Masters of the Bench

Graduated from University of North Carolina 1975 (Morehead Scholar).

In 1972-3 worked as a volunteer for Allard Lowenstein where he was proud to hear the clicks on the telephone lines of number 7 on Richard Nixon’s ‘Enemies List’. Was the second person to dub Lowenstein ‘007’ when the news broke of Nixon’s Enemies List and therefore that his volunteer aide was not paranoid about the clicks.

Three adult children. One lectures in maths at St Andrews University; one is a tenant at Quadrant Chambers and one is a Fellow of All Souls.

Called to the Bar 1978. Silk 1994. Recorder 1994-2014.

Tenant 22 Old Buildings, now Atkin Chambers, 1979-1989 then 39 Essex Chambers 1989 to present.

Deputy Head of Chambers 1997-2000. Joint Head of Chambers 2003-2008 and, following the death of Richard Davies Q.C., sole head 2008-2011.

Practices as advocate and arbitrator in the area of construction and engineering domestically and internationally. Particularly now is an international arbitrator in high value construction disputes worldwide.

Co -editor of ‘Human Rights in the United Kingdom’  (OUP 1997)

Author, now Editor, of Construction Contracts Law and Practice  (OUP, 1st Edition 2006, 2nd Ed 2010.3rd Edition 2014. Fourth Edition commissioned to be published 2019/2020)

Trustee of Free Representation Unit 1997-2007.  Chair of trustees 2002-7.

When Master of Moots of Middle Temple started the mooting exchange with the University of North Carolina Law School.

Author of historical novel ‘Free Spirits’ (Vicksburg Press 2017) under the pseudonym Grant Simpson about the Underground Railroad (the secret organisation which ferried slaves to freedom from the American South prior to the Civil War)

Treasurer of Middle Temple in 2018.