0

Download your shortlist

Download All

Harriet Di Francesco

Call: 2018

"Harriet is fantastic to work with; she is very approachable and easy to communicate with which means she provides a very good client service. Her knowledge and analysis are excellent, and she understands and appreciates the nuances of what the client is trying to achieve."

Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2027

Download CV

Languages:

Harriet Di Francesco
Clerk Details

Jamie Clack

Alistair Luckman

Erva Turjaka

Practice Summary

Harriet’s practice spans Chambers’ core specialisms including construction, engineering, property (particularly in relation to the BSA 2022), professional negligence, PFI, and procurement. She is ranked by Chambers & Partners in construction and has been described by clients as “extremely sharp, efficient and effective” and “utterly dedicated, extremely competent and always willing to assist".

Harriet is regularly instructed both as junior counsel and in her own right, and her broad experience includes instructions from both international and domestic clients. Harriet has developed a solid practice in litigation, adjudication and arbitration. She has acted for employers, contractors and subcontractors in complex construction, professional negligence and energy disputes. Recent experience includes: an ICC arbitration in which Italian law applied; acting for the developer in a series of adjudications and parallel TCC proceedings relating to unacceptable cladding on multiple buildings across the UK; and Part 8 proceedings in the High Court concerning questions of contractual interpretation and rectification. Harriet has experience with many major standard form contracts including JCT, NEC, FIDIC, RIBA, CECA and MF/1.

Harriet is a contributor to ‘Keating on JCT Contracts’ and the Construction Law Reports. Harriet regularly provides training and seminars on questions of procedural and substantive law for professional and lay clients.

