Department profile

Construction

UK Bar Guide 2026 : London (Bar)

Gatehouse Chambers

Rankings

Ranked Barristers

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Construction - London (Bar)

Band 3

What the Team is Known For

Gatehouse Chambers has a notable reputation for handling construction law disputes, and a particularly strong offering of senior juniors. The barristers at the set are able to bring broader expertise in areas such as professional negligence, insurance and property damage to their construction cases. An interviewee comments that the set offers “excellent counsel, from junior up to KC level," and another notes its "broad depth of knowledge and experience in construction." Members are highly capable across a broad range of construction disputes, including those concerning emerging fire safety and cladding issues. Members of the set have acted in BDW v Ardmore, an adjudication enforcement claim. Gatehouse's barristers make regular appearances in the TCC and handle various ADR proceedings for clients involved in project disputes arising from a range of industry sectors.

Elliot Langdorf is the practice director.

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Strengths

Provided by Chambers

Should a clerk not be available, someone else always picks up an enquiry promptly in their absence.
Construction respondentUK Bar
The set is very commercial at the clerking level.
Construction respondentUK Bar
The clerking team here really know their stuff, respond promptly and will help find suitable counsel for pretty much any dispute we have.
Construction respondentUK Bar
The clerks are polite and helpful. Their recommendations for appropriate appointments have been appreciated by clients.
Construction respondentUK Bar
If I had a query, I felt I could turn to the clerks as needed.
Construction respondentUK Bar

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

Band 1
Band 1
Paul Reed
Paul Reed KC is a popular silk with a high-quality practice both domestically and in the Middle East. His construction offering is enhanced by his acknowledged expertise in the insurance sector. His client base includes contractors, insurers and developers.
Paul Reed is solid.
Construction respondentUK Bar
He really took charge and gave very clear, logical advice.
Construction respondentUK Bar
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Band 3
Band 3
Ebony Alleyne
Ebony Alleyne has a strong construction practice covering TCC proceedings, as well as adjudications and arbitrations. She acts for the full range of construction industry clients, including employers, contractors and other related professionals.
She is super-talented and I have high praise for her.
Construction respondentUK Bar
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Band 3
Band 3
Helena White
Helena White has a practice covering a broad array of construction and engineering disputes, including cases involving related insurance and professional negligence issues. She has particular expertise in cases arising out of water and waste disposal-related projects.
Helena is very strong, very bright and user-friendly.
Construction respondentUK Bar
Helena is excellent and tenacious, and good at handling difficult clients.
Construction respondentUK Bar
Helena has been very responsive and accommodating of deadlines. Her advice has been clear throughout and has had in mind not only the legal points but also the client's commercial considerations.
Construction respondentUK Bar
She's very pragmatic, can be strategic and can take a broad approach.
Construction respondentUK Bar
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Band 4
Band 4
Andrew Kearney
Andrew Kearney is an established construction and engineering barrister, handling a broad range of disputes. He has particular experience in the representation of contractor clients, including in international projects. A qualified arbitrator and mediator, he is well suited to settling disputes through those ADR forums in addition to TCC proceedings.
He is a brilliant counsel. Andrew is dependable and creative.
Construction respondentUK Bar
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Band 4
Band 4
David Pliener
David Pliener KC regularly acts in litigation, arbitration and adjudications nationwide and abroad. He has advised on disputes in sectors as diverse as renewables, structural engineering and leisure. Clients that typically instruct him include contractors, construction professionals and property owners. He is strong in construction-related insurance and property damage litigation.
David Pliener is very user-friendly, fun to work with, brilliant and well liked.
Construction respondentUK Bar
David is very good with clients and his advocacy is excellent.
Construction respondentUK Bar
David is simply everything that you want in a leading barrister. He is smart, astute, commercially aware, but superbly able to adapt to the appropriate frequency of the occasion.
Construction respondentUK Bar
He can take the complicated and make it simple.
Construction respondentUK Bar
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Band 4
Band 4
Emma Hynes
Emma Hynes is a talented junior with skill in construction disputes. Having been counsel to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, Hynes has developed especially noteworthy capabilities with regard to cladding, fire safety and the Building Safety Act.
Emma is an extremely clever and capable barrister and I really rate her.
Construction respondentUK Bar
Emma Hynes' knowledge is second to none.
Construction respondentUK Bar
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Band 4
Band 4
Kort Egan
Kort Egan is developing a strong construction practice. He regularly appears in the TCC, including unled. He has experience in dealing with matters related to defects and delay work.
Kort is a very strong practitioner and a real talent. He is a definite star for the future.
Construction respondentUK Bar
Kort is doing things beyond his call very well. He has a great ability to absorb information and process it quickly. He is also very good with clients.
Construction respondentUK Bar
Kort provides excellent service and advice.
Construction respondentUK Bar
He is very good, on the ball, very down to earth and works exceptionally hard.
Construction respondentUK Bar
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Band 4
Band 4
Michael Wheater
Michael Wheater KC represents clients from across the construction industry, including developers and contractors. He is particularly proficient in construction disputes involving professional negligence claims, and also has experience in advising on insurance mandates.
Michael is a stellar barrister whom clients, judges and even opponents rate and respect. He is brilliant on the detail and at distilling complex matters for clients.
Construction respondentUK Bar
Michael Wheater is good on his feet and good in mediation. He is faultless at what he does.
Construction respondentUK Bar
He is a superstar of the future.
Construction respondentUK Bar
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Band 4
Band 4
Simon Kerry
Simon Kerry is a well-regarded junior with experience of acting in construction litigation and arbitration matters. His practice is particularly focused on construction insurance-related disputes related to a variety of sectors, such as energy and residential developments.
Simon Kerry is a pleasure to work with and very calm in a storm.
Construction respondentUK Bar
Simon Kerry is responsive and down to earth.
Construction respondentUK Bar
He is very hard-working, really good on the documents and the detail. His writing is very strong.
Construction respondentUK Bar
Simon is very thorough and provides astute advice that clients know is based on a full understanding of the issues.
Construction respondentUK Bar
He is excellent - very forensic and drafts in a clear way.
Construction respondentUK Bar
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New Silks
New Silks
Sarah McCann
Sarah McCann acts on a variety of domestic disputes, including TCC claims and adjudications, with a particular focus on professional negligence and insurance-related construction work. She has a strong track record of handling complex cases, both led and unled, and is particularly well versed in handling defect claims.
She is extremely knowledgeable and has always been a real class act. Her advice is always very detailed but also commercial.
Construction respondentUK Bar
She offers great drafting skills.
Construction respondentUK Bar
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