Gaynor Chambers was called to the Bar in 1998 and has been a practising barrister in Keating Chambers since 1999. Gaynor has already built a strong reputation among the construction community due to her pragmatic and thorough approach and her previous experience and background in building surveying.
Gaynor’s practice is wide ranging, with a particular concentration on environmental, energy and professional negligence disputes as well as general construction and engineering matters ranging from procurement to final account claims. She is experienced in advising on many standard forms, ranging from the IChemE Green Book and MF/1 to partnering contracts such as the PPC2000 and TPC2005, and has a particular interest in and knowledge of the JCT 2005 contracts as one of the editors of “Keating on JCT Contracts”.
Gaynor is equally familiar with conducting disputes through the TCC, arbitration or adjudication, represents clients at mediations and is a TECBAR accredited adjudicator.
Recommendations
Construction
“sterling work in professional liability disputes, particularly with regard to oil and gas developments”
Chambers and Partners 2009
“fine reputation among the construction community”
Chambers and Partners 2008
“leaves no stone unturned”
Chambers and Partners 2006
“…pragmatic and thorough…”
Legal 500, 2005
“…a hard-working and belligerent advocate”
Chambers and Partners 2005
“noted for quickly turning information around”
Legal 500, 2004
Examples of recent work
Environmental, Sewage and Wastewater Treatment
- Advising in several disputes arising out of energy recovery and leachate treatment plants, with claims ranging from £200,000 to £2,600,000.
- Junior in £85m dispute relating to the design and construction of a secondary treatment plant.
- Advice on environmental issues arising out of wastewater and other emissions.
- Advising in a dispute arising out of the environmental impact of dredging.
- Advice on disputes relating to contaminated land.
Oil, Gas and Energy
- Junior in a £10m dispute related to an innovative gas turbine in the UK.
- Advice on disputes related to the construction and operation of wind turbines under contracts ranging from £500,000 to several million pounds.
- Advising in relation to contracts based on the I ChemE Green Book (with and without bespoke amendments) and the MF/1, as well as the NFC3 and ICE 7th.
- Junior in $100m dispute related to a gas processing plant in the Middle East.
- Junior in a £9m dispute (and 28 day trial) concerning process and vibration issues on a North Sea oil platform.
- Advising in relation to commissioning and recovery of a North Sea oil platform.
- Advice and acting in a $750,000 arbitration relating to fender replacement off-shore.
- Advice on disputes arising out of piping, electrical, instrumentation and insulation packages, in particular in relation to process plants.
Professional Negligence
- Advice on fee recovery and negligence claims for and against Surveyors, Architects, Engineers and Valuers.
- Advising and acting in arbitrations relating to the scope of cover under professional liability insurance policies.
- Junior in Munckenbeck & Marshall v The Kensington Hotel Limited [2000] 78 Con LR 71 (Architect’s negligence).
- Junior in Offer-Hoar v Larkstore Ltd [2005] All ER (D) 45 TCC (a landslip case concerning negligence arising out of soil
investigation report, issues on assignment of loss dealt with at first instance and in the Court of Appeal).
General Construction (Litigation, Arbitration and Ajudication)
- Advising on matters arising out of partnering contracts such as PPC2000 and TPC2005, and the 2005 suite of JCT contracts, in particular the JCT Framework Agreement and JCT Major Projects form.
- Advising and acting in disputes relating to asbestos releases in public and commercial buildings and other health and safety related matters.
- Advising and acting in various cases concerning subsidence, landslip and coastal erosion.
- Advising on disputes arising out of the design and construction of a super-yacht.
- Advising local authorities and other employers on matters ranging from procurement to final account and defects claims.
- Instructed as a Treasury junior in a multi million pound arbitration relating to design responsibilities and defects on a new-build project.
- Advice on bonds and guarantees.
- Highways work including advice on the MAC7 contract and green claims.
- Appeals from arbitrator’s decisions.
- Drafting of adjudication notices, referrals and responses, including specific sections on particular legal points.
- Adjudication enforcement experience including Griffin v Midas Homes Limited [2002] 78 Con LR 152, [2002] Col 18 No 1 Con LJ 67 and preliminary advice in Davis McClean Contractors Ltd v Swansea Housing Association Limited [2002] CILL 1811, along with Westminster Building Co Ltd v Andrew Beckingham [2004] BLR 163.
Mining
- Advising in relation to a mining surveyor's negligence and/or breach of duty under the Mines and Quarries Act 1954 and the Management and Administration of Safety and Health in Mines Regulations 1993, and mining subsidence claims under the Coal Mining Subsidence Act 1991.
- Appeared as a junior in Mason v The Coal Authority (QBD, 15/3/2001, unreported) dealing with the Coal Authority's liability in negligence when preparing reports on mineshafts and adits.
Professional CV
BSc (Hons) Building Surveying (1st)
Post Graduate Diploma in Law (Commendation)
Bar Vocational Course (Very Competent, 25th in the year).
Harmsworth Scholarship, Middle Temple
Called to the Bar, Middle Temple
Pupillage, Keating Chambers
Keating Chambers
TECBAR accredited adjudicator
Public Access Training |
1998
1998-99
1999
2008 |
Membership
Society of Construction Law and the Commercial Bar Association.
Other Information
Gaynor's main interests are food, wine and the contemporary arts.
Contact UsIf you would like to discuss ways in which Keating Chambers can assist you or your organisation, please contact the Senior Clerks,
John Munton and
Nick Child, in the first instance, on +44(0)20 7544 2600. They and their teams of Clerks will be pleased to advise you on the member of Keating Chambers appropriate to your requirements.
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