Newsletter
Information for members
March 2008

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Programme

Unless marked otherwise, the following meetings are free to members and guests. Location maps are now always available on the website.

All are welcome but for those meetings where the organiser’s telephone or email is given, it would be helpful if you could please let them know of your intention to attend.        

Tuesday,  4 March 6.15pm 
“European Procurement Law - why it matters to you”
Speaker: Sarah Hannaford
Chairman:  Mr Justice Coulson
Venue: National Liberal Club, Whitehall Place, London SW1

Tuesday, 4 March  6.00pm 
“Helping the client through the maze”
Speaker:   Professor Roy Morledge
Chairman:   Jocelyn Taylor
Venue:   Renaissance Hotel, South Normanton, Derbyshire  
Organiser: Jocelyn Taylor

Friday, 7 March 8.30am
SCL Annual Conference in partnership with The RICS & Leeds Metropolitan University
“Resolving disputes in construction”
Speakers:   Mr Justice Ramsey, Christopher Ennis, Ian Pennicott QC, Ronan Champion & Nerys Jefford
Chairman:  Jonathan Hawkswell
Venue:  The Royal Armouries, Leeds 
Organiser: Jonathan Hawkswell

Thursday, 13 March  6.00pm
Joint SCL/CIOB meeting
“Mock Arbitration Hearing”
Speaker:  Tony Bingham
Venue: Hambledon Suite 1, The Rose Bowl, Southampton SO30 
Organiser: Marian Harris-Deans

Tuesday, 18 March 5.30pm
Joint SCL/SNBCC Meeting
“Resolution of Construction Disputes in the Construction Court”
Speaker: Mr Justice Ramsey
Chairman:  The Honourable Lord Clarke
Venue: Signet Library, Parliament Square, Edinburgh EH1
Organiser: Lindy Patterson

Wednesday, 19 March 6.00pm 
“Delay and Disruption in the light of City Inn: Legal and practical perspectives”
Speakers:  Hamish Lal and Wendy MacLaughlin
Venue:  Beachcroft LLP, Nine Brindleyplace, Birmingham B1 
Organiser: Arul Selvaratnam 

Tuesday, 8 April 6.15pm 
“CDM Regulations 2007 - One year on”
Speaker: Ben Legg
Venue: National Liberal Club, Whitehall Place, London SW1  

Wednesday, 16 April 6.15pm  
“Delay and Disruption in the light of City Inn: Legal and practical perspectives”
Speaker:  Hamish Lal and Wendy MacLaughlin
Venue:  Jury's Inn Hotel, Midsummer Boulevard, Milton Keynes 
Organiser: Judith Bird

Tuesday, 6 May 6.15pm 
Presentation of the SCL Hudson prize winning paper, previously to have been given on this date has been moved to 3 June (see below).  The speaker for 6 May will be announced shortly.
Venue: National Liberal Club, Whitehall Place, London SW1

Tuesday, 13 May 6.15pm 
“Presenting cases in court: what a judge looks for”
Speaker:   His Honour Judge Grenfell
Chairman:   Martin Green
Venue:   Lecture Theatre 118, The Northern Terrace, Civic Quarter, Leeds LS1 
Organiser: Jonathan Hawkswell

Wednesday, 14 May 6.30pm
The Society's AGM & Annual Dinner
Venue: Middle Temple Hall, London EC4
This event is for SCL members only. Booking details tba

Tuesday, 3 June 6.15pm 
Winner of the 2007 SCL Hudson Prize Paper (see full results below)
“Public Law and Statutory Adjudication”
Speaker:  Julian Bailey
Chairman:  Professor Anthony Lavers
Venue: National Liberal Club, Whitehall Place, London SW1
Please note that this replaces the talk previously published on this date

Tuesday, 10 June 6.00pm  
“Variations, time limits and unanticipated consequences”
Speaker:  Ronan Champion
Chairman:  Jocelyn Taylor
Venue:  to be announced (Sheffield/Derby/Nottingham region) 
Organiser: Jocelyn Taylor

