When Disputes Happen: Construction Arbitration, Adjudication and Expert Witness Practice Training Course
1Summary
Delays, variations and disagreements over payment are not the exception on a construction project — they are close to guaranteed, and the professionals who can manage them well protect both the project and their own credibility. This When Disputes Happen: Construction Arbitration, Adjudication and Expert Witness Practice Training Course starts from that reality, building the practical skills to identify disputes early and carry them through to resolution.
Delivered by Arab British Fellowship Training Academy, this course falls under Engineering Maintenance and Operation and specializes in Construction and Civil Engineering Training Courses. Participants work through adjudication, mediation, FIDIC contracts, claims and evidence, expert reports and arbitration hearings, gaining the skills to evaluate evidence, prepare expert opinions and support dispute-resolution proceedings in construction and civil-engineering projects.
2Objectives and target group
- Identify common causes of construction disputes and recognize early warning signs.
- Understand the principles and procedures of Construction Arbitration, including arbitration versus litigation.
- Apply adjudication and mediation techniques to construction-related disputes.
- Understand the structure and application of FIDIC contracts, including claims, notices and dispute boards.
- Evaluate claims, counterclaims, variations, delays and cost impacts using contractual and factual evidence.
- Develop effective evidence-gathering, documentation and organization practices for dispute proceedings.
- Understand the responsibilities and independence of an expert witness.
- Prepare clear, technically robust expert reports referencing contractual and project records.
- Present technical evidence at arbitration hearings and respond to challenges under questioning.
- Understand procedures associated with construction-related legal disputes and escalation strategies.
- Develop strategies for preventing and resolving construction disputes, balancing cost, time and risk.
Target Audience
This course is designed for:
- Construction project managers, and civil and construction engineers.
- Quantity surveyors, cost consultants and contract managers.
- Claims consultants and commercial managers.
- Construction lawyers and legal professionals.
- Arbitrators, expert witnesses and dispute-resolution professionals.
- FIDIC contract specialists and professionals involved in construction claims and disputes.
3Course Content
Module 1: When Disputes Happen — Causes and Early Warning Signs
- Contractual, payment and valuation disputes.
- Variations, delay and disruption claims, defects and extension-of-time claims.
- Termination and performance disputes; identifying dispute triggers early.
Module 2: Foundations of Construction Arbitration
- Nature of construction disputes; arbitration versus litigation.
- Arbitration agreements, clauses, procedures and stages.
- Roles of parties, arbitrators, lawyers and experts; advantages and limitations.
Module 3: Adjudication and Mediation
- Principles and procedures of adjudication; evidence and decision-making.
- Principles of mediation, preparation and negotiation.
- Roles of mediators and settlement strategies.
Module 4: FIDIC Contracts and Dispute Resolution
- Overview of FIDIC contract structures and party responsibilities.
- Claims and notices, variations and payment provisions under FIDIC.
- Extension-of-time procedures, dispute boards and arbitration provisions.
Module 5: Building the Case — Construction Claims and Evidence
- Identifying and evaluating construction claims.
- Contractual, factual, programme and cost/payment evidence.
- Establishing entitlement and causation; organizing evidence for proceedings.
Module 6: The Expert Witness Role
- Role, responsibilities and independence of an expert witness.
- Technical versus legal evidence; reviewing project documentation.
- Developing expert opinions and maintaining professional credibility.
Module 7: Preparing Expert Reports
- Structure of expert reports and defining scope and issues.
- Technical analysis, quantification of impacts, and delay/disruption/cost analysis.
- Preparing clear conclusions and avoiding common weaknesses.
Module 8: Arbitration Hearings and Technical Evidence
- Preparing for hearings and presenting technical evidence.
- Examination and cross-examination; responding to challenges to expert opinions.
- Explaining complex engineering information and maintaining objectivity.
Module 9: Dispute Strategy in Practice
- Early dispute assessment and escalation/resolution strategies.
- Litigation versus arbitration considerations; managing legal and technical teams.
- Cost, time and risk considerations; applying lessons from real dispute cases.