Jonathan Brierley
Biography
“His strategic mind, coupled with an outstanding attention to detail, enables Jonathan to quickly hone in on the key issues”
Overview
Jonathan Brierley is a disputes partner in White & Case's London office and works with the Firm's International Arbitration; Energy; Infrastructure, Transport & Logistics; and Construction & Engineering Groups. He is also a founding member of the firm's LNG Strategic Specialty Area Interest Group.
Jonathan brings experience in diverse forms of dispute resolution, including arbitration, litigation, adjudication, DAB/DRBs and mediation. His advisory and advocacy work has taken him across the globe, benefitting projects by avoiding or otherwise resolving disputes in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the Americas and in Asia Pacific.
Beyond his practice as counsel, Jonathan serves as an arbitrator to the Energy Disputes Arbitration Centre (EDAC), guest lecturer to the Energy and Natural Resources Law Institute of Queen Mary's University London (QMUL), and trains leading global energy companies on international best practices for procurement, project and claims management, and dispute resolution. As a CEDR-trained mediator, Jonathan also offers guidance on alternative dispute resolution techniques, including on mediation and dispute avoidance.
Clients value Jonathan's technical acumen, hands-on approach, and strategic thinking. They describe his "unique" ability to "build strong relationships across all members of [their] organization"; quickly "identify the crucial points"; and formulate "a clear and consistent strategy across legally and factually dense claims" (Who's Who Legal 2024: Arbitration).
His achievements and standing have been acknowledged by Who's Who Legal, where he is recognised as a "Future Leader" in International Arbitration. Best Lawyers also consider him "One to Watch".
Experience
Notable mandates include:
- Mega Project, 2011 – 2023, with a dispute value in excess of EUR 800 million:
- Representing the lead partner of an international consortium of contractors in an ICC arbitration arising from the termination of a FIDIC Silver Book, EPC turnkey contract relating to the engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning of a commuter and inter-city railway, together with handling of delay, disruption and the final project account thereto;
- Representing the same partner in related ICC arbitration proceedings arising out of the associated consortium agreement;
- Mega Project, 2018 – 2021, with a multi-billion USD dispute value:
- Representing an international oil & gas company in numerous arbitrations and adjudications, about delay, disruption and pricing disputes regarding the construction of an onshore LNG processing