Dispute Prevention & Resolution

We advocate intelligent spend at the front end of a project to protect and maximise entitlement and thereby avoid dispute. Even if a dispute is unavoidable, engaging Pyments at an early stage puts our clients in the best position to promulgate or defend the various forms of dispute resolution.

Since its introduction in 1996, we have had the conduct of over 600 adjudications. We have undertaken the advocacy of the vast majority of these adjudications thereby removing expensive legal fees, and bringing relevant ‘hands on’ construction experience to the process. The proven results and repeat business are testament to our hard work, dedication and expertise.

An increasingly popular form of dispute resolution and a pre-requisite to litigation. Unsurprisingly, Pyments involvement with all aspects of the mediation process is vast. Amongst our many and varied client base we are sufficiently respected to undertake a quasi-mediator role and there has been many occasions where we have brokered a solution without the need for a formal dispute resolution tribunal.

Pyments have personnel accredited by the Academy of Experts and possessing the qualifications and experience to act as a party appointed expert or as a single joint expert under Civil Procedure Rules Part 35. We have provided expert reports and presented expert opinion and evidence in a variety of formal dispute resolution tribunals on matters of commercial and contractual liability, quantum and delay. Our experts produce detailed and objective analysis which focusses on the key issues and can support the negotiated settlement of a dispute.

Following years of being party to impractical, expensive and uninformed legal advice from solicitors without due cognisance to the construction process, Pyments collaborated with likeminded solicitors at Berwick Law to form a specialist construction law team with a wealth of industry know-how. Pyments Law are an associated business of Pyments providing a truly unique ability to effectively manage your dispute throughout the entire process. We are a ‘one-stop shop’ for any construction dispute, cutting through the red-tape and delivering cost effective solutions.

Whilst it could be argued arbitration is no longer the industry preferred medium to resolving disputes, Pyments has obtained significant experience working on a party appointed basis. We have Licensed Access which allows non-legal professionals and organisations to instruct barristers without the involvement of an instructing legal professional. Direct access reduces legal costs, promotes efficient case management, and provides opportunity to seek Counsel’s opinion on specific legal advice prior to commencing Arbitration.

We have represented our clients in the presentation of entitlement documents prior to, and during, the arbitration process and have also been instructed to provide expert opinion on matters of commercial and contractual liability, quantum and time.

The final word for construction and engineering disputes is litigation which is typically heard by the Technology and Construction Court (TCC) division of the High Court. Pyments are familiar with the pre-action protocol governing the actions and conduct of parties to disputes before court proceedings begin. We have Licensed Access which allows non-legal professionals and organisations to instruct barristers without the involvement of an instructing legal professional. Direct access reduces legal costs, promotes efficient case management, and provides opportunity to seek Counsel’s opinion on specific legal advice prior to commencing Litigation.

There are many instances where we have assisted with the drafting and preparation of supporting particulars on behalf of leading counsel when submitting the reciprocal early exchange of information between parties to a dispute, and which promotes the chances of agreeing a settlement and avoiding litigation.