Paul Cowan has an extensive national and international contentious construction practice, including litigation, arbitration and adjudication, together with experience in negotiating and advising in respect of a wide range of building contracts, consultancy appointments, development agreements, collateral warranties, bonds and guarantees involving all forms of construction procurement.

Particular dispute resolution experience includes:

• Advising in respect of the design and construction of nuclear power stations;
• Acting as Counsel in UNCITRAL arbitration proceedings in respect of disputes arising from the construction of a hydroelectric power plant in South America (including advocate in all procedural and substantive hearings);
• Acting as Counsel in ICC arbitration proceedings in respect of disputes arising from land remediation works in Lebanon;
• Providing advice and conducting ICC arbitration proceedings in respect of disputes arising from the construction of a high speed railway in Taiwan;
• Providing pre-arbitration advice in relation to disputes arising from the construction of a gas production facility in North Africa;
• Providing advice and conducting UK arbitration proceedings in respect of disputes arising from the construction of a new government agency headquarters in Bristol;
• Advising, negotiating and drafting in relation to the redevelopment of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden;
• Providing advice and multiple adjudications in respect of disputes concerning the design and construction of a new UK government immigration detention centre and its subsequent destruction by fire;
• Advising in respect of disputes (pre-proceedings) arising from renovation works at the Royal Albert Hall;
• Advising and adjudicating in a dispute arising from the construction of luxury residential property in West London;
• Advising and adjudicating in multiple disputes arising from the renovation and hotel conversion of a UK country manor house;
• Advising and adjudicating in a dispute arising from the design and construction of a new golf course and club house in the UK; and
• Advising in respect of disputes arising from the construction of a new concert hall in Suffolk, UK.

Particular project development experience includes:

• Negotiating component contracts in respect of an international gas pipeline project;
• Negotiating and drafting building contracts and appointments for various office developments in the City of London, including utilizing two-stage tendering design and build contracting, guaranteed maximum price mechanisms and profit-sharing procedures;
• Negotiating, drafting and advising in respect of a new company headquarters building in Folkestone, UK; and
• Negotiating, drafting and advising in respect of school, hospital and prison PFI projects.

Bars and Courts
England and Wales, 2004
Barrister, England and Wales (Inner Temple), 1996

Education
Major Scholarship - Inner Temple, 1995/1996
LLB (Hons), University College, University of Durham, 1995

Professional Associations and Memberships
International Nuclear Law Association Member of JCT Council
Chairman of JCT Construction Dispute Resolution Group
Member of CIMAR Review Body
Member of City of London Law Society Construction Committee
Member of Society of Construction Law
Member of International Nuclear Law Association
Member of Nuclear Industry Association

Publications
Recent published articles include:
"The credit crunch and construction projects – employers' liability if funding collapses?", Global Arbitration Review, Vol 3, Issue 6, December 2008
"Common law 'time at large' arguments in a civil law context", Construction Law Journal (2007) 23 Const. L.J. 592
Other articles previously published in Building magazine and Journal of the Institute of Structural Engineers
Co-author of standard form of novation agreement and guidance note, City of London Law Society Construction Committee
Presentations and seminars (e.g. international arbitration, construction concurrent delays, liquidated damages and extensions of time)

Languages
English

Citizenship
British