About Tom Hutchison

Tom advises clients on resolving disputes and mitigating risks in relation to Global Projects.

Tom is Counsel in our Global Projects Disputes Practice. He acts for clients in all forms of dispute resolution, including international arbitration, litigation and ADR with a key focus on construction and engineering, infrastructure, transport, nuclear, utilities, energy, and oil and gas sectors, in addition to client's broader commercial interests. 

Tom acts for corporate entities, owners/ operators, major contractors and public bodies involved in the development of major projects across the globe. He also advises on the management and mitigation of project risks, including in the structuring and negotiation of project agreements and construction contracts, public procurement and bid-challenges.  

Recent work

• an energy major on claims concernting construction of a large scale offshore wind farm;
• an international energy company on the impact of sanctions, including disputes, on an ongoing field development project;
• a defence contractor in relation to a dispute against a subcontractor under a hgih value defence procurement contract;
• an energy major in relation disputes with design, construction and fabrication contractors relating to the construction and expansion of major oil and gas production facilities;
• an energy major in relation to a dispute between stakeholders relating to the construction of new build nuclear power stations;
• a major engineering contractor and nuclear site licence company on a series of claims for delay, disruption and scope change, including arising from the impacts of covid-19, relating to the decommissioning of a nuclear facility in the UK;
• A global marine and construction contractor in ICC arbitration proceedings against two joint venture shareholders in relation to major marine and civil engineering work in an internationally renowned infrastructure project by the contractor group; and in disputes arising from enforcement of inter-JV shareholder corporate guarantees, and enforcement of project security by the employer against the JV contractor, in parallel ICC arbitration and litigation proceedings;
• a nuclear decommissioning contractor in relation to the successful challenge in the English High Court of the award by a public authority under the Public Contract Regulations of a contract for the decommissioning of 12 UK nuclear power stations and nuclear research sites;
• a midstream gas supplier in relation to the defence of three separate arbitration proceedings (including proceedings under the ICC rules) brought by downstream industrial customers for undersupply on the grounds of force majeure events, affecting upstream gas production and downstream supply to domestic customers and LNG producers;
• a nuclear defence contractor in relation to the long-term supply agreements for nuclear submarine powerplants, including the regeneration and construction of new facilities for manufacture
• a train operating company in arbitration proceedings against a rail infrastructure owner in relation to a claim for contractual compensation arising from service delay and disruption;
• a metro operator in relation to a dispute, including adjudication proceedings, regarding the construction of a metro line extension and upgrade, including the quantum of compensation for an alleged failure to achieve the agreed efficiency targets;
• a power systems contractor in relation a dispute, including adjudication proceedings, regarding the design and construction of a 1000mw sub-sea power interconnector concerning and disruption to project completion and delay damages;
• an engineering design contractor in relation to UNCTITRAL arbitration under relating to defects in design and construction of a waste treatment and processing site;
• an LNG plant owner/operator in relation to a claim against the contractor for damage to a plant during commissioning, including project delay;
• a US LNG plant owner/operator in relation to a claim against the contractor for damage to a plant due to a fire during commissioning, including defects and project delay.