Join us for the seventh annual International Construction Arbitration Conference, the flagship event of the Centre of Construction Law & Dispute Resolution at King's College London. Bringing together leading practitioners, academics, and industry experts, this prestigious gathering explores the most pressing issues in construction law and dispute resolution — with a particular focus on current and emerging trends in arbitration for complex construction, infrastructure, and energy projects. Set in the heart of legal London, the conference offers an exceptional opportunity to engage in high-level discussion and to network with some of the foremost professionals in the field.

Programme

9.00am – Registration, tea & coffee

9.30am – Welcome

Conference Chair:

• Professor Renato Nazzini KC, Director of the Centre of Construction Law & Dispute Resolution, King’s College London and barrister at Monckton Chambers

9.40am – Construction Arbitration in Public Contracts and Arbitrations with the State

Chair: Cesar Pereira, Partner at Justen, Pereira, Oliveira, Talamini Advogados, Global President of Ciarb

• Eric Johnson, Partner at Cederquist
• Matthew E. Smith, Partner at K&L Gates
• Taner Dedezade, International Construction Barrister

10.30am – Advantages and Disadvantages of Bifurcation

Chair: Mark Lloyd-Williams, Full-time Arbitrator at Arbitration Chambers

• Asli Yilmaz, Managing Counsel at International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)
• Joanne Prior, Managing Director at Kroll
• Charles Blamire-Brown, Partner at Pinsent Masons

11.20am – Coffee break

11.40am – Construction Disputes in the Age of Transformational Technologies: Risks Arising in the Data Centre Lifecycle

Chair: Marie Berard, Partner at Clifford Chance

• Nicholas Smith, Beale & Co
• Dominic Keene, Senior Managing Director at Vertex
• Sean Brannigan KC, Barrister at 4 Pump Court

12.30pm –The Use of AI Outside Arbitration: Non-Binding Reviews, Preliminary Determinations and Adjudication

Chair: Philip Clifford KC, Partner at Latham & Watkins

• Akin Akinbode, Partner at Dentons
• Fionnuala McCredie KC, Barrister at Keating Chambers 
• Georg Scherpf, Partner at Luther Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH

1.20pm – Lunch break

2.20pm – Keynote Lecture: Force Majeure and the Strait of Hormuz: Is Impossibility Really Required? 

Professor Renato Nazzini KC, Director of the Centre of Construction Law & Dispute Resolution, King’s College London and barrister at Monckton Chambers

3.00pm – The Use of Emergency Arbitration in Construction Disputes

Chair: Dominique Rawley KC, Barrister at Atkin Chambers

• Jamie Harrison, Deputy Director General of the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA)
• Philip Norman, Partner in the CMS Infrastructure, Construction and Energy Team
• Jessica Neuberger, Partner at Eversheds Sutherland

3.50pm – Coffee break

4.10pm – Defects Disputes in Renewable and New Technology Projects

Chair: Roberta Downey, Partner Vinson & Elkins

• Anna Mills, Partner at DLA Piper
• Nicholas Gould, Partner at Fenwick Elliott
• Stephen Sandles, Managing Director at Ankura

5.00pm – Construction Disputes in Africa: Launch of a New Research Project

Professor Renato Nazzini KC, Director of the Centre of Construction Law & Dispute Resolution, King’s College London and barrister at Monckton Chambers

Raquel Macedo Moreira, Research Associate at the Centre of Construction Law & Dispute Resolution, King’s College London

5.10pm – Centre of Construction Law & Dispute Resolution Annual Debate

Chair: Sir Rupert Jackson

Debaters: Sarah Hannaford KC, Head of Keating Chambers and Andrew Rigney KC, joint Head of Crown Office.

6.00pm – Concluding Remarks

Conference Chair: James Pickavance, Visiting Professor at King’s College London

6.10pm – Drinks Reception and Networking

Attendance

• In-person attendance: £120.
• Online attendance: free.
• Current MSc students in Construction Law and Dispute Resolution: free.