Tuesday, 1 July  6.30pm
Joint SCL/Society of Construction Arbitrators meeting
“Is it all necessary?  Who benefits?  Provision for multi-tier dispute resolution in international construction contracts”
Speaker:  Ellis Baker
Chairman:  Nerys Jefford           
Venue: National Liberal Club, London SW1

Thursday 3 July 6.15pm
“Proof of delay claims: London Underground v Citylink”
Speaker:   Nerys Jefford
Venue:   Jury's Inn Hotel, Midsummer Boulevard, Central Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire MK9  
Organisers: Judith Bird and Michael Gerard

Thursday, 3 July  
Junior SCL Boat Trip
Further details to be provided shortly.
Organiser: Richard Bailey

London Speaker Programme

Feedback and suggestions for speakers and topics continue to be gratefully received by the organising committee: Nerys Jefford, Nicholas Gould and Paula McKinley.

SCL Hudson Prize 2007

The SCL Hudson Prize Judging Panel is pleased to announce the following results in the 2007 competition:

1st Prize:  Julian Bailey, Solicitor, CMS Cameron McKenna, London
“Public Law and Statutory Adjudication”

Highly Commended:  Trevor Thomas, Solicitor, Clayton Utz, Victoria, Australia
“The value is whatever I say it is: determinations by the principal under construction contracts”
 
Commended:  Shy Jackson, Solicitor, Pinsent Masons, London
“The Duty to Disclose:  A Clash of Law and Morality”

Julian Bailey will present his prize winning paper on Monday, 3 June (see programme above).

Thanks to all who entered and special congratulations to Julian Bailey, who repeated his First Prize winning performance of last year.

Anthony Lavers,
Professor of Law, Chair of Judging Panel

Brewery Lunch 2008

The SCL Brewery Lunch this year attracted 650 people and was, judged by early soundings, enjoyed by all, but any feedback is useful, so do not hesitate to let us know by emailing frances.whitehead@scl.org.uk

Our distinguished guests were Mr Justice Rupert Jackson,  HHJudge Frances Kirkham, HH Judge Anthony Thornton QC and Caroline Cummins, Chairwoman of TECSA.

For the first time we had a “professional” speaker.  Sandi Toksvig delivered a witty, well balanced and well timed speech.  She had clearly done her homework on us and on the event, with numerous references to the fact that after lunch drinks were available in the Queen Charlotte Room!

The opportunity was taken to launch the Society’s International Construction Law Conference to be held in London on 5th-7th October 2008 and flyers giving full costs and registration details were distributed.  A copy of the flyer issued at the lunch is enclosed with this newsletter.  For more information, or to book online, please visit the Conference website at www.sclinternational.org

Sponsorship Packages:  A limited number elite sponsorship packages are available for the International Conference.  If any of you would be interested in discussing sponsorship packages for this prestigious event please contact Frances Whitehead at franceswhitehead@scl.org.uk

 Report from the University Grants Sub Committee

The Society of Construction Law currently supports a number of universities and other centres of learning through the provision of construction law book grants, subscriptions to specialist law reports and journals, and forms of contract.  The Society is keen to maintain these links and proposals are invited from such institutions based on the award of financial grants

The University Grants Sub Committee (UGSC) is not just concerned with universities courses but also considers applications for the development of web pages of educational establishments concerned with Construction Law.  These details are stated on the SCL website at http://www.scl.org.uk/about/grants.php.

Historically, the UGSC received very few applications for grants and contact with institutions had been confined to ‘cold-calling’ letters to departments from sub-committee members.  During the last eighteen months the UGSC has made proactive attempts to make personal contacts with the university staff members responsible for construction law teaching to establish relations and examine the possibilities for SCL assistance.

As a result of these efforts, contacts have been made with the following institutions: 

Oxford Brookes University 
University of Strathclyde 
Northumbria University
University of Manchester 
Herriot-Watt University   
Birmingham City University
Kingston University 
London South Bank University   
University of Greenwich
University of Reading   
Leeds Metropolitan University  
University of Cambridge
King’s College, London  
University of Central Lancashire

These contacts have generated a renewed interest in SCL and its relationship with the universities which has led to a significant increase in the number of applications received.  The following diagrams show the increase in the grants awarded over the past eight years. 

