Sean Sullivan Gibbs
To book, please contact ADR ODR International on
info@adrodrinternational.com.
Areas of expertise
ADR for the onshore and offshore construction and engineering industries including mediation, arbitration, adjudication, dispute board and expert determination.
Languages
English
Professional Memberships
Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors
Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
Fellow of the Association of Arbitrators (South Africa)
Member of the Offshore Engineering Society
Member Adjudication Society
Member of the Institute of Civil Engineers
Fellow of the Institute of Civil Engineering Surveyors
Member of the Society of Construction Law (UK/Gulf)
Member of the International Bar Association
Associate
Fellow of the Institute of Chemical Engineers
Cardiff University Bond Solon Accredited Civil Expert Witness Certificate Holder
Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building
ADR-ODR International accredited mediator
Barrister Middle Temple
Professional Experience
2011-2018 Director - Hanscomb Intercontinental
2010-2011 Commercial Director – Gleeds
2008-2010 Senior Contracts Manager – AECOM
2003-2006 Commercial Director – Gibbs Construction
1998-2003 Commercial Director – Brookes Construction
Sean has held directorships and senior commercial positions with contracting and consultancy firms in the United Kingdom and Internationally. With over 30 years’ experience in the onshore and offshore construction and engineering industries across the globe Sean has worked across the continents of Europe, Asia, Middle East, Africa and the Americas.
He has acted as quantum expert before various dispute resolution tribunals including adjudication, dispute board, expert determination and arbitration.
Sean holds a current Cardiff University Bond Solon accreditation as an expert witness and is on the Dubai International Arbitration Centre and the Arbitrators Association panels of experts.
Project experience includes major building refurbishment and work with listed buildings in the United Kingdom, airport developments, industrial process plants, commercial developments, military and police installations, heavy engineering in respect of onshore and offshore Oil & Gas facilities and pipelines, highway interchanges, tunnels, leisure resorts, nuclear, waste to energy, biomass, onshore and offshore windfarms, renewables, mines, ports, hospitals and rail/metro projects.
Projects have been based on numerous standard and be-spoke Conditions of Contract, including the NEC/ECC Suite of Contracts, JCT Suite of Contracts, ICE Suite of Contract, FIDIC Suite of Contracts, I Chem E Suite of Contracts, ICC Suite of contracts and other EPC / Split EPC / EPIC / FEED / EPCM forms.
He is actively involved with other construction law institutes and organizations including The Adjudication Society, Society of Construction Law (UK & Gulf), The International Bar Association, The Dispute Resolution Board Foundation, UK Adjudicators and HK Adjudicators.
Sean also sits as an arbitrator and through this experience better understands what the tribunal expects from those giving evidence.
Advice given to parties on various arbitral rules includes those of the ICC, LCIA, DIFC, DIAC, DIAC, UNCITRAL, HKIAC, SIAC, AAA, ICDR, KLRCA, SCC, ASA and ICSID.
EXPERT APPOINTMENTS (FORMALLY INSTRUCTED)
Metro, UK – Instructed by in house counsel for contractor to prepare quantum report on disputed variation account, appear before tribunal.
Offshore Wind Farm, UK - Instructed by lawyers acting for developer
University Campus, UAE – Instructed by in house counsel for contractor to prepare quantum report on disputed variation account, appear before tribunal.
Onshore Wind Farm, UK - Instructed by lawyers acting for landowner in dispute with adjoining land owner to prepare capital cost report for approved onshore wind scheme in order to reach settlement for loss of shooting rights.
Residential Conversion, UK – Instructed by director of contractor to provide expert report for costs of remedial works in county court action.
Water Pumping / Treatment Station, UK: Instructed by in house counsel prepare quantum report on variations and delay and disruption costs for civil engineering contractor, appear before adjudicator and be cross examined by adjudicator and solicitor.
New Build Hotel, UAE - Instructed by in house counsel prepare quantum report and appear before arbitral tribunal in UAE, cross examination by counsel.
Dairy Process Plant, UK - Instructed by director of contractor prepare quantum report on variations and delay and disruption costs for, appear before adjudicator cross examination by solicitor.
