The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases of 2024

Date: 9 January 2024

The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases of 2024 was published today and features a landmark construction and cladding dispute involving three barristers from Keating Chambers.

Shepherd Construction v Kingspan and others is due to be heard in the Technology & Construction Court this October and is listed for 11 weeks. The dispute (worth in the region of £70m) will be one of the first to consider the new cause of action against cladding manufacturers under s149 of the Building Safety Act. and will have a large effect on the legal principles surrounding fire safety issues.

The dispute centres on the suitability of four different cladding systems used on a mixed-use development in Colindale, London. Shepherd Construction Ltd was engaged as main contractor on a design and build basis. The complex litigation centres around numerous issues with the construction of the external wall systems of the buildings, particularly the use of insulation alleged to be non-compliant with building regulations.

Sarah Williams and Thomas Saunders represent the Claimant, Shepherd Construction. They are instructed (alongside Sean Brannigan KC and Luke Wygas of 4 Pump Court) by Mayer Brown.
Abdul Jinadu represents one of the defendants, Hoare Lea. He is instructed by Hill Dickinson LLP.

A link to the full “Top 20 Cases of 2024” article is available to The Lawyer Litigation Tracker subscribers at: https://www.thelawyer.com/top-20-cases-2024/