 During the year ending September 2007 the UGSC recommended the award of nearly £14,000 in grants to universities across the UK.

 SCL Prizes

 In addition to making book grants, and in an attempt to increase the profile of the Society, SCL agreed to sponsor a number of prizes for the best construction law related dissertation or project in the individual institutions.  The prizes general consist of approximately £100 and a year’s free membership of the Society.  Institutions where prizes have been given include:  Northumbria University, the University of Manchester, Kingston University, London South Bank University, the University of Greenwich and the University of Cambridge.

 Conclusion

 The UGSC has actively sought to build relationships with institutions teaching construction law and to offer modest support to their work in the form of grants for books and other materials.  While it is made clear that SCL cannot bind itself as to any future support, it is hoped that these and other institutions will make further applications in future years (each application being considered on its merits).  In the current year the UGSC will continue to:

• Maintain and strengthen existing relationships with universities involved in teaching construction law.
• Make contact with other institutions with whom no relationship yet exists.
• Examine the possibility of support for set up providing web-based information and instruction on construction law.
• Continue to promote the standing of SCL as a supporter of excellence by awarding student prizes for construction law related performance.

Charitable Donation

Members will be happy to learn that the sum of £1,111 has been donated to Cancer Research UK following the e-bids for Building Law Reports offered for auction in the January newsletter.

Thanks to those who offered, and happy reading to the winner.

SCL Papers

Two new papers were put on the website in February: 

D88, Martin Howe's paper An Introduction to the JCT 'Constructing Excellence' Contract 2007, given in Southampton in October and

D89, the paper that Hamish Lal gave in Lancashire in October, Decommissioning Contracts: Getting More for Less - the role of incentives-based contracts.

Subscriptions

We are grateful to the many members who have renewed their subscriptions for 2008.

A reminder to those who have yet to renew that, if you wish to remain a member of the Society, your renewal fee must be paid before the end of March deadline.  All unpaid members will be lapsed on 1st April.

To keep admin costs to a minimum, we particularly welcome payment direct through our secure website.  Click ‘shop’ (top of homepage) and then ‘Membership payments’ – or send a cheque for £100 (payable to the Society) to the Admin office at the address below.  When you are logged paid, a receipt will automatically be generated and sent to the email address we have for you on the database.

Please note: 

It is extremely important that the contact details we have for you on the database are up to date so that we don’t lose contact.  If you need to change your contact details you can log into the website using your username and password and update them or, if you prefer, email admin who will make the changes for you.

Junior SCL

Site Visit:  A Junior site visit is being planned for March.  Details will be announced shortly and all Junior members will be informed.

Summer Boat Trip on the Thames:  The fourth annual junior boat trip will take place on 3 July 2008. This year for the first time the event will be held in conjunction with Generation 4 Collaboration the junior part of Constructing Excellence. The Boat Trip will follow the King’s College Annual conference. Further details will be be provided shortly and all Junior members will be informed.

Advocacy Course

The Society is pleased to announce that it will be holding another Advocacy Training Course again this autumn.  It will be run at a location in central London over five evening sessions during November/December.  The course is open only to SCL members who are solicitors and will entitle each advocate to claim 12.5 CPD hours.  For further details, contract vicky.lee@dundas-wilson.com 

Website Survey

Many thanks to the members who have completed the online survey about the SCL website.  Much useful information has been gathered which will help in tailoring the new site more closely to the needs of members.

General responses showed that most members do not visit the site more than once or twice a month, but most find the site quite useful.  Of the current features on the site, papers and event information scored highest. Only about 30% of members use the members database to look up contact information about other members, and less than 20% use the online booking system for events.

Of the new features proposed, a good search engine ranked highest, followed by an email notification service for new content. 30-40% of members are interested in online forums, but less than 10% would use RSS feeds or blogs.

Nearly half of respondents said they were ready to discuss their ideas with the webmaster, and 100 said they would be ready to help with testing the new website when the prototype is ready.  We are also grateful that, so far, 46 members said they would be interested in helping keep the site up to date.

