Energy & Natural Resources
Recommended in Legal 500
Crispin’s energy practice involves large-scale projects in the UK and around the world. He has experience of oil and gas, petrochemical plants and renewables, including waste-to-energy and solar power (both PV and CSP).
Selected Cases
- Acting for the owner and operator of a concentrating solar power (CSP) plant in South Africa in a $90m ICC arbitration concerning EPC contractor’s claims for generation upside payments and owner’s counterclaims for performance LADs and defects. Appeared at 13 day evidential hearing.
- Shepherd Construction v Drax Power [2021] EWHC 1478 (TCC); 196 Con LR 239 – acting for the owner in a dispute as to the effect of retention provisions in a contract based on the FIDIC Yellow Book 1999 which had been varied to add further works as part of the conversion of Drax Power Station to biomass.
- Acting for the owner of a waste-to-energy plant in relation to a £multi-million dispute in respect of delay and defects.
- Acting for a state-owned oil company and its insurers in a $60m ICC arbitration arising from a fire at an oil refinery in the Middle East. 2 week evidential hearing.
- Acting for a contractor in a $400m LCIA arbitration relating to an oil and gas project in the Middle East. 2 week evidential hearing.
- Representing a state-owned oil company in a $multi-billion LCIA arbitration arising from an Oil and Gas project in the Middle East.
- Representing a UK contractor in a dispute with an Italian steel fabricator in relation to a contract for the supply of steel products to an iron ore mine in West Africa.
- Acting in a £multi-million TCC dispute over the fabrication of process units for installation in an FPSO.
- Advising in relation to a £100m renewable fuel power station.
- Advising a European contractor in relation to a number of water treatment works and power generation projects.
- £100m LCIA arbitration concerning an Oil and Gas project in the Middle East.
- Advising in relation to a £15m biomass plant in Scotland.
- Acting for a Danish contractor in DAB proceedings relating to a power plant in the Caribbean.
- Acting for Total UK in relation to the explosion at the Buncefield Oil Storage Depot.
News
- Crown Office Chambers features in The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases of this year
- Roger ter Haar QC, Andrew Rigney QC and Crispin Winser QC ranked in the Legal 500 EMEA 2021 Edition
Articles
- An Exercise in Utility: Liquidators Adjudicating Construction Disputes
- “When Insolvency Trumps Rough Justice: Injunctions and Stays of Execution of Adjudication Proceedings”, The Society of Construction Law
Events
Qualifications
- Registered practitioner in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)
- Major Scholar, Inner Temple
- MSc Construction Law & Dispute Resolution, King’s College London
- Dip Law, City University
- BA, Bristol University
Memberships
- British Japanese Law Association
- Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb)
- Commercial Bar Association
- LCIA European Users Council & Young International Arbitration Group
- London Common Law and Commercial Bar Association
- Society of Construction Law (UK & Gulf)
- Technology & Construction Bar Association
Rankings
- Legal 500 2022 London Bar: recommended 2021 silk for Construction, Energy and International Arbitration
- Legal 500 2022 UAE: recommended 2021 silk for Construction
- Chambers UK 2022: recommended new silk for Construction and International Arbitration: Construction/Engineering
- Chambers Global 2022: recommended new silk for Construction
- Who’s Who Legal 2022: national leader and future leader for Construction
Recommendations
“He is a good sounding board for strategies and excellent on his feet where he is very calm and assured.” … “A very clinical and really compelling advocate.” … “His strengths lie in quickly grasping the matter of the dispute and delivering fast, reliable advice.”
Chambers & Partners, 2022
“Crispin is frighteningly bright. He has a forensic mind which allows him to see through the chaff and get to the nub of any issue quickly. His advocacy style is calm, measured but insistent. Very effective.” … “Simply superb. Very responsive, helpful and suitably aggressive when he needs to be. A dedicated expert in his field. Richly deserved elevation to silk.” … “An excellent and polished advocate who works exceptionally hard to master the papers and be fully on top of the brief.”
Legal 500, 2022
“Reasonable, on top of the detail, commercial and an amazing advocate – particularly at cross-examination.”
Legal 500 EMEA, 2021
“a highly recommended dispute resolution practitioner who excels at assisting construction and energy sector clients in complex proceedings”
Who's Who Legal 2021
“One of the standout performers among senior juniors at the Construction Bar. He is thorough, well prepared, and an effective advocate.” … “He’s considered, calm under pressure and able to get up to speed quickly.”
Chambers & Partners, 2021
“Hard-working, team player who really understands how to present in international arbitration – should be a QC already.” … “Hard-working, great team player. Excellent cross-examination skills. Best junior barrister I have come across.” … “An excellent senior-junior – very clever and responsive.”
Legal 500, 2021
“absolutely first rate … an excellent cross-examiner in an arbitration context”
Who's Who Legal, 2020
“An excellent senior-junior – very clever and responsive.”
Legal 500 2020, EMEA
“highly responsive … creative and quick on his feet, with real substance on the intellectual side of a dispute” … “He is stunningly good. His work is detailed and his manner of cross-examination is incisive but pleasant.” … “He prepares thoroughly and is very perceptive and good on his feet”
Chambers & Partners, 2020
“Very proactive and impressive.” … “Extremely hardworking, very effective in cross-examination and always responsive.”
Legal 500, 2020
“Excellent and technically very able. He is very personable and not afraid to roll up his sleeves and work as part of a wider legal team.”
Chambers & Partners, 2019
