Pre-eminent construction advocates, arbitrators, adjudicators, mediators and neutrals
3PB’s specialist construction barristers and expert adjudicators provide advice and dispute resolution across all aspects of domestic and international construction law and engineering. Our team includes the highest number of specialist FIDIC Adjudicators anywhere in the world.
Unlike many barristers’ chambers, a significant proportion of our construction barristers are qualified in a construction profession in which they have previously practiced and have real understanding of delivering construction and engineering projects. Through their extensive exposure to court practice in the early stages of their careers, our barristers develop advocacy excellence from first hand experience of dealing with construction disputes. Many of the team are Chartered Arbitrators or Chartered Surveyors and are frequently appointed for arbitration, mediation, adjudication or early neutral evaluation.
Our barristers act on behalf of professionals, employers, contractors, sub-contractors, insurers and central and local government, on disputes arising out of:
- Building and engineering projects
- Adjudication under the HGCRA 1996
- Enforcement of Adjudicator’s decisions in the Technology and Construction Court (TCC)
- Power engineering and power station projects
- Industrial processes and production lines
- Professional negligence - such as cases involving architects, surveyors and engineers
- Commercial disputes involving complex technical issues when delivering live projects and settling final accounts.
3PB is a specialist construction law chambers and has maintained and grown its team of construction specialists advising clients, and representing them in legal proceedings, as advocates since the 1970s. In that time chambers has covered practically everything from the provision of legal advice, to negotiating and drafting contracts and documents in this field. As part of a multi disciplinary chambers we appreciate the linkage and interface with the planning, property and finance aspects of construction and engineering projects.
As neutrals – individuals who function specifically to aid parties in resolving a dispute or controversy - our members are renowned for their expertise. This work includes acting as arbitrators, adjudicators, mediators, expert legal witnesses and sitting on expert review boards as well as carrying out early neutral evaluation.
Legal 500 notes that "3PB’s group is adept at handling a broad range of construction, planning and environmental matters. Recent work includes construction-related disputes and village green applications and appeals.” 3PB is described as “a reliable and extremely well-organised chambers,” with 3PB’s Construction group having “a repertoire of barristers who are well versed in their chosen practice area and promptly turn around exceptional work.”
With offices in London, Birmingham, Bristol, Bournemouth, Oxford and Winchester all equipped with modern conferencing and video link facilities, our barristers our used to working nationally and internationally.
The group's practice management team can be contacted by email here.
Our Construction and engineering Barristers...
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3PB Barristers’ (3 Paper Buildings) Paul Newman has been included in the 2025 edition of “The Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom” list for Construction Law, as published by bestlawyers.com. The Best Lawyers list is collated though a peer-review survey and recognises lawyers in 150 practice areas across 76 countries. Paul Newman is a specialist construction law barrister, mediator, and accredited construction industry adjudicator. Paul is called to both the Bar of England & Wales...
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3PB ( 3 Paper Buildings) specialist construction barrister, mediator and ADR specialist Paul Newman is guest speaker at the Wales Branch of the CIArb meeting on 27 June 2024 being held at the Cardiff office of law firm Blake Morgan LLP. The event is free and starts at 6pm - finishing at 7.30pm. Paul’s talk is entitled "Expert Witnesses in Adjudication – Lessons from Case Law." To reserve a place at the event, please click...
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3PB's commercial litigation, adjudication and arbitration barrister Patrick Heneghan (pictured left) asks whether Parliament intended adjudication to used in large or complex construction disputes. The recent decision of Home Group Limited v MPS Housing Limited [2023] EWHC 1946 (TCC) would appear to affirm the received wisdom that the size and/or complexity of a dispute in and of itself is no bar to its adjudication. The success of a challenge related to size and complexity in...
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Paul Newman BL, specialist construction law barrister at 3PB Barristers (3 Paper Buildings), will be the guest speaker at the Northern Ireland Chapter of the CIArb (Irish Branch) AGM in Belfast on 2 May 2024. Paul’s presentation, "Expert Witnesses in Adjudication – Lessons from Case Law", will take place at Law Society House, 96 Victoria Street, Belfast BT1 3GN. Paul Newman (pictured left) is an experienced construction law barrister, accredited mediator, and skilled arbitrator. Paul...
