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John Tackaberry KC
Year of call: 1967
Silk: 1982
“One of the doyens of international arbitration” Chambers and Partners
During his career at the Bar, John Tackaberry MA, LLM (Pub Int Law), FCIArb has undertaken a wide range of work both as a Junior – e.g. Pickin v British Railways Board [1973] 1 QB 219, [1974] AC 765; Anns v Walcroft [1977] EGD 556, (sub Nom Anns v Merton) [1978] AC 728; Birkett v James [1978] AC 297 – before specialising as a Silk, initially in arbitration but subsequently including work in other capacities – for example, recently as a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Governance Tribunal.
As well as work in the UK, he has a great deal of expertise in international disputes throughout Europe, the USA, the Middle East, the West Indies, Africa, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, India and South America. He is a member of, or has been admitted to, the Bars of California, Ireland, Hong Kong (ad hoc), Malaysia (ad hoc) and New South Wales, and has been heavily involved in ICC arbitrations. He sat as a Recorder for 17 years and was appointed to the United Nations Compensation Commission for a five year term as chair of a construction panel. He has written and contributed widely, including in particular as Principal Editor, to Bernstein’s Handbook of Arbitration and Dispute Resolution Practice.
He undertakes work as an arbitrator, advocate, mediator, dispute board resolver, and adjudicator.
John has been consistently recommended as a leading Silk in “International Arbitration: Arbitrators” for many years – some examples are set out below:
- “He doesn’t miss a trick and leaves no stone unturned” Chambers and Partners
- “An outstanding arbitrator and mediator who has wonderful judgement” Chambers and Partners
- “He is an erudite lawyer and an outstanding arbitrator” Chambers and Partners
Areas of expertise
Arbitration- Construction
Construction cases have included disputes about a hotel project in the Gambia; the construction of Fantasy Land in Paris; a glass walling contract in London; a lift installation contract in Hong Kong; prefabricated housing in Saudi Arabia; the Mercury Court office development in Liverpool; the Westminster & Chelsea Hospital building; local authority housing rehabilitation schemes; the construction of a tertiary education campus in Hong Kong plus related areas of dispute such as copyright issues re architects' designs.
Engineering
Cases of note:
- A dispute arising out of a major well drilling contract to draw water from ancient acquifer. Cutting edge analysis of interaction of water and pipe.
- The construction of a floating power station on a major river in the Sub-continent.
- A dispute arising out of the construction of an under water fibre optic cable for electronic communication between Northern Europe and the United Kingdom.
- A dispute arising out of a contract for the design, supply, delivery, erection and initial operation of a substantial gypsum plant in the Middle East.
- A dispute arising out of defects in the compressing and forwarding of Russian gas through Poland.
- A dispute arising out of a contract for the design, supply and erection of an hot strip Mill in North Africa.
- The renovation and re-purposing of a substantial vessel as one of the largest pipe laying vessels in the world .
- A dispute arising out of the construction of a sea wall
- A series of arbitrations arising out of a major power station project .
- An extensive cut and fill dispute arising out of a contract for the construction of roadworks in the UK
- A dispute arising out of sea defence works in the North of England
- A dispute arising out of the construction of a catalytic cracker as part of a large refinery in the far east
- A dispute arising out of a sub-contract for all the painting and insulation needed for the construction of a plant for liquefied natural gas in South East Asia
- A financial dispute arising out of work for a National Oilwell Company
House Construction and similar work
Cases of note:
- A contract in the UK for the upgrading of housing for service families
- Advising as to the resolution of a disputed contract for the construction of amenity sites in Ireland
Institutional and Commercial Construction
Cases of note:
- A dispute arising out of a contract for Institutional building works
- A dispute arising out of a contract for the design, supply and erection of a hot strip Mill in North Africa.
Arbitration- Commercial
Commercial work has included a taxi franchise in the High Court; a bus contract in Turkey; a shore dealing dispute in Hong Kong and continental Europe; a commission dispute arising out of Westland v Saudi Arabia (a major case in the 90s); a follow-on dispute to the CME television rights dispute; and an aircraft servicing dispute in Africa involving serious corruption issues.
Work at the UNCC involved five years of intensive dispute resolution on a paper-only basis utilising a locally based legal team. 196 construction claims were addressed. The total value of the claims exceeded $3 billion.
Cases of note:
- Multi million pound fee and commission dispute arising out of a Saudi helicopter deal.
- A dispute arising out of a fraud tainted contract for the servicing of aircraft. South African law
- A dispute arising out of an international stock purchase agreement.
- A dispute arising out of a contract for the manufacture and delivery of buses
- A dispute arising out of the licencing arrangements for a national telecommunications centre
Energy
Cases of note:
- A dispute arising out of a contract for the construction of a boiler plant.
Recommendations
- “Acclaimed international arbitrator with considerable experience in the areas of construction, commercial and energy law. His substantial experience as an advocate in international arbitrations has afforded him a deep understanding of disputes arising in both common law and civil law jurisdictions.” Chambers and Partners
- “He is an erudite lawyer and an outstanding arbitrator” Chambers and Partners
- “Very experienced in construction and infrastructure disputes.” The Legal 500
- “The doyen of construction arbitrations.” The Legal 500
- “He is unparalleled and manages to remain unruffled when tackling difficult matters.” Chambers and Partners
- “An arbitrator par excellence, and a real construction and commercial expert.” The Legal 500
- “A powerhouse; one of the finest barristers at the Bar” The Legal 500
- “Unfailingly helpful and prompt, and discerning in his advice” The Legal 500
- “Considered an eminent expert in the field of commercial arbitration, and is acknowledged by market sources as ‘someone you would instinctively appoint in a major projects case’” Chambers UK
- “one of the doyens of international arbitration” Chambers and Partners
- “performs splendidly” The Legal 500
