for a cement works
Tanzania
Have acted for contractor in a negotiation of a contract for grain silos and advised on subsequent disputes
Trinidad
Have acted for developer/contractor in regard to negotiations for school projects
Tunisia
Have acted for contractor relating to construction of a Media Complex in Tunis and advising on related claims where the documentation was in French
Turkey
Have acted for contractor in regard to some of the initial documentation for the first Bosphorus bridge
United Arab Emirates
Have acted for contractor in the negotiation of a contract for major hotel project
Have acted for contractor in the negotiation of a contract for a commercial development
Have acted for dredging contractor in regard to contracts for major port projects
United Kingdom
Have acted for developer in regard to numerous residential and housing projects throughout London and the south of England
Have acted for developer in regard to hotel and leisure developments in the south of England
Have acted for developer/contractor in regard to residential apartment and housing projects under contracts for local authorities
Have acted for developer in regard to the construction of an oil refinery in the East of England
Have acted for Developer Housing Association in regard to construction and refurbishment projects in London
Uganda
Have acted for developer/contractor in regard to a hotel project in Kampala
