Full Profile

David has particular expertise in the energy, oil & gas, renewables and construction sectors. He has significant  experience of a wide range of disputes involving drilling contracts, EPC contracts, offshore service contracts, JOA’s and PSAs. His clients include major oil & gas companies, construction companies, offshore service contractors and rig owners. He has represented clients in the UK courts at all levels, in mediations and in international arbitrations, including ICC and LCIA. David also has extensive experience in ancillary matters, including obtaining anti-suit injunctions, obtaining and defending security for costs orders and challenging defective awards.

He also has extensive experience of regulatory law, including fraud, bribery and corruption, health, safety, and environmental law. He has conducted internal investigations, appeared at Inquests and defended companies and individuals in a wide range of criminal prosecutions in the UK courts. 

David graduated from Edinburgh University with honours in law in 1984 and qualified in Scotland in 1987 and in England and Wales in 1992. He was called to the English Bar in 1994 and practised in the Chambers of Walter Aylen QC at Lincoln's Inn. He was formerly in-house Legal Counsel for Schlumberger in Paris. Until recently, he was the Europe/Africa Director of the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators.

He speaks and is published widely on his specialist areas and is a contributor to Butterworths Corporate Liability. He has recently spoken at the Oil & Gas UK Legal Conference, the IADC annual conference and the at the International Marine Contractors Association.

Experience

Energy/Construction Litigation/Arbitration

• LCIA - USD 500 million arbitration relating to construction/oil and gas dispute in Iraq
• ICC - USD 350 million arbitration in relation to a rig refurbishment in Mexico
• LCIA - USD 100 million arbitration relating to termination of a drilling contract,  offshore Libya
• Saudi Arabia - USD 50 million arbitration in relation to the construction of oil and gas facilities
• LCIA - USD 60 million arbitration in relation to a construction contract in Iraq
• LCIA arbitration in relation to an agency contract in Nigeria
• ICC arbitration relating to an oil services contract in Romania
• DIAC  - USD 50 million arbitration relating to an oilfield services contract in Iraq
• LCIA arbitration relating to a drilling contract in India
• Ghana  - dispute concerning drilling operations
• LCIA arbitration relating to Cameroon JOA/PSA
• Angola – LCIA arbitration concerning provision of oilfield services and equipment
• High Court (Technology and Construction Court) - successfully defending a claim relating to a construction contract in Indonesia. Security for costs and third party costs orders: Trident Australasia Pty Ltd v Versabuild LLC [2015] EWHC 2890 (Comm)
• High Court – successfully resisting an appeal in relation to sections 67 and 68 of the Arbitration Act – Interprods Ltd v De La Rue International Ltd [2013] EWHC 3971 (Comm)
• High Court – successfully overturning interim injunction; contempt of court. Euroil Ltd v Cameroon Offshore Petroleum SARL [2014] EWHC 52 (Comm)
• High Court (Technology and Construction Court) – North Sea wind farm dispute
• High Court – W Ltd v M SDN BHD appeal in relation to section 68 of the Arbitration Act

Regulatory

• Advising a major international operator in respect of the Parliamentary Inquiry into Deepwater drilling following the Macondo incident
• Advising a client in relation to an investigation by the Indonesian and UK Governments in respect of hazardous waste and the repatriation of that waste to the UK
• Defending a major offshore oil & gas contractor in relation to a criminal prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive, following a radioactive source incident on an offshore platform in the North Sea
• Various bribery and corruption internal investigations and proceedings
• Numerous health, safety and environmental incidents and fatalities, including investigations, inquests and representation in court
• Advising in relation to changes to Safety Case
• Advising on decommissioning liabilities
• Advising in relation to Bribery Act allegations, Nigeria
• Advising in relation to numerous agency agreements in Saudi Arabia and UAE