Rebecca Shorter

Partner, Paris, London

Biography

‘Rebecca Shorter is very impressive; excellent, hugely organised and hard working.’
Legal 500 UK – Construction: Contentious, 2020

Overview

Rebecca Shorter is a partner in the International Arbitration Group. She specializes in the resolution of disputes arising out of complex construction, engineering and infrastructure projects, advising both contractors and owners. Rebecca is experienced in international arbitration, litigation and alternative methods of dispute resolution such as dispute boards, adjudication and mediation.

Rebecca has been an elected member of council for the Society of Construction Law (UK) since 2016; she also sits on the committees for the London programme of lectures and SCL Astra. She speaks regularly at conferences and in an academic setting, including for the University of Reading's School for the Built Environment.

Bars and Courts
Solicitor Advocate, England and Wales
Paris
Education
LPC
Bloomsbury College of Law
LLB Law with French Law
University of Reading
Diploma in French Legal Studies
Université X de Paris Nanterre
Languages
English
French

Experience

Representing an international oil & gas company in one of the largest arbitration proceedings in the world, resulting from the consolidation of multiple ICC proceedings concerning the construction of an LNG processing facility;

Acting for an Eastern European government employer in multiple Dispute Board and ICC arbitration proceedings arising out of a number of road infrastructure projects;

Acting for a contractor in an appeal to the UK Supreme Court in connection with the design and construction of a hydro-electric project in the UK;

Acting for a Middle East government employer in ICC arbitration proceedings relating to the construction of a new international airport passenger terminal building;

Representing a global cabling supplier and contractor in an ICC arbitration against an energy entity concerning a sub-sea electrical interconnector between two European countries;

Advising a Joint Venture Employer in relation to multiple disputes arising out of the construction of an acid production facility in the Middle East;

Acting for a contractor in Dispute Board proceedings arising out of the construction of a 1.35 million m2 residential and commercial development in the Middle East including major infrastructure works;

Acting for a Middle East government employer in ICC arbitration proceedings relating to the construction of infrastructure and facilities supporting a new international airport;

Acting for a specialist tunnelling subcontractor in a LCIA arbitration relating to the construction of a new city drainage system in the Middle East;

Acting for a southern African government employer in ICC arbitration proceedings relating to the construction of a new passenger terminal building in the country's international airport;

Acting for a specialist M&E subcontractor in the London Technology and Construction Court and Court of Appeal proceedings relating to the development and fit out of a court building;

Representing a specialist subcontractor in a complex delay and disruption dispute relating to the development of the Athletes' Village for the London 2012 Olympics in the London Technology and Construction Court;

Representing a specialist sub-contractor in a final account dispute in a CIMAR arbitration for works in the refurbishment of a landmark London hotel;

Acting for a UK government tenant in proceedings in the London Technology and Construction Court and advising in a tripartite mediation with the developer and the owner; and

Acting for a contractor in multi-party proceedings in the London Technology and Construction Court under the Defective Premises Act.

Speaking Engagements

"Astra - An Introduction to Delay Claims: Part 2" The Society of Construction Law, 15 June 2021

"To Dispute or Not To Dispute", FIDIC Covid-19 Webinar, 30 March 2021
"Transparency in International Arbitration" GAR Live Women in Arbitration, 5 December 2019

"Trends in Dispute Resolution in the Region" IBA Europe-Caucasus-Asia 2019 Forum Tbilisi, 2 November 2019

"Multi-tiered dispute resolution clauses and their suitability for big infrastructure projects" Chartered Institute of Arbitrators conference, Infrastructure Disputes: what the future holds for us, London, 12 September 2019

"New Approaches to Disclosure: Saving Costs vs. Reducing Transparency?" Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and TECBAR, London, 14 February 2019

"Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution" Annual FIDIC Users Conference, London, 5 December 2018

Publications

"The Growth of Dispute Boards on International Construction Projects", White & Case article, 16 March 2021

"Using dispute boards in international projects," Building, 4 January 2021

"Standard forms of contract: FIDIC vs NEC" Construction Law, 4 May 2020

"How should the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak be managed on projects under FIDIC and NEC?", White & Case client alert, 31 March 2020 (co-authored with Charles Nairac, Dr. Markus Burianski, Dr. Dimitar Kondev and Yasmine El Achkar)"Disputes boards' use likely to grow", Construction Law, 1 November 2019

"'Common Law Common Sense' delay analysis", White & Case client alert, 19 September 2019

"Getting your digital documents in order: The challenges for dispute resolution", Construction News, 16 July 2019

"Prevention principle will not override agreed contract terms on concurrent delay", White & Case client alert, 8 August 2018 (co-authored with Ralph Goodchild)

"Trends in international arbitration", Construction Law Review, 1 August 2018

"Trends in construction disputes," Construction Law Review 2018-2019, July 2018

"Computers take over the Courtroom", Building, 11 July 2018

"The new FIDIC rainbow: A major departure or just an update?", White & Case Insight, 16 January 2018 (co-authored with Ellis Baker and Daniel Garton)

"The Second Edition of the SCL Delay and Disruption Protocol", White & Case client alert, 2 March 2017 (co-authored with Julian Bailey and Michael Turrini)

"Dispute boards – modern approaches to dispute resolution in international projects," Global Arbitration Review, 16 July 2013

"Insolvency: When Is It Official?," Building, 26 August 2011

"Case Clarifies Contract Liabilities," Construction News, 14 April 2011

"Pure Economic Loss Re-Examined," Property Law Journal 267, 2011

"Amendments Assessed," Property Law Journal 245, 2010

Awards and Recognition

"Rebecca Shorter is renowned for her "comprehensive approach to all parts of a dispute" and "deep understanding of critical path and delay analysis, as well as construction law". (Who's Who Legal: Construction, 2022)

Construction: International Arbitration – Up and Coming (Chambers UK, 2022)

'Rebecca is an exceptional lawyer who is highly intelligent, personable and commercially astute - she is a pleasure and inspiration to work with.' (Chambers UK – Construction: International Arbitration, 2022)

'Ha[s] a strong in-depth knowledge of construction.' (Legal 500 UK – Construction: Contentious, 2022)