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3PB construction barrister Nick Kaplan appeared for the claimant in the case of Wordsworth Construction v Inivos Limited t/a Health Spaces before Recorder Singer KC, sitting as a judge of the Technology and Construction Court (TCC). He was instructed by law firm Berry Smith LLP. Quite unusually the Court decided to set-off two adjudicator’s decisions against each other. The Court previously confirmed in a judgment last year in FK Construction Ltd v ISG Retail Ltd...
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3PB Barristers’ (3 Paper Buildings) Nick Kaplan and Mariya Peykova have contributed to the latest issue of ThoughtLeaders4 Disputes. Mariya’s article “Data Adequacy and International Relations: The Pitfalls of a Shifting Human Rights Landscape”, published on pages 11-12, explores the connection between EU data adequacy decisions and human rights records. In her article, Mariya explores how the undermining of the existing human rights framework could alter how the EU views the UK’s ability to provide...
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3PB's Nick Kaplan and Keating Chambers’ Brenna Conroy (pictured here) are delivering a joint talk this week at Arbrix's Spring Conference on Saturday 16th March 2024. The conference is an annual meeting of RICS arbitrators and adjudicators, notably chartered surveyors and other independent property experts. Nick and Brenna will be speaking about the recent decision in Bellway Homes v Surgo Construction in which they both appeared on opposite sides. The case is of huge significance...
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3PB's construction barrister Nick Kaplan has been instructed to represent builder Keith Elliott to recover payments, awarded by an adjudicator, from a company run by Australian fashion tycoon Donna Ida Thornton in a new High Court action. This follows a ruling in January 2024 by an adjudicator that Ms Thornton must pay the contractor £236,000 for the restoration work that his company completed at her 16-bedroom Devon mansion. The case is ongoing and is receiving...
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3PB is delighted to announce that commercial disputes and construction barrister Philip Bambagiotti, who is joint -qualified at the bar in both England and Australia, has been appointed onto the International Dispute Resolution & Risk Management Institute (IDRRMI) Panel of Senior Certified International Arbitrators. Philip Bambagiotti is a top ranked barrister and arbitrator with over 30 years experience. He is well known for his work as counsel and arbitrator in international arbitrations involving disputes over...
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3PB construction barrister Nick Kaplan recently acted as sole counsel for Bellway Homes in a dual enforcement and Part 8 claim in the TCC in the case of Bellway Homes v Surgo Construction, before HHJ Davies. Judgment was handed down yesterday morning. Nick was instructed by Gateley Legal. In its enforcement claim, Bellway claimed circa £1.1 million, which it had been awarded by an adjudicator (Jonathan Cope) following a true valuation of the parties’ interim...
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3PB construction barrister Nick Kaplan recently acted as sole counsel for Bellway Homes in enforcement proceedings in the case of Bellway Homes Limited -v Surgo Construction Limited, before DJ Baldwin, in which judgment was handed down by the Technology and Construction Court (TCC) in Liverpool this morning. Nick was instructed by Gateley Legal. The proceedings raised a question which frequently arises in payment adjudications, but which has until today remained undecided by the courts. In...
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In Providence Building Services Limited v Hexagon Housing Association Limited, in which 3PB construction barrister Nick Kaplan acted as junior counsel for the successful defendant Housing Association, Hexagon, the Technology and Construction Court (the “TCC”), has made a recent decision about the Termination for Employer Default provisions at clause 8.9 of the JCT Design and Build Contract 2016, which is one of the most widely used forms of contract in the construction industry. The TCC...
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Recommendations
Legal 500 2022
‘It is a strong, approachable set.’
‘Always available to help, even on short-notice, 3PB is ready to assist even for urgent same-day instruction.’
‘3PB has a strong range of experienced barristers at all levels, meaning it is able to provide the correct level of barrister for a particular matter.’
‘The quality of advice and advocacy never fails to impress. The set always has the right counsel for the job and counsel are very involved in providing regular training.’
‘3PB are an excellent chambers to work with and they will always find available counsel, even when issues crop up last minute that are out of anyone’s control. The barristers deal with matters in a timely and professional manner.’
Legal 500 2021
3PB offers a specialist construction team, which comprises of FIDIC adjudicators and members qualified in the construction profession. The set also provides private client expertise for matters such as insolvency where LPA receivers are instructed. Clients include developers, insurers and individuals instructing through direct access.
Legal 500 2020
Construction and planning remain mainstay work spheres for 3PB, with Paul Newman undertaking a wide range of construction instructions, and village green specialist William Webster a strong presence in planning matters.
The combined clerks’ room across the set’s six offices is a ‘well-oiled machine’.
a set solicitors frequently turn toLegal 500