Simon Tolson

BA (Hons), FCIArb, FFB, Solicitor, Chartered Arbitrator, Registered Adjudicator

stolson@fenwickelliott.co.uk

Senior partner

Contract experience

Simon is experienced in all main contracts such as JCT, ECC, ICE, IEE, GC/Works, FIDIC, FCEC, I CHEM E as well as numerous international and domestic bespoke forms.

Simon is ranked in the top first league of the Chambers UK Guide, who said that he can be relied upon to be “right on the money.” According to peers he “has shown real ability to lead from the front whilst to clients: "He is a real gentleman" in domestic adjudication matters. Simon is also ranked amongst the top construction solicitors in Who's Who Legal, Legal 500 and Legal Expert.

General experience

Simon has specialised in construction and engineering law and the disputes generated by the industry for most of his professional career. He has prepared and conducted many cases at senior level for over 19 years, including 14 reported decisions in the High Court and Court of Appeal. Simon is a recognised authority on dispute resolution by Chambers, Legal 500 and Legal Expert and has acted in well over 120 adjudications, seven of which have been reported. Simon is an accredited adjudicator with the TeCSA, RICS, ICE, CIC and CIOB panels. Between 1998 and 1999 Simon was also on the Faculty Training Board of the CIOB training adjudicators.

Career

Following graduation and the College of Law, Simon was articled and completed his training with Cozens & Moxon solicitors where he built up a clientele of construction clients, aided by his labouring days on construction sites during student holidays. Simon joined Fenwick Elliott in 1987 as an assistant solicitor, becoming a partner in 1989 and senior partner in April 2002.

Other activities

Simon has lectured extensively for most of the major conference symposia as well as universities such as Cambridge, Aston, Ulster, Loughborough and Reading, the Television Education Network/Einstein, the RICS, Arbrix, SCL, ICES, and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. Simon wrote the contract module for Kings’ College Construction Law, Litigation and Regulation distance learning course. He has a regular column with Building Magazine and has contributed to numerous other legal and construction journals. He is also a past member of the editorial board for the CLT Journal E&CLJ.

Memberships

Simon is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators 1995. He is also a Fellow of the Faculty of Building which in 1995 awarded him the Gordon Tomalin prize. He is a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Constructors and the Worshipful Company of Arbitrators, and is Membership Secretary of the Technology and Construction Solicitors Association and sub-committee chair of its Technical Course. Simon is also a founder Associate Member of the Planning Engineers Organisation and a member of the Dispute Resolution Board Foundation.

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