25 Feb 2021: Looking back at the Year of the Rat: Top 5 Construction Cases from Around the World
Events
Andrew Goddard QC, Samar Abbas Kazmi and Lauren Adams will present to the Society of Construction Law Hong Kong on […]
“A superb advocate, commercially minded and prodigiously hard-working. He brings commercial insight to any case and is a pleasure to work with.”
The Legal 500
Samar Abbas Kazmi specialises in commercial, construction and technology disputes. Samar has a broad domestic practice as well as being particularly well-respected internationally where he has developed an excellent international arbitration practice.
He has been involved in disputes concerning parties in the Middle East, Asia-Pacific and the Caribbean, and has particular expertise in technically complex matters concerning large developments and infrastructure projects, energy and cross-border litigation. As an advocate, he has experience of handling disputes arising from joint ventures, long-term commercial relationships and infrastructure projects.
Samar is an Honorary Associate Professor at the Bartlett School of Construction & Project Management, University College London, where he teaches contract administration and law.
He is one of only three juniors spotlighted in Chambers Asia-Pacific (International Arbitration – The Bar) in which he is described as “a formidable junior, a must-watch-out-for and soon-to-be star in this region”. In Chambers UK Bar he is described as “a very talented and promising junior for international arbitration” and The Legal 500 notes that Samar is “a superb advocate, commercially minded and prodigiously hard-working. He brings commercial insight to any case and is a pleasure to work with.”
International arbitration constitutes a sizeable proportion of Samar’s practice, along with litigation concerning arbitration. He has experience of both ad-hoc and institutional arbitrations, in particular those conducted by ICC, LCIA, HKIAC, SIAC, LMAA, JCAA and JAMS. A significant portion of his arbitration practice touches upon construction and infrastructure disputes, and he writes frequently on the subject. He also has experience of providing independent advice for funders as part of their due diligence as well as of providing expert opinions on English law in relation to arbitration proceedings.
Examples of recent work include:
Samar has experience of a wide range of construction and engineering disputes, ranging from residential buildings to commercial premises and infrastructure projects. He is familiar with the major standard forms of construction contract and, alongside his international arbitration practice, has experience of adjudication, domestic arbitration and TCC litigation. He is also an Honorary Associate Professor at the Bartlett School of Construction & Project Management, University College London, where he teaches contract administration and law.
In addition to experience which has been listed above under “International Arbitration”, examples of construction & engineering work include:
Samar advises and represents governments, energy companies and international engineering contractors in disputes concerning natural resources and power generation. He has experience of both upstream and downstream disputes, as well as of disputes arising out of onshore and offshore projects in Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East and South America. Examples of his work include:
Samar has a broad commercial practice, with a particular focus on cross-border disputes and private international law. His work encompasses civil fraud, energy (including oil & gas disputes), insurance contracts and professional negligence. In addition to his substantial international arbitration practice, he appears regularly in the High Court (Commercial Court and the Chancery Division) both by himself and as junior counsel. As a sole advocate, he appears most frequently in jurisdictional and enforcement disputes (including those as to the validity of arbitration agreements), and applications for interim relief such as freezing and search orders. He has particular familiarity with the telecommunications, IT and pharmaceuticals sectors and in issues involving complex quantitative analysis.
Examples of work include:
LCIA Young International Arbitration Group
ICC Young Arbitrators Forum
International Bar Association
ICCA
TECBAR
COMBAR
Society of Construction Law
Yale University, BA, Economics & Political Science (Distinction, Pi Sigma Alpha)
BPP Law School, GDL (Distinction)
City University, BPTC (VC)
In addition to his previous work as a management consultant, Samar has worked on a judicial reform project funded by the Asian Development Bank and was an active participant in the judicial independence movement in Pakistan. He has written on the subject in numerous newspaper, magazine and journal articles in the UK, USA and Pakistan.
Arbitration chapter of Wilmot-Smith on Construction Contracts, 3rd Edition (OUP, 2014) and 4th Edition (OUP, upcoming May 2021).
“Agreements to Arbitrate Disputes in Construction Contracts” (with Paul Darling QC). The Guide to Construction Arbitration, 3rd Edition (Global Arbitration Review 2019).
“English Anti-Suit Injunctions in Support of Arbitration” (with David Hopkins). Dispute Resolution International (Vol 13, October 2019).
“Good Faith Duties in Construction Contracts: An Overview” (with Adrian Hughes QC). Singapore Journal of Construction Law (Vol 2, 2018).
“Issue Estoppel in enforcement of New York Convention Awards” (upcoming, May 2021).
Editor of the UK chapter of Projects and Construction Law Review, 5th Edition.
“Banking and Bills of Exchange”. Atkin’s Court Reforms. (Vol 6(1), 2018).
Co-author of Shackleton on the Law and Practice of Meetings 14th Edition (2017).
“Effective, efficient, and well-prepared, like a well-oiled machine.”
Construction, Energy and Infrastructure, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2021
“A formidable junior, a must-watch-out-for and soon-to-be star in this region… “incredibly strong work product,” including written submissions of “breathtaking quality.””
International Arbitration, Chambers & Partners Asia-Pacific 2021
“A very talented and promising junior for international arbitration”
International Arbitration, Chambers & Partners UK 2021
“…has an excellent grasp of what his instructing solicitors require. He is a good listener and excellent drafter”
Construction, Chambers & Partners UK 2021
“A superb advocate, commercially minded and prodigiously hard-working.”
The Legal 500 2021
“He is truly exceptional and hardworking beyond belief.”
The Legal 500 2020
“Extremely diligent and a producer of high-quality work, he has a very international practice.”
The Legal 500 2019
“Solicitors call him ‘the machine’: he is that hardworking.”
The Legal 500 2018
“Extremely smart, commercial and a pleasure to work with.”
The Legal 500 2017
“Pays attention to details” and “extremely prompt in his responses”
The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2016