New appointments to the ADGM Arbitration Centre’s Panel of Arbitrators
News
Atkin Chambers is delighted to announce that Jonathan Acton Davis QC, Martin Bowdery QC and Professor Janet Walker CM have […]
19th Jan 2022
"Has a calm and reassuring manner with clients and skillfully weaves a trap for witnesses with his thorough and deadly cross-examination."
Chambers and Partners
Jonathan specialises in domestic and international litigation and arbitration in the construction, civil engineering including geotechnical issues and energy sectors, and all related technical disputes. Throughout his career, he has handled many high-profile cases representing governments (British and overseas), contractors, and their professional advisers all over the world.
He regularly appears as counsel in English High Court litigation and arbitration, both domestic and international. He also acts as arbitrator, adjudicator and mediator, and in expert determination.
Internationally he has conducted ad hoc, ICC and UNCITRAL arbitrations in Asia-Pacific (Singapore), The Middle East (Dubai, Oman), Central Asia (Kazakhstan), the Caribbean and Europe (Paris, Brussels, Sweden, Switzerland and London) in relation to disputes arising out of projects in Europe, Africa, India, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Central and South-East Asia.
In addition to this, between 2005 and 2010 he advised and acted for the British government in a number of mediations and trials for DEFRA against contractors arising out of the foot and mouth outbreak and other epidemics. In 2009 he was appointed as Lead Counsel to the Al-Sweady inquiry, the public inquiry called to investigate allegations relating to the unlawful killing and mistreatment of Iraqi detainees by British soldiers at UK bases in 2004. Jonathan was appointed as a deputy high court judge in 2008 and sits regularly in the Technology and Construction Courts.
Jonathan has been recognised for many years as a leader in the field of construction law, including in the most recent editions of the legal directories, Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500.
Throughout his career Jonathan has dealt with the whole range of issues arising in the field including the interpretation of Standard Forms of Contract such as JCT, NEC, FIDIC and ICE, contractors’ claims for loss and expense, defects claims, residential and commercial buildings, housing estates, motorway widening schemes, road construction, town and city redevelopments, bottling plants, shoreline breakwaters, the construction of manufacturing and process plant, mining, the causes and effect of fire, landslips and building collapses, and local authority and central government work.
Jonathan has broad experience of both domestic and international disputes in relation to gas and oil pipelines, power stations and oilrigs. Case examples include:
He has represented, among others, governments and contractors on disputes arising from road and rail projects and infrastructures. Case examples include:
In addition to the specialised areas above, Jonathan is regularly instructed on general commercial disputes. Case examples include:
Jonathan has a great deal of experience in the professional negligence field, acting for claimants, defendants and their indemnity insurers in relation to claims brought against a wide range of professionals to include auditors, valuers, solicitors and construction professionals. He has worked on many high-profile cases including the landmark case Watts v Morrow [1991] WLR 1421 on measure of damages in surveyors’ negligence disputes.
He has advised on a professional negligence action in the Royal Court, Samedi Division, Jersey. The claim concerned liability for refurbishment works which had overrun in time and cost.
From November 2009 he was appointed as Leading Counsel to the Al-Sweady Inquiry (Chairman Sir Thayne Forbes) which was charged by the Secretary of State to investigate and report on allegations of murder and brutality by the British Army of Iraqi Nationals following an ambush on 14th May 2004.
Considerable research and investigation had to be done into what was alleged to have occurred. The hearings lasted just over one year: a total of 282 witnesses were called. The Report was published on 17 December 2014.
2021 ADGM Arbitration Centre’s Panel of Arbitrators
2020 Accredited TECBAR adjudicator, arbitrator, and DRB member
2008-date Deputy High Court Judge
2004-2008 Member, Legal Services Consultative Panel
2001-2002 Chairman, Bar Council Professional Conduct and Complaints Committee (previously Vice Chairman)
2000 Recorder, authorised to sit in civil and criminal matters
1997 Assistant Recorder
1995 Bencher of Inner Temple
Petroleum Co of Trinidad and Tobago Ltd v Samsung Engineering Trinidad Co Ltd [2017] EWHC 3055 (TCC)
Cofely Ltd b Bingham and Knowles Ltd [2016] BLR 187
Savoye And Savoye Ltd v Spicers Ltd [2015] EWHC 33 (TCC).
Lovell Partnerships Ltd & Anor v Merton Priory Homes [2014] EWHC 1615 (TCC) [2014] BLR 541.
Transport for Greater Manchester v Thales Transport & Security Ltd [2012] EWHC 3717 (TCC).
Dubai Islamic Bank v PSI Energy Holding and others [2011] EWHC 2718 (Comm)
States of Guernsey v Jacobs UK Ltd [2011] EWHC 918 (TCC).
Gold Group Properties Ltd v BDW Trading Ltd (formerly Barratt Homes Ltd) [2010] EWHC 1632 (TCC) and [2010] EWHC 323 (TCC)
Ruttle Plant v DEFRA [2010] 1 All ER (Comm) 444, [2009] 1 All ER 448 and [2008] 2 All ER (Comm) 264
Farm Assist v DEFRA [2009] BLR 399
Cumbria Waste Management v Lakeland Waste Management [2008] BLR 330
Balfour Beatty v London Borough of Lambeth [2002] BLR 288
Groundshire v VHE Construction [2001] BLR 395
Mitsui Babcock v John Brown Engineering [1996] 51 Con. LR 129
Galoo Ltd v Bright Grahame Murray [1994] 1WLR 1360
Watts v Morrow [1991] 1 WLR 1421
Ascon Contracting v McAlpine (rep in the Construction Industry Law Letter)
Jonathan is a member of TECBAR, COMBAR, LCLCBA and PNBA.
He has a good working knowledge of French.
“Jonathan is very calm and has a very sophisticated way of operating and cross-examining: he’s much more subtle and he’s a very smooth operator.”
“He’s the fastest to react to any unexpected developments and he’s the voice of reason when the tribunal is confused.”
“He gives excellent, commercially sensitive advice.”
Construction, Chambers UK Bar 2023
“Jonathan is very commercially minded and has great instincts.”
Construction, The Legal 500 2023
“He is so experienced as a construction barrister who has seen everything. He’s a confident and reliable advocate.”
Construction, Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2022
“He is immensely charming, which he uses to great effect on his feet. He’s done it all before, which gives clients enormous confidence in him.”
Construction, The Legal 500 2022
“A very good advocate. He’s very smooth and urbane when dealing with tribunals, and has an understanding of what will sway them.” “He has a voice like velvet, a fantastic demeanour and is very adept at judging a tribunal and persuading them with effective cross-examination.”
Construction, Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2021
“Jonathan is as smooth as silk and backs it up with perfect manners covering a steel core”
Construction, The Legal 500 2021
“A great courtroom tactician and advocate.” “Excellent, calm and controlled but deadly in cross- examination. He is a reassuring presence to have on one’s side.”
“Gives strong, robust advice.”
Construction, Chambers & Partners UK Bar and Global 2020
“Calm, authoritative and incisive.”
Construction, The Legal 500 2020
The above are a selection of recent client endorsements from the leading legal directories, both UK and internationally. For a complete list of endorsements, please contact the practice management team at Atkin Chambers.