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Portrait ofAdrian Bell

Adrian Bell

Partner
Co-head of the Infrastructure, Construction and Energy Disputes Group | Joint Managing Director for Asia and the Middle East

CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP
Cannon Place
78 Cannon Street
London
EC4N 6AF
United Kingdom
Languages English

Adrian is a Partner and co-head of the Infrastructure, Construction and Energy (ICE) Disputes Group and is a qualified solicitor advocate.

He advises on dispute avoidance and all types of dispute resolution procedures in the infrastructure, construction and energy and sectors. He specialises in substantial and complex claims, both in the UK and internationally.

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"Adrian Bell has a great ability to find solutions to complex commercial issues. He's also very responsive."

Chambers 2023

"Adrian Bell just knows how to run a case to get the best out of the client and everyone working on the case. Mark Breslin is a steel hand in a velvet glove. The one for getting out of tight corners."

Legal 500, 2024

"He's pragmatic and gets things done."

Chambers, 2023

"Adrian Bell is a real leader, he puts the right team together for each case."

Legal 500, 2023

"Adrian Bell is very focused on responsiveness and client service, he is always available and extremely sensible, pragmatic and commercial."

Legal 500, 2021

"He is extremely responsive and has a strong instinct for tactical decisions."

Chambers, 2020

"He carries with him a wealth of industry experience and he's always on hand to provide first-rate advice."

Chambers, 2020

"A tireless powerhouse."

Legal 500, 2020

very dedicated and hard-working lawyer who is good strategically.”

Chambers, 2019

"a leading name in complex construction disputes … Sources recommend him as "an excellent and tenacious litigator" with "strong construction knowledge"."

Who’s Who Legal, 2018

"Adrian is meticulous in his preparations and provides clear and unambiguous advice."

Chambers, 2018

"He's very enthusiastic, hard-working, and very personable. I like working with him."

Acritas Stars 2018

"astute, focused and no nonsense"

Legal 500, 2018

Relevant experience

  • A Spanish energy company and its partners in an arbitration concerning a dispute under a production sharing contract in North Africa under the local laws. ICC arbitral proceedings in Geneva.
  • A Turkish energy company on claims under a Project Agreement regarding an infrastructure project in Jordan under the local laws. UNCITRAL arbitration in Geneva.
  • An international oil and gas company in relation to claims arising from an EPC Contract in respect of an extended well testing facility in Iraq.
  • A Spanish engineering company in an international arbitration commenced against its employer for approximately $800m arising from delays and alleged defects concerning the construction of a 2,000MW combined cycle power plant in the Middle East under the local laws.
  • Japanese contractors in relation to delay claims arising from the construction of a $1billion power (600MW) and desalination plant in Saudi Arabia.
  • A Lebanese company in an arbitration against a BVI company in respect of a dispute relating to the construction of a hotel in the Middle East, including successfully defending proceedings in the English Courts regarding the arbitrator’s jurisdiction.
  • An oil super major in relation to delays caused to the refurbishment of a FPSO in the North Sea.
  • A contractor in defence of an adjudication commenced by its marine piling subcontractor under the NEC3 contract in relation to a £400m infrastructure project in the UK.
  • The operating subcontractor on a multi-million pound dispute arising out of a highways maintenance and management PFI.
  • The project company on four adjudications, High Court proceedings and two mediations arising out of multi-million pound delay and defects claims arising from a PFI waste treatment plant.
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Memberships & Roles

  • Committee Member, the Technology & Construction Solicitors Association.
  • Member of the International Bar Association, the LCIA Young International Arbitration Group, the Solicitors’ Association of Higher Court Advocates and the Society of Construction Law.
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Education