Practice Areas

Advocacy
  • Led – Harriet acted for Crest Nicholson in the second High Court case to grant a Building Liability Order under s.130 of the Building Safety Act 2022, in which Crest successfully obtained an anticipatory BLO and enforcement of a £14.9m adjudicator’s award, along with interest and costs, against associates of an original body: Crest Nicholson Regeneration Ltd & Ors v Ardmore Construction Ltd & Ors [2026] EWHC 789 (TCC) (substantive judgment) and [2026] EWHC 1069 (TCC) (consequential judgment). A case summary of the substantive judgment can be found here. Harriet was led by Jonathan Selby KC.
  • Unled – appeared in her own right in a directions hearing in the TCC in relation to the hearing of an application for a building liability order under s.130 of the Building Safety Act 2022. She is being led in the wider proceedings by Jonathan Selby KC.
  • Unled – sole counsel for the defendant in a claim about allegedly defective and delayed works to a sewer in which the defendant was granted permission to withdraw admissions and/or amend its defence.
  • Unled – repeated appearances in County Court final hearings across the country as sole counsel for a major telecommunications provider in relation to damage to property caused by negligent users of the highway and statutory undertakers.
  • Unled – CCMC in Birmingham County Court on behalf of a defendant construction company specialising in multi-storey residential schemes. Harriet made successful applications in relation to striking out parts of the claimant’s case and costs.
  • Unled – final hearing in Preston County Court on behalf of the defendant main contractor in a dispute with the claimant subcontractor concerning the supply and installation of soundproof acoustic panels. The dispute concerned unpaid invoices and a counterclaim for defective work.
  • Unled – sole counsel in a Directions Hearing and Early Neutral Evaluation at Winchester County Court. Harriet appeared on behalf of the respondents in respect of an appeal against a party wall award brought by the respondents’ neighbour.
  • Unled – Harriet successfully enforced an adjudicator’s decision in the CLCC on behalf of a groundworks contractor. The defendant employer had resisted enforcement on the limited circumstances identified in Hutton v Wilson and sought a stay of execution. 
Construction & Engineering
  • Led – Harriet acted for Crest Nicholson in the second High Court case to grant a Building Liability Order under s.130 of the Building Safety Act 2022, in which Crest successfully obtained an anticipatory BLO and enforcement of a £14.9m adjudicator’s award, along with interest and costs, against associates of an original body: Crest Nicholson Regeneration Ltd & Ors v Ardmore Construction Ltd & Ors [2026] EWHC 789 (TCC) (substantive judgment) and [2026] EWHC 1069 (TCC) (consequential judgment). A case summary of the substantive judgment can be found here. Harriet was led by Jonathan Selby KC.
  • Led – Harriet acted for the successful employer in a complex adjudication involving allegations of professional negligence in relation to the provision of railway engineering design services under an NEC3 Professional Services Contract with bespoke amendments. Harriet was led by Calum Lamont KC and James Thompson.
  • Unled – Harriet acted as sole counsel for a developer in a multi-million-pound adjudication relating to fire safety defects under a JCT D&B contract for high and low-rise residential buildings in Scotland. There were parallel TCC proceedings between the same parties all of which were finally settled in favour of Harriet’s client.
  • Unled – Harriet acted as sole counsel for a local authority in a claim against a design and build contractor in relation to defects under an NEC3 Engineering and Construction Contract resulting in water ingress at a school.
  • Led – Harriet acted for a large infrastructure company in relation to a complex multi-million-pound final account adjudication under an NEC4 subcontract involving upstream and downstream claims for extensions of time and loss and expense. Harriet was led by Rachael O’Hagan.
  • Unled – Harriet acted for a construction company specialising in the design and construction of residential loft conversions and extensions in relation to a claim against a subcontractor under a bespoke contract. The claim concerned issues of delay, disruption, defects and termination.
  • Led – Harriet acted as junior counsel in multi-million-pound TCC proceedings concerning allegations of professional negligence against architects in relation to the design and construction of a large mixed-use retail and residential project in the UK. Harriet was led by Vincent Moran KC and William Webb KC.
  • Unled – Harriet acted for a sports and leisure company in relation to the defective design of a swimming pool under a collateral warranty.
  • Led – Harriet acted for a joint venture in an adjudication and subsequent Part 8 proceedings concerning questions of contractual interpretation and rectification. Harriet was led by Tom Lazur.
International Arbitration
  • Led – Harriet acted as junior counsel in an international arbitration under ICC rules concerning a solar farm in Africa. Harriet was led by Vincent Moran KC and Tom Coulson.
  • Led – Harriet acted as junior counsel on behalf of an Italian contractor in relation to an ICC arbitration with an English subcontractor about a defective electric car battery. Harriet was led by external counsel.
  • Unled – Harriet acted as sole counsel on behalf of a construction company in an ad hoc domestic arbitration concerning the value of final accounts under multiple contracts with a road works subcontractor.
  • Led – Harriet acted as junior counsel in a DIFC-LCIA international arbitration concerning a shopping mall in Abu Dhabi in which UAE law applied. Harriet was led by Simon Hughes KC.
  • Led – Harriet acted as junior counsel in an international arbitration concerning a coal-fired power station in South Africa. Harriet was led by David Thomas KC.
  • In addition to her work as counsel, Harriet is a qualified international construction tribunal assistant, having successfully undertaken training with Professor Janet Walker CM and Professor Doug Walker AO in conjunction with the International Construction Arbitrators Association.
Procurement
  • Led – Harriet acted as junior counsel in a claim concerning multiple challenges to the procurement of UK passenger rail franchises. Harriet was led by Fionnuala McCredie KC.
  • Led – Harriet acted as junior counsel in a claim brought by a multinational rail transport company concerning the tender process for a rail services contract.
Property
  • Led – Harriet acted for Crest Nicholson in the second High Court case to grant a Building Liability Order under s.130 of the Building Safety Act 2022, in which Crest successfully obtained an anticipatory BLO and enforcement of a £14.9m adjudicator’s award, along with interest and costs, against associates of an original body: Crest Nicholson Regeneration Ltd & Ors v Ardmore Construction Ltd & Ors [2026] EWHC 789 (TCC) (substantive judgment) and [2026] EWHC 1069 (TCC) (consequential judgment). A case summary of the substantive judgment can be found here. Harriet was led by Jonathan Selby KC.
  • Unled – Harriet acted as sole counsel in a claim involving 14 homeowners about a defective sewerage system serving their residential development.
  • Unled – Harriet acted as sole counsel advising multiple homeowners about defective heating/cooling system in a new-build block of flats.
  • Unled – Harriet acted as sole counsel for a private homeowner in relation to circa 100 defects associated with works carried out by a building contractor at her residential property. It included a claim under the Defective Premises Act 1972 and damages for distress and anxiety.
  • Unled – Harriet acted as sole counsel advising homeowners in relation to a defective kitchen extension and central heating system. The claim involved failures to comply with applicable NHBC requirements.
Adjudication
  • Led – Harriet acted for Crest Nicholson in the second High Court case to grant a Building Liability Order under s.130 of the Building Safety Act 2022, in which Crest successfully obtained an anticipatory BLO and enforcement of a £14.9m adjudicator’s award, along with interest and costs, against associates of an original body: Crest Nicholson Regeneration Ltd & Ors v Ardmore Construction Ltd & Ors [2026] EWHC 789 (TCC) (substantive judgment) and [2026] EWHC 1069 (TCC) (consequential judgment). A case summary of the substantive judgment can be found here. Harriet was led by Jonathan Selby KC.
  • Led – Harriet acted for the successful employer in a complex adjudication involving allegations of professional negligence in relation to railway engineering design services under an NEC3 Professional Services Contract with bespoke amendments. Harriet was led by Calum Lamont KC and James Thompson.
  • Unled – Harriet acted as sole counsel for a developer in a multi-million-pound adjudication relating to fire safety defects under a JCT D&B contract for high and low-rise residential buildings in Scotland. There were parallel TCC proceedings between the same parties all of which were finally settled in favour of Harriet’s client.
  • Unled – Harriet has successfully acted in multiple high-value “smash and grab” (or payment notice) adjudications for both referring and responding parties.
  • Led – Harriet acted for a large infrastructure company in relation to a complex multi-million-pound final account adjudication under an NEC4 subcontract involving upstream and downstream claims for extensions of time and loss and expense.
  • Unled – Harriet successfully acted on behalf of a groundworks subcontractor in relation to a payment notice dispute under a CECA form of subcontract with its employer. The claim concerned the employer’s failure to serve a payment notice or pay less notice and its wrongful retention of sums due under the subcontract. Harriet later appeared in the CCLC where she successfully enforced the adjudicator’s decision.