It is too early to be certain when the new site will be ready, but it is hoped that it will be in the second quarter of the year.

Edward Peters,
SCL webmaster

CIC

Following the talks on the contract given in London last October and in Edinburgh at the beginning of November, the CIC Consultants' Contract and CIC Scope of Services was published on 10th December.  Further information can be obtained from CIC (www.cic.org.uk).

How to register on the website as a member

In order to get members’ access to the website you must register online as a member.  Registration is easy.

Go to the website homepage www.scl.org.uk click Member Registration (listed below the Member Login box on the right hand side of the homepage) and enter your details and a username and password of your own choosing.  Your membership number is also asked for (if you don’t know it, then admin can tell you).
 
Thereafter, you can simply log onto the website using your username and password.  When you log in you will see a navigation link to 'Members' which is where you can update your contact details, email subscriptions and data protection information – and where you can choose to have the newsletter emailed to you instead of (or as well as) receiving it by post.  This is where you can also search for information about other SCL members who have agreed for their data to be accessible to other members on the website – the total of those who have given permission is now nearly 1,000 members.

UK Anti Corruption Forum

The latest Forum newsletter is available on the Forum’s website at www.anticorruptionforum.org.uk or for further details contact Neill Stansbury, Forum Co-ordinator, at coordinator@anticorruptionforum.org.uk

University of Manchester

The Development and Alumni Relations Office at the University of Manchester is trying to find as many  'lost alumni' as possible.  If you are a graduate from the University who has never had, or is no longer receiving, a copy of the alumni magazine it is because they do not have your current contact details.  You are therefore invited to register on their new interactive alumni website www.manchester.ac.uk/yourmanchester  where you can update your contact details, search for friends, register for events, and more. Alternatively, contact Hannah Taylor-Johnson at alumni@manchester.ac.uk or 0161 275 7230.

Dispute Resolution Board Foundation

The DRBF 8th Annual International Conference will take place in Cape Town on 2-4 May 2008.  The topic is ‘Dispute Resolution in Africa’.  DRB email: home@drb.org  DRB website:  www.drb.org

Further details, including the programme and registration form can be found on the homepage of the SCL website.

New Members

Finally, we are pleased to welcome the many new members who joined the Society in February:

Emma Archibald, London 
Sean Austin, London
Azlinda Baroni, Malaysia 
Louise Barrington, London
Catherine Bell, Melbourne, Australia 
Steve Bell, Blackburn
Theresa Boyce, London   
Natalie Britton, Bristol
Susan Bryson, Dublin, Ireland 
Lisa Calderwood, London
Adam Chandler, Manchester, USA 
Kuan Ching Chew, Singapore
Tim Claremont, London  
Peter Clarke, London
Alexandra Clough, London  
Lindsay Collett, London
Howard Crossman, London  
Hugo Dickson, London
Trevor Drury, Bristol  
Jonathan Durrant, Reading
Jatinder Garcha, London  
John Grahame-Brown, New Milton, Hants
John Hanlon, Tadworth, Surrey  
Vanessa Heath, Bristol
Digby Hebbard, London  
John Keane, Cambridge
Claire King, London  
David Laing, Comrie, Perthshire
Jacqueline Langlais, London 
Matthew Leonard, Sheffield
Joselito Matados, Abu Dhabi, UAE 
Innocent Okorji, Borehamwood, Herts
Peter Oliver, London   
Vince Orlando, London
Jerome O'Sullivan, Cork, Ireland 
David Palser, Baden, Switzerland
James Pickavance, London 
Anubis Raja, Dubai, UAE
Jason Stephens, London  
Gareth Stringer, London
Iain Suttie, London  
Eric Teo, Perth, Australia
Quentin Terry, Eleebana, Australia 
Shona Watson, Edinburgh
Nicholas Webb, Battle, East Sussex 
Chris Wheeler, Dublin, Ireland
Heather Williams, Gutersloh, Germany 
Rebecca Williams, London
Anne Wright, London 

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