  • 2000 – BA(Hons) Law and Business, Warwick University, Warwick
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01/03/2024
Pre-conditions to arbitration and the FIDIC 2nd Edition
Amendments to the FIDIC 2nd Edition contracts published in November 2022 have narrowed the definition of “Dispute” to more closely align it with the pre-conditions to DAAB and arbitration proceedings...
08/01/2024
CMS continues Middle East expansion with heavyweight partner hire
International law firm CMS is delighted to announce the appointment of James Abbott, who joins the firm as a partner in its Dubai office. James arrives from Clifford Chance, where he led the firm’s...
03/10/2023
CMS strengthens commitment to the Middle East with new office in Saudi...
International law firm CMS is pleased to announce that it has opened an office in Riyadh following the granting of its Foreign Law Firm Licence by the Saudi Ministry of Justice.  Formally operating in...
26/09/2023
CMS appoints heavyweight Construction Disputes partner in Scotland
International law firm CMS is pleased to announce the appointment of Fenella Mason as a partner in the firm’s Infrastructure, Construction and Energy (ICE) Disputes practice in Edinburgh. She joins...
11/09/2023
CMS Annual Review of English Construction Law Developments: An International...
We are pleased to announce the publication of the 2023 edition of our internationally focused Annual Review of English Construction Law Developments. Now in its thirteenth year, the Annual Review summarises...
11/04/2023
Rebuilding Confidence: CMS International Construction Study 2023
Introduction In this era of low economic growth and high inflation, it is no surprise that the construction industry is facing a brutally challenging period. Rocketing interest rates, escalating material and labour costs, and growing pessimism, are heaping pressure on the sector. Across the construction supply chain, insolvencies have been rampant in many countries. This unforgiving climate and gloomy outlook is delaying or deferring spending and investment, but it is also creating concern, tension and discord in existing construction projects. These difficulties must be worked through by project stakeholders to stave off full-scale disputes, yet dispute resolution proceedings, such as arbitration, frequently occur across the industry. The bleak backdrop forms the foundation of the CMS International Construction Study 2023, which draws on extensive responses collected in late 2022 from industry experts and targeted interviews with selected senior professionals. The report outlines the difficult circumstances that the sector faces, but highlights the measures that can be taken to limit or prevent the fallout.
29/03/2023
Join CMS at the Paris Arbitration Week
CMS session followed by drinks reception
15/12/2022
Staying adjudication enforcement to arbitration: where are we now?
Two recent TCC decisions have considered whether to stay court proceedings brought to enforce an adjudicator’s decision owing to an arbitration agreement in the construction contract between the parties...
15/09/2022
CMS Annual Review of English Construction Law Developments: An International...
We are pleased to announce the publication of the 2022 edition of our internationally focused Annual Review of English Construction Law Developments. Now in its twelfth year, the Annual Review summarises...
14/09/2022
Annual Review of English Construction Law Developments: An International...
We are pleased to announce the publication of the 2022 edition of our internationally focused Annual Review of English Construction Law Developments. Now in its twelfth year, the Annual Review summarises key developments in English construction law over the previous calendar year including developments in related common law jurisdictions. The publication has been prepared with our international clients in mind and aims to provide a greater degree of background and analysis than our regular Law-Now alert service. This year’s edition continues to be influenced by the Covid-19 pandemic and includes articles on frustration and force majeure claims, on-demand bonds and intentional breaches of contract. We also report on developments in relation to the law on liquidated damages, another topic of special interest in light of the delays to many projects occasioned by the pandemic. You can download a PDF version of the 2022 annual review below at the bottom of the page. Some of the previous annual reviews are included belowAnnual Review of English Construction Law Developments 2021Annual Review of English Construction Law Developments 2020Annual Review of English Construction Law Developments 2019Annual Review of English Construction Law Developments 2018Other Law Now construction content can be accessed on the Con­struc­tion portal of our Law-Now website found here. You can also find out more about CM­S' ex­pert­ise in construction and en­gin­eer­ing and in­fra­struc­ture.
22/08/2022
ICCA 2022
The ICCA 2022 Congress, the largest arbitration conference in the world will take place in Edinburgh on 18-21 September 2022. CMS Scotland is delighted to support the conference as platinum sponsors. 
12/11/2021
Adjudication enforcement by companies in liquidation: Court of Appeal raises...
A recent Court of Appeal decision has criticised obiter comments made by the Supreme Court in Bresco v Lonsdale to the effect that adjudication decisions in favour of companies in liquidation could in...