Reported Cases

Standard Life Assurance Limited v Gleeds

2019 Rail Franchising Litigation

Crest Nicholson v Ardmore

Resources

Other Information

Education & Career

Professional Career

  • Barrister, Keating Chambers, 2019

  • Pupil, Keating Chambers, 2018-2019

Education

  • City University, BPTC, 2016-2017

  • BPP Law School, GDL, 2015

  • Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Bologna, Italy and Washington DC – MA International Relations, 2011-2013

  • University of Sheffield – BA History, 2008-2011

Privacy Policies

Barrister Privacy Notice

Additional information

Harriet is a qualified PADI Divemaster. She enjoys hiking, cycling and running. She is learning to speak Portuguese.

Appointments & Awards

  • Worshipful Company of Arbitrators (WCA) Arbitration Competition (Best Individual Advocate), 2019

  • Middle Temple (Lord Diplock Scholar), 2016

  • City University (BPTC Full Fee Scholarship), 2016

  • BPP Law School (Director of GDL Programmes’ Scholarship), 2015

  • Elected to Phi Beta Kappa honour society, Johns Hopkins Chapter, 2013

  • Johns Hopkins SAIS (Robert E Osgood Memorial Fellowship), 2012

  • Sheffield University (Student Graduate Award), 2011

Recommendations

“Harriet is fantastic to work with; she is very approachable and easy to communicate with which means she provides a very good client service. Her knowledge and analysis are excellent, and she understands and appreciates the nuances of what the client is trying to achieve.”

“Her advice and drafting were brilliant, and with a concerted effort between us we secured a good result for our client. She pursued the claim with dedication and integrity.”

“She is a fabulous counsel who produces brilliant written work and is good at instructing solicitors, super reliable and responsive. She works brilliantly under time constraints.”

“Harriet Di Francesco is exceptionally responsive and a pleasure to work with. She has an impressive ability to grasp complex technical issues quickly and provide clear, confident, and commercially focused advice. She combines strong legal analysis with practical judgement, making her a trusted part of the team, putting clients at ease, which is required on challenging and complex cases. Harriet is undoubtedly one to watch!”

“Harriet is particularly clear and effective at identifying the fundamental issue and ensuring clients understand what they need to do in order to substantiate their claim.”

"Harriet is completely on top of the detail, prompt and practical at advising and realistic in her assessment of prospects."

"Harriet was a consummate professional, delivering an excellent standard of drafted pleadings and helpful input on strategy to progress the matter."

"She did some great submissions. I would definitely consider using her again in the future."

"Harriet is very good, organised and very good on the detail."

"Harriet has very great attention to detail and excellent calibre in the construction area."

"Harriet is very bright, personable, and confident. She gets to grips with complicated issues quickly and leads you through the process with reassuring ease."

"Harriet is definitely a star of the future. Her drafting is extremely good and she gets to grips with difficult issues and provides great service."

"Harriet is very thorough and insightful. She picks up on the little details and predicts problem areas to be resolved before they arise."

"Harriet is very approachable and provides timely and constructive advice."

"Harriet is extremely capable, effective and very easy to work with. She also delivers very good written product and has a great legal mind."

"Harriet is utterly dedicated, extremely competent and always willing to assist."

"Harriet is knowledgeable of procedure and thorough at drafting, and she's a confident advocate."

"She is extremely sharp, efficient and effective."