Market Report: Construction – Building a case

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Market Report: Construction – Building a case

Despite efforts to minimise the level of construction disputes, adjudication, litigation and arbitration are all flourishing. Dominic Carman reports

While there are many relevant statutes and a significant body of case law, construction disputes benefit from having a single overarching piece of legislation: the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, commonly known as the Construction Act. In some recent decisions, judges have increasingly endeavoured to broaden the ambit of the act, which was last amended in 2011, to capture a wider range of construction activities as the sector continues to recover from a turbulent political period. Continue reading “Market Report: Construction – Building a case”

Market Report: Intellectual Property – A delicate balance

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Market Report: Intellectual Property – A delicate balance

With global hubs fighting to attract big-ticket IP disputes, the London courts are facing a tougher challenge than they are used to. Dominic Carman reports

IP litigation continued apace in 2019 with a multiplicity of disputes. ‘Unlike everything else in relation to Brexit, certainly in the life sciences space and in patent litigation, things carried on pretty much as normal and we had quite a lot of cases,’ says Charlotte Weekes (pictured), contentious IP partner at Pinsent Masons. ‘People talk about some jurisdictions being pro-patentee or pro-challenger: the UK courts seem fairly well balanced.’ Continue reading “Market Report: Intellectual Property – A delicate balance”

Disputes perspectives: Geraldine Elliott

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Disputes perspectives: Geraldine Elliott

I wanted a professional career. My father was a doctor but very keen I didn’t do medicine. I had a scientific background and law is a very analytical process. I’d watched a few television programmes about criminal lawyers.

Law was the right career for me. The life of doctors is very tough and there’s effectively one employer, whereas in law it’s easier for you to create a career because it’s constantly changing and there’s always something that can grab your interest. New people coming onto the market and changes in the competition make a massive difference. Continue reading “Disputes perspectives: Geraldine Elliott”

Disputes perspectives: Paula Hodges QC

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Disputes perspectives: Paula Hodges QC

Becoming a lawyer was suggested to me by other people. I was about 15, and doing a lot of debating and public speaking in school. People started saying to me: ‘You should think about becoming a lawyer.’ The school was supportive, and sent me to conferences and such.

It was also because of watching TV. A lot of people say Crown Court, but I liked the American ones. The media attraction got me thinking about the advocacy side. Continue reading “Disputes perspectives: Paula Hodges QC”

Disputes perspectives: Constantine Partasides QC

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Disputes perspectives: Constantine Partasides QC

Modern history was my undergrad. History has always been my passion. I had a sense I’d be a lawyer, but I thought I’d be spending enough of life studying and practising law so I decided to do something else. The MPhil in International Relations was really a continuation of the history because my history was mostly political history.

You bring a personal perspective to the law. The law is a discipline that benefits from other academic pursuits. The ability to tell a story is central to history and also part of pleading a case in law. Being able to weave together facts in a coherent manner is part of what we do as arbitration lawyers. Continue reading “Disputes perspectives: Constantine Partasides QC”