Coal Fired Power Station, RSA – Instructed by in house counsel to prepare quantum report on design changes and appear before dispute board, cross examination by counsel.
Hospital, Qatar – Instructed by lawyers acting for parastatal company to prepare report on cost of non-approved design changes made by designer.
Powers station / Desalination Plant, Kuwait – instructed by in house lawyers to report on value of claims for variations, loss and expense, delay and disruption from EPC contactor.
Biomass Plant, Germany – instructed by in house counsel of subcontractor to prepare expert report for arbitration in respect of claims for variations, loss and expense, delay and disruption.
EXPERT ADVISOR APPOINTMENTS
Offshore Wind Farms, UK and Europe- Instructed by in house counsel to advise developer on multiple claims arising from projects in Europe
Waste to Energy Plant, UK – Appointed by board of EPC contractor to express opinion on likely value of recovery of claims.
PFI Waste to energy scheme, UK – Appointed by directors of specialist contractor to provide contractual advice on process to change.
Energy from Waste Plant, UK – Appointed by the Contractor as Delay Expert to provide independent opinion regarding project delay.
Port Relocation, Azerbaijan – Appointed by in house counsel of Azeri developer to comment on value of claims received from contractor.
Steel, India - Appointed as Expert Advisor by Japanese corporation to provide contract and claims strategy report.
Gas to grid, UK - Appointed by EPC contactor to advise on compensation events arising from works on project involving biomethane being injected into National Grid.
Oil and Gas, Kuwait – Seconded from PMC to NOC advising on claims, claims prevention on programme of works.
Oil and Gas Abu Dhabi - Seconded from PMC to NOC advising on claims, claims prevention on programme of works.
CLAIMS / DISPUTE RESOLUTION APPOINTMENTS
Copper mine expansion, Peru – Prepare cost and time claims against employer for contractor in respect of force majeure, delay and disruption, scope change on HV and LV packages, pipelines, tunnel and waste water treatment stations.
New Town, Libya – prepare force majeure claims due to outbreak Libyan civil war.
Underground Gas Storage Facility, Germany Advise EPCM on claims from package contractors including civils, structural steel, piping, pipelines.
Party representative adjudications, UK – represent employing company in over 60 adjudications in United Kingdom.
M4 Motorway, UK – instructed by civils contractor to produce claim for employer delay and associated costs.
PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS
Regional Convenor Society of Construction Law – Arrange speakers for regional events in the United Kingdom including speakers from Keating, Atkins, Crown Office, Hardwicke and 4 New Square.
Committee Member Western Region Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
Associate Tutor University College Estate Management
Committee Member South West & South Wales Western Region Chartered Institute of Civil engineering Surveyors
Adjudicator UK Adjudicators
Arbitrator CIARB DAS Business Scheme
Mediator ADR-ODR International
Past Chairman Gloucestershire branch Chartered Institute of Building
Past Gulf region Committee Member Dispute Resolution Board Foundation
PUBLICATIONS / SPEAKING
Speaker & Track Host - Society of Construction Law International Conference Chicago
Speaker - Society of Construction Law International Conference South Africa
Speaker – Chartered Institute of Civil Engineering Surveyors SWSW branch
Speaker – International Construction contracts Conference Prague
Table Host – Adjudication Society Conference Bristol
Gibbs et al, Use of FIDIC Contracts in the UK and European Offshore Wind Industry, CICES Construction Law Review, 2018
Gibbs et al, Possible Standard Forms of Construction and Engineering Contracts for Use in Offshore Wind Farm Construction in Irish Territorial Waters, Irish Construction, Engineering and Energy Law Journal, 2018
Lee, Gibbs et al, International Construction Contract Law, 2nd Edition, Wiley-Blackwell, 2018
Arbitrator panel member Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Business Arbitration scheme
Arbitrator and adjudicator panel member Association of Arbitrators
Expert Dubai International Arbitration Centre
Sit as arbitrator in ICC Paris and Edinburgh Pre Viz Moots as chair and panel member
