Senior Construction Disputes QS | Quantum & Arbitration in Sandford

The expert witness division of a rapidly expanding consultancy is looking to hire a bright and enthusiastic Quantity Surveyor with a genuine passion for a long-term career in construction disputes. The successful candidate must be a full member of the RICS (MRICS) and must have a good understanding of how a claim is put together and the key components to a claim. This experience and knowledge will most likely have been gained in their role as a QS rather than in a specialist claims or disputes role.

In return, you will work for a highly reputable consultancy with multiple quantum experts recognised by Who’s Who Legal. Your role will be to act in a supporting role to the lead testifying expert, providing analysis of contentious issues within domestic and international disputes. Despite the potential to work on disputes internationally, this is an office-based role based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. All work can be carried out in the office or at home. You will be exposed to working on worldwide arbitration and litigation assignments, sometimes worth in excess of £250m.

Responsibilities and Duties

As a Senior Consultant, the main purpose of your role will be to support the lead testifying expert in preparing their expert report, which will be submitted to the court as evidence, upon which they will testify and be cross-examined. To do this, you will be responsible for analysing, interpreting and reporting on specific areas of major construction disputes. Specific duties will include:

• Supporting the Arbitration, Litigation and Adjudication process
• Analysing big data, i.e. analysing large quantities of claims documentation relating to the dispute and having the ability to quickly understand the key issues and components.
• Using Excel and similar programs to input and analyse quantum data relating to the dispute
• Provision of specialist expert advice to external clients
• Drafting sections of the expert report for the lead expert

Desired Skills and Experience

Must have a strong background as a Quantity Surveyor or a similar commercially focused role. Candidate must have a firm understanding of construction claims and how claims are put together as well as their key components. Not because you will be writing claims in this role, but because you will be reviewing a high volume of claims related documentation and will need to be able to spot the key issues relating to the dispute. Candidates with larger, more complex project experience are typically preferred, largely due to the potential exposure to disputes relating to extremely large projects. Must have a clear understanding of the purpose of an expert witness and what the role entails. Intelligent and passionate about working in the construction disputes sector. Stable career history, ideally with reputable employers. Highly analytical approach to working practices. Highly motivated, with a strong work ethic. You do not need to have prior experience of assisting an expert witness to be successful in this role. Full training can be given. However, you do need to have a very clear idea of what an expert witness does and a clear motive of why you desire a career in this niche sector of the industry.

Qualifications/Educational Requirements

Degree qualified in Quantity Surveying or other relevant construction discipline.

Employing Company Overview and Profile

The hiring company is a highly reputable construction consultancy who are a market leader in providing expert witness, dispute resolution and Quantity Surveying services. They boast a stylish central London Head Office, as well as multiple supporting offices nationally. They are one of the construction disputes sector’s real success stories and have ambitious growth plans for the next 12 months despite the pandemic. The business prides themselves on their modern and vibrant working culture where candidates are given a degree of freedom that is not always common in the industry. They have a highly reputable external training program that staff will benefit from as well as being supportive with professional memberships and relevant further qualifications such as LLM’s / MSc’s in Construction Law.