Marcus Taverner KC

Call: 1981 Silk: 2000

Email: mtaverner@keatingchambers.com

Tel: +44 (0)20 7544 2600

Practice Overview

Marcus Taverner KC became a full time arbitrator and adjudicator in October 2021. He was described by Legal 500 (2020) as ‘One of the leading new generation construction arbitrators – he has a good incisive brain; listens to arguments carefully but makes his mind up and is decisive.

He has received instructions as arbitrator/adjudicator for the past 20 years. He has sat on panels governed by ICC, LCIA, SIAC, DIAC, HKIAC and other institutional rules as well as on Dispute Adjudication Boards in the UK and worldwide. His experience as counsel and as an arbitrator and adjudicator includes high value engineering, construction and energy related disputes in the UK and in jurisdictions around the world, including Australia; South Africa and other African nations (including Nigeria and Uganda); Europe, the Middle East (Oman, Qatar, Dubai, Jordan, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia), the USA, India, Vietnam and Hong Kong.

Before focussing on sitting as arbitrator and adjudicator, Marcus Taverner KC was awarded “Construction Silk of the Year” in 2009 and 2015 by Chambers & Partners. He was recommended as “the leading construction silk at the bar today” (Who’s Who Legal 2016). The Legal 500 UK 2018 reported him as “Incredibly hardworking, consistently energetic, and rightly regarded as a doyen of the construction sector”. He was recently identified in Chambers UK 2020 as “A commanding advocate who is, in our view, second to none in the construction field.

He is particularly well known for his understanding of the commercial aspects of litigation and his mastering of the technical detail of complex and high value cases. The combination of “unparalleled advocacy skills” and “sound judgment” made him a popular choice for international and domestic clients. Clients have included UK governmental bodies, foreign governments and many of the world’s largest construction, engineering and oil companies, developers, related professionals and their insurers. His experience includes disputes subject to Civil, Common, Islamic and International jurisdictions and law.

Practice Areas
  • Recent Appointments
Recent Appointments
  • Member of a Tribunal in an Ad hoc Arbitration concerning a sub-sea pipe line in the Middle East.
  • Tribunal Member in an EDF Rules Arbitration concerning a large road project in central Africa.
  • Chair of a DIAC Rules Arbitration relating to a process plant in Saudi Arabia.
  • Member of LCIA Tribunal Arbitrating a dispute relating to the sale of power equipment for installation in a Combined Cycle Power Station in the West Indies.
  • Tribunal member in an ICC Arbitration concerning an oil refinery in Oman.
  • Member of LCIA Tribunal relating to a dispute concerning an expressway in Oman.
  • President of an ICC Arbitration concerning a large dispute relating to a Biofuel development in the USA.
  • Adjudicator in a high profile infrastructure dispute in the UK.
  • Tribunal member in an Arbitration concerning a dispute relating to drilling rigs in Bangladesh.
  • Sole Arbitrator with regard to a multi-party infrastructure dispute in Hong Kong.
  • Member of a DAB panel relating to a power station in Africa.
  • President of an ICC Tribunal in a dispute concerning a transport project in Saudi Arabia.
  • Adjudicator in a large PFI hospital dispute in the UK.
  • Chair of a DAB relating to dispute relating to two power plants constructed in South Africa.
  • Tribunal member in an ICC dispute relating to a biomass project in the UK.
  • Tribunal member in an ICC arbitration regarding disputes arising out of the construction of an anhydrous ammonia production facility.
  • DAB member of a dispute arising out of a power plant in Costa Rica.
  • Arbitrator in ICC Arbitration relating to an oil refinery in Egypt.
  • Chair of a SIAC Arbitration relating to a mining project in Australia.
  • Chair of an ICC Arbitration concerning a mining concession in Australia.
  • Tribunal member in an ICC Arbitration concerning a dispute relating to the construction of an export pipeline and gas collection header at an LNG plant in Australia.
  • Arbitrator in an oil concession dispute in Nigeria.
  • Tribunal member in joint venture dispute arising out of the construction of a production facility in Trinidad.
  • Sole Arbitrator in a domestic dispute regarding a commercial development in the South of England.
Case Reports
Case Date
Essex County Council v UBB Waste (Essex) Limited 18 June 2020
Leeds Beckett University v Travelers Insurance Company Ltd 11 April 2017
Arcadis Consulting (UK) Ltd v AMEC (BSC) Ltd October 2016
Mutual Energy Ltd Claimant v (1) Starr Underwriting Agents Ltd (2) Travellers Syndicate Management Ltd 2016
Commercial Management (Investments) Ltd v (1) Mitchell Design & Construct Ltd (2) Regorco Ltd (Formerly Roger Bullivant Ltd) 2016
Accolade Wines v Volkerfitzpatrick (2) Volkervessels (3) Goodman (4) Keller (5) Twintec (6) GJ3&4 October 2014
Northrop Grumman Mission Systems Europe Ltd v BAE Systems (Al Diriyah C41) Ltd 2014
Vivergo Fuels Ltd v Redhall Engineering Solutions Ltd 2013
RWE Npower Plc v Alstom Power Ltd & Ors 2010
AE Yates Trenchless Solutions Ltd v Black & Veatch Ltd 2008
London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority v Halcrow Gilbert Associates Ltd 2007
Decoma UK Ltd v Haden Drysys International Ltd 2006
Clerical Medical Investment Group Ltd v Crest Nicholson (South West) Ltd & Ors 2006
Redworth Construction Ltd v Brookdale Healthcare Ltd 2006
Mersey Docks Property Holdings v Birse Construction Ltd 2005
Gerling General Insurance Co. & others v Canary Wharf Group plc 2005
Gerling General Insurance Co v Canary Wharf Group 2005
Decoma UK Ltd v Haden Drysys International Ltd (No.2) 2005
Decoma UK Ltd v Haden Drysys International Ltd 2005
Decoma UK Ltd v Haden Drysys International Ltd 2005
Decoma UK Ltd v Haden Drysys International Ltd 2005
Thames Water Utilities Ltd v London Regional Transport 2004
Tesco Stores Ltd v Costain Construction Ltd 2004
Hurst Stores and Interiors Ltd v ML Europe Property Ltd 2004
Try Construction Ltd v Eton Town House Group Ltd 2003
Scottish & Newcastle Plc v GD Construction 2003
Hurst Stores and Interiors Ltd v ML Europe Property Ltd 2003
HOK Sport v Aintree Racecourse Co Ltd 2003
Bellefield Computer Services v E. Turner & Sons Ltd (No. 2) 2003
Royal Brompton Hospital NHS Trust v Hammond (No 3) 2002
Scottish & Newcastle plc v GD Construction (St. Albans) Ltd. 2001
BICC Ltd v Parkman Consulting Engineers Parkman Consulting Engineers v Cumbrian Industrials Ltd 2000
St Martins Property Corporation v Sir Robert McApline & Sons Limited 1994