Arthur Graham-Dixon

Call 2017

"Hardworking, clear in his advice and good on detail."

A client

Arthur Graham-Dixon joined Atkin Chambers in 2019 following the successful completion of his pupillage. He is developing a broad practice and continues to gain experience in all specialist areas of Chambers’ work including construction, engineering and infrastructure, energy, information technology, and professional negligence. In addition to these specialist areas, Arthur’s work as a pupil covered a wide range of general commercial disputes, including fraud, insurance, conflicts of law, jurisdiction, and bonds.

During pupillage, Arthur has gained experience at all stages of litigation, adjudication, and arbitration. His work has involved bespoke and standard form contracts including JCT, NEC and ACE forms.

Arthur came directly to the Bar after finishing his undergraduate degree at the University of Oxford (a double first in Classics). During his law conversion, through the School Exclusion Project he represented the parents of an excluded child across three hearings, eventually in the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (part of the First Tier Tribunal). He was a finalist in City University’s GDL Moot, appearing before Lord Mance in the Supreme Court for the moot and represented City University in the Vis Moot, the leading international arbitration moot, in Vienna. Drawing on that advocacy experience, Arthur has recently appeared as sole counsel in the Technology and Construction Court in a complex adjudication enforcement action (see judgment here).

CONSTRUCTION, ENGINEERING AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Recently drafted Defence and Counterclaim together with RFI in a defects dispute between residential homeowner and contractor.
Recently advised on contractual termination and claims for delayed completion under an agreement for sale of a property.
Recently advised on a payment dispute between residential homeowner and contractor.
In a matter concerning responsibility for a design flaw, drafted advice, Particulars of Claim and Letter before Claim in preparation for issuing protective proceedings.
Drafted advice on the construction of a contract for the operation and maintenance of an energy facility with a view to Part 8 proceedings.
Assisted drafting of skeleton arguments for successful defendant to s. 45 Arbitration Act claim arising out of a shipbuilding arbitration dispute: Goodwood Investment Holdings v Thyssenkrupp [2018] EWHC 1056 (Comm).
Drafted Defence in dispute concerning final account and adjudication.
Assisted drafting Reply in heavy arbitration concerning delays in the construction of a rig.
Drafted advice on scope of a compromise agreement concerning extension of time.
Drafted advice on applicability of a re-payment clause in a PFI contract.
Drafted skeletons for initial CMCs in two claims both involving allegations of defective construction necessitating extensive remedial work.
Drafted advice on limitation relating to cladding defects.
Drafted note on proper construction of a state-investor concession agreement concerning offshore construction.
Drafted note on transfer of proceedings and suitability of issues for early disposal by way of summary judgment or preliminary issue trial.

ENERGY AND UTILITIES

Drafted Defence in a matter concerning a large contract for the design and build of an FPSO, involving complex interpretive and technical expert issues.
Drafted advice in a dispute concerning a lease granted for the purpose of developing a biomass plant.
(Insurance-related) Drafted advice in a dispute under a judicial review policy, involving challenges to windfarm developments.

PROFESSIONAL NEGLIGENCE

Providing ongoing advice on a professional negligence claim to do with an architect’s supervisory work.
Drafted advice on negligent design involving issues of limitation and applicable law.
Reply and Defence to Counterclaim Submissions on behalf of shipowners seeking damages against carriers for stevedores’ negligent operation of a crane.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Drafted advices on effect of termination provisions in lengthy IT services contract.
Assisted drafting Defence involving sale of software and allegations of negligent and fraudulent misrepresentation.

ADJUDICATION

Acted as sole counsel in the Technology and Construction Court in a complex adjudication enforcement action involving a Company Voluntary Arrangement. Indigo Projects London Ltd v Razin & Anor [2019] EWHC 1205 (TCC)
Instructed in the preparation of a Response, witness statements, and expert reports in a factually complex and heavy adjudication claim worth around half a million pounds.
Preliminary drafting of skeleton arguments in two other adjudication enforcement claims, one for successful defendant, one for successful claimant, as well as advices in each matter.
Preliminary drafting of skeleton argument for Part 8 hearing concerning jurisdictional issues, for successful respondent.

GENERAL COMMERCIAL

Instructed to provide an advice on the effect of the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998.
Drafted parts of closing submissions in heavy commercial fraud trial, covering rules of attribution and vicarious liability in the context of fraud.
Drafted Amendment to Statement of Defence and Counterclaim in an arbitration concerning fraudulent misrepresentation in the sale of a company.
Drafted Statement of Defence and advice in a sale of goods arbitration concerning port delays and competing cross-claims of repudiation.
Drafted advice in relation to jurisdiction, applying Marzillier [2018] AC 439.
Drafted advice as to the merits of an employer’s claim under a bond after contractor entered administration.

INSURANCE

Drafted advice on governing law in an arbitration concerning insurance of foreign credit risks.
Drafted advice on coverage dispute concerning timing of damage to a vessel.
See further above under Construction, Engineering and Infrastructure, as well as Energy, for insurance-related work in those areas.

QUALIFICATIONS AND AWARDS

2016-2017	BPTC, City Law School
2016-2017	Lord Mansfield Scholar, Lincoln’s Inn Hardwicke Scholar, Lincoln’s Inn BPTC Scholarship, City Law School
2015-2016	GDL, City Law School Contract Law researched coursework prize, City Law School (essay on penalty clauses)
2011-2015	BA in Classics (Literae Humaniores 1A), University of Oxford, Double First (7th in university) Hugh Oldham Scholar, Corpus Christi, Oxford Three Isaiah Berlin prizes, Corpus Christi, Oxford