Overview Expertise Related Insights, Events & Cases
Omar Eljadi specialises in contractual and professional negligence disputes within the construction, engineering, and energy sectors.
He has acted for a wide range of clients based in the UK and internationally, including employers (state and private), contractors, and various types of professional. Omar’s work frequently has an international dimension. He has experience of disputes concerning projects in Africa, the Middle East (including Dubai, Oman, Turkey and Jordan), east Asia and Australia.
In addition to his advocacy, drafting and advisory work, Omar provides hands-on assistance from an early stage in a dispute, including during the pre-action process, disclosure, the preparation of factual and expert evidence, and interim applications or case management conferences.
From 2018 to 2021, Omar acted as junior counsel to the largest group of bereaved families, survivors and former residents in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. In March 2022, he appeared on behalf of the successful appellant in the UK Supreme Court in AIC Ltd v Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.
He was named ‘Construction Junior of the Year’ at the Chambers UK Bar Awards in 2022 and is a recommended as a leading junior in the most recent editions of Chambers and Partners (Construction) and The Legal 500 (Construction and Professional Negligence).
Omar has a particular interest in disputes arising out of energy and natural resources infrastructure projects, both foreign and domestic. His experience spans oil and gas projects, and a wide range of renewable resources projects, including wind farms, hydroelectric dams, water pipelines and various process plants. He is also instructed in disputes arising out of commercial energy supply agreements.
Oil, Gas and Natural Resources
Renewable Energy
Energy Supply Disputes
Omar is listed as a leading junior for professional negligence, with sources describing him as “incredibly logical and clear headed” and praising his ability to “sift out and distil things with an attractive brevity” (The Legal 500). He specialises in claims against construction professionals, including architects, engineers and surveyors, but also has experience of claims against accountants and solicitors. He is familiar with the particular issues arising out of multi-party disputes.
Construction Professionals
Other Professionals
Omar has been instructed in a number of disputes arising out of long-term PFI contracts, particularly in the context of household waste. He is familiar with the issues that frequently arise, such as disputes concerning the interpretation of payment provisions and disputes over the achievement of performance criteria and the application of regimes for performance penalties. Examples of previous cases include:
Omar has experience of the full spectrum of construction and engineering disputes, ranging from minor residential building works to commercial premises and larger, more complex, infrastructure projects. He is familiar with the major standard forms of construction contract, including the JCT, NEC3 and FIDIC suites, and the various issues that frequently arise on projects, including payment disputes, delay and disruption, and defective design or workmanship.
Omar has particular experience of claims arising from fire safety defects, including claims relating to cladding and fire stopping. In addition to his work on the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, he has advised and acts for clients in relation to civil claims arising from such defects.
Adjudication
Omar assists throughout adjudications, drafting submissions and assisting with the preparation of evidence. He is often instructed as sole counsel on payment and notice disputes, as well as final account and defects claims. He acts as part of a larger counsel team in very high-value or complex disputes. By way of example, Omar has acted:
Omar also has experience of High Court proceedings related to adjudication, including the summary judgment and Part 8 procedures:
Arbitration
A significant proportion of Omar’s practice concerns arbitration, both domestic and international. He recently acted as assistant to the tribunal in a SIAC arbitration (see Energy and Natural Resources, above). Examples of his work in this area are:
Litigation
Omar has advised and acted at all stages of the litigation process. Examples of his construction litigation work include:
Before joining Atkin Chambers, Omar undertook pupillage at another leading commercial set, where he gained experience of a wide range of commercial practice areas, including banking and finance disputes, professional negligence claims, and cases raising choice of law or jurisdictional issues. Omar continues to take instructions in commercial disputes more generally.
AIC Ltd v The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria [2022] UKSC 16; [2022] 1 WLR 3223
(1) Christopher Linnett Ltd (2) Christopher Linnett v Matthew Harding (t/a M J Harding Contractors) [2017] EWHC 1781 (TCC)
Goldsworthy and others (t/a Goldsworthy Builders) v Harrison and another [2016] EWHC 1589 (TCC); 167 Con. L.R. 216
West African Gas Pipeline Company Ltd v Willbros Global Holdings Inc. [2012] EWHC 396 (TCC); 141 Con. L.R. 151
Witney Town Council v Beam Construction (Cheltenham) Ltd [2011] EWHC 2332 (TCC); [2011] BLR 707; [2011] TCLR 8; 139 Con. L.R. 1
Omar is a member of TECBAR, COMBAR and the SCL.
“Omar Eljadi is excellently prepared and his advocacy is delivered with passion and steel.”
“Omar is always available; his response times are brilliant.”
“Omar is incredibly helpful and very user-friendly.”
Construction, Chambers UK Bar 2025
“A superb junior in the construction field. He is deeply knowledgeable with a calm, effective advocacy that suggests a maturity beyond his years and a great future.”
Construction, The Legal 500 2025
“Omar’s strengths include his deep expertise in construction matters, impressive fact-finding skills and strong attention to details. He has distinguished experience in handling construction disputes.”
International Arbitration, The Legal 500 2025
“Omar is easy to work with and responsive to those instructing him. He is patient and conscientious in his work.”
Professional Negligence, The Legal 500 2025
“Omar demonstrates excellent drafting skills and an astute understanding and assimilation of complex technical information. Highly recommended.”
Construction, The Legal 500 2024
“Constructive approach and clear advice.”
Professional Negligence, The Legal 500 2024
“Omar Eljadi has excellent drafting skills.”
“Omar is exceptionally strong; he knows the law brilliantly. He’s an excellent researcher and is wonderful at navigating legal complexities.”
Construction, Chambers UK Bar 2024
“His client service is excellent and he is very hard-working and intelligent, and a pleasure to deal with.”
“He’s very methodical, well prepared and clear in his thinking when preparing for hearings, and he’s also capable of reacting to issues and changes.”
“Omar is all over the detail.”
Construction, Chambers UK Bar 2023
“Omar is on top of the detail. He has vast and distinguished experience in construction cases.”
Construction, The Legal 500 2023
“Omar is on top of the detail. He is clearly over the details and has his own voice.”
Professional Negligence, The Legal 500 2023
“He is dedicated and has a vision of how to handle the issues and the strategy.”
Construction, Chambers UK Bar 2022
“He contributes deep knowledge and expertise in construction arbitration and that is always portrayed in his work.”
Construction, The Legal 500 2022
“Omar is thorough and gets on top of his area. Excellent written work.”
Professional Negligence, The Legal 500 2022
“He understands the aspects of a case, he is very reliable and provides deep analysis of the pertinent issues.” “He is able to plead the most complex cases in a clear and concise manner, which wins over clients and tribunals.”
Construction, Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2021
“Omar has great expertise and depth of knowledge regarding construction disputes. His work is organised, clear and concise.”
Construction, The Legal 500 2021
“He is incredibly logical and clear headed. He can sift out and distil things with an attractive brevity.”
Professional Negligence, The Legal 500 2021
“The most impressive junior I have worked with for a long while, with an exceptional grasp of the law and technical issues.”
Construction, Chambers UK Bar 2020
“A future superstar of the construction Bar”
Construction, The Legal 500 2020
“A quiet power station that provides consistent solid advice.”’
Professional Negligence, The Legal 500 2020
Omar takes instructions as an adjudicator in construction disputes. He is a TECBAR accredited adjudicator and a CEDR Construction Adjudication Panel Member.
Omar frequently delivers talks and seminars on topics of current interest or significance. Topics have included: negligent cost estimates, latent defects, termination under FIDIC contracts, time at large, and causation in delay claims.
This webinar covers some of the key lessons from the Phase 2 report published by…
Atkin Chambers is delighted to have received 19 nominations for this year’s The Legal 500…
Jennifer Jones KC and Omar Eljadi will be speaking at The Society of Construction Law’s…
Atkin Chambers has been recognised as a Tier 1 set for Construction by The Legal…
For more information please contact our clerks on
+44 (0)20 7404 0102 or clerks@atkinchambers.com
