5 March 2021: UKA Edinburgh Adjudication & Arbitration Conference
Events
Her Honour Frances Kirkham CBE and Nicholas Baatz QC will join the speaker line up at this year’s UKA Edinburgh […]
“a first-class silk who delivers thoughtful and strategically relevant advice”
Chambers and Partners
Nicholas Baatz QC has extensive experience of commercial disputes in the infrastructure, technology, energy and professional negligence sectors. Recognised for many years by the legal directories as a leader in the fields of construction, information technology and professional negligence, clients comment he is “an excellent lawyer with absolutely brilliant client skills”, “very clever and well respected” and “a go-to person for super technical legal disputes”.
Nicholas acts in all forms of alternative dispute resolution, including as an adjudicator, mediator, arbitrator, early neutral evaluator and as an expert determiner.
He has been described as “ridiculously knowledgeable”, as having “a superb ability to grasp the technical and legal complexities of a case” and as “a creative thinker and a big thinker who is not afraid to approach things from left field”. He has been committed to quick and cost-effective private alternatives to litigation for many years and has been a qualified mediator since 2003.
Nicholas has acted in numerous cases involving UK or foreign laws in relation to disputes arising out of complex projects all over the world. He has acted for many overseas clients, including German, Italian, French, Spanish, Swiss, US, Canadian, Chinese, Kenyan, Japanese clients as well as multinational joint ventures.
Nicholas has made determinations and awards under the auspices of the ICC, DIAC, CIArb, I Chem E and RICS including:
Nicholas has extensive experience of acting for parties in adjudications and experience as an adjudicator. Significant adjudication decisions issued include:
Nicholas has provided various evaluations. Significant instances include:
Nicholas has extensive experience of legal and practical problems arising out of contracts of all kinds including bespoke contracts and the principal standard form engineering and building contracts, FIDIC (Red, Yellow, Silver, White and Gold), ICE, I Mech. E, I Chem. E, JCT, including Contractor’s Design conditions, NEC 3, RIBA, ACE and Government forms of contract.
As counsel Nicholas Baatz QC has acted for employers, developers, national and international contractors, sub-contractors, consultants, and local and national governments.
Nicholas has experience of many other disputes on behalf of commercial, charitable and local government bodies in disputes concerning educational facilities, hospitals, housing estates and leisure facilities.
Nicholas Baatz QC has an excellent reputation for work he has undertaken in the IT and telecommunications field in disputes involving employers, suppliers, manufacturers and contractors in relation to telecommunication systems; computer software and hardware systems including microchip quality disputes, plant and machine tool control systems; bespoke software source code design and implementation for various applications including for relational database management systems.
Nicholas Baatz QC has wide experience of domestic and international disputes arising out of oil and gas exploration and exploitation, and the design and construction of power plants. Examples include:
Other cases have included; a dispute concerning the robustness of condenser tubing in a steam turbine power generation station; a dispute concerning the design and construction of super heaters and water chemistry and Taking Over and Acceptance issues; a dispute about the promised fuel efficiency of a combined heat and power plant; a dispute arising out of the refit of a drilling rig; a dispute about the fabrication of key components of a hydraulic jacking system for an offshore accommodation vessel in the Irish Sea; a dispute about the metallurgy of weld testing used in the construction of an oil rig for use in the North Sea; claims concerning an alleged discrepancy between the designed and actual efficiency of the process for the generation of electrical energy from the combustion of waste tyres; and claims concerning an Energy Recovery Facility (household waste to energy).
Nicholas has experience of numerous disputes concerned with industrial processes including steelworks, and the processing of foods and materials such as paint and chemicals (for pharmaceutical and other uses).
MASS TRANSIT
Nicholas extensive has experience of disputes arising from road, mass transit rail, bridge and tunnel projects, and other infrastructures including ports.
Nicholas Baatz QC has wide experience in the professional negligence field in connection with disputes involving claimants, defendants and their indemnity insurers in relation to claims brought against a range of professionals.
Nicholas Baatz QC has experience of numerous disputes concerned with general commercial issues such as the interpretation of commercial contracts, bonds, guarantees, collateral warranties and assignments. This experience includes:
Nicholas Baatz QC is an accredited TECBAR adjudicator, mediator and dispute resolution board member.
Fellow of the Society for Advanced Legal Studies London
Fellow Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb) 2009-2015
M.A. (Jurisprudence) and Bachelor of Civil Law, Oxford University
Nicholas Baatz QC has written and presented numerous papers including for the UK Ministry of Justice, UK and Hong Kong Societies of Construction Law, the Journal of the Society for Computers and the Construction Law Summer School, Cambridge and others.
“What are indemnity clauses for?”, Building Magazine, March 2018.
“Who gets the money?” when a main contractor goes into liquidation, Building Magazine, Jan 2018.
“Indemnities in Construction and Infrastructure Contracts following Arnold v Britton and Wood v Capita”, July 2017;
“Brexit means ………..Arbitrate not Litigate?” Building Magazine, December 2016.
“Factual: and “Legal” Causation in Construction and Infrastructure Law: A Thorny Subject. Society of Construction Law, London, November 2016.
Nicholas is a past editor of the Building Law Reports, the Technology and Construction Law Reports and Current Law. He was a contributing Editor to Hudson’s Building and Engineering Contracts (12th Edition)
“Very clever and well respected.”
Information Technology, Chambers UK Bar 2021
“A go-to person for super technical legal disputes.”
Construction, Chambers UK Bar 2021
“A creative thinker and a big thinker who is not afraid to approach things from left field.”
Professional Negligence, Chambers UK Bar 2021
“My go-to QC when facing awkwardly drafted contracts or a factually complex dispute…. Nick has a superb ability to grasp the technical and legal complexities of a case.”
IT and Telecoms, The Legal 500 2021
“Exceptional lawyer, easy to work with ……”
Professional Negligence, The Legal 500 2021
“Very approachable and is an excellent team player who communicates well at all levels.”
Construction, The Legal 500 2021
“He can master extremely complex issues easily….”
Energy, The Legal 500 2021
“A first-rate lawyer…….” “He is stellar. He’s ridiculously knowledgeable and able to grasp a lot of factual information and produce advice that is to the point.”
Construction, Chambers UK Bar 2020
“He’s extremely imaginative, very strong on the law, very determined and tireless in terms of pursuing points.”
Professional Negligence, Chambers UK Bar 2020
“Really impressive on his feet.”
Information Technology, Chambers UK Bar 2020
“Grasps complex, technical issues quickly.”
Construction, The Legal 500 2020
“He is particularly good on the details of a case and gets to the bottom of the issues.”, Construction, Professional Negligence, Chambers UK Bar 2019
“He has a massive command of all the detail, and clients find him very calm and reassuring.”, Information Technology, Chambers UK Bar 2019
“He formulates imaginative legal solutions…………”,
Construction, The Legal 500 2019
“An extremely talented silk; he formulates imaginative legal solutions……………”,
IT and Telecoms, The Legal 500 2019
“An extremely talented silk.”
Professional Negligence, The Legal 500 2019
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.