Life after S&T v Grove; TCC Guidance on ‘Smash and Grab’

In M Davenport Builders Ltd v Greer & Anor [2019], one of the first cases to consider the enforcement of a ‘smash and grab’ adjudication since the Court of Appeal’s landmark ruling in S&T(UK) Ltd v Grove Developments Ltd [2018], […]

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Is Challenging an Adjudicator’s Decision by Using Enforcement Proceedings an Abuse of Process?

The courts have adopted a swift approach to adjudication enforcement. However, in the recent case of Amey LG Limited (“ALG”) v Amey Birmingham Highways Limited (“ABHL”), ALG sought to use that same process to have an adjudicator’s decision declared a […]

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Adjudication and Insolvency

In the case of Michael J Lonsdale (Electrical) Limited v Bresco Electrical Services Limited (in liquidation), the Technology and Construction Court (“TCC”) provided an unequivocal statement that a company in liquidation could not refer a dispute to adjudication. However, in […]

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Does a Material Breach of Contract Preclude Practical Completion?

In the recent TCC case of Mears Limited v Costplan Services (South East) Limited & Others [2018], the court considered the meaning of ‘practical completion’ and whether a material variation and breach of a contract term will prevent achieving the […]

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‘Blowing Hot and Cold’: Adjudicators’ Jurisdiction and the Principle of Approbation and Reprobation

If the wrong route to the appointment of an adjudicator has been taken, the adjudicator will not have jurisdiction. However, a party cannot approbate and reprobate, or ‘blow hot and cold’, in relation to the validity of an adjudicator’s decision. […]

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Practical Completion – A Matter of Interpretation? – Issues for Sectional Completion

In the recent case of University of Warwick v Balfour Beatty Group Ltd [2018] the TCC held that the proper construction of the definition of Practical Completion did not mean that the entire works had to be complete before a […]

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Adjudication, Fraud and Stays of Execution

The Court of Appeal has endorsed a first instance decision by the Technology and Construction Court (“TCC”) granting a stay of execution on new grounds. In the context of adjudication enforcement, the leading guidance is set out in the case […]

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Enforceability of Liquidated Damages

In the recent case of GPP Big Field LLP & Anor (“GPP”) v Solar EPC Solutions SL (“Solar”) [2018] the Commercial Court considered a number of issues relating to the enforceability of liquidated damages, an issue which commonly arises in […]

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“Smash and Grab” Adjudications – S&T v Grove: The Appeal

In February this year, Coulson J, as he then was, handed down judgment from the Technology and Construction Court (“TCC”) in the case of Grove Developments Limited (“Grove”) v S&T (UK) Limited (“S&T”). His decision threw significant doubt on the […]

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Brexit and Construction Contracts – How Can You Protect Against Risk?

Whilst no one yet knows whether the UK will agree a Brexit deal with the EU, or what that deal will be if there is one, or how long any transition period might be, it seems safe to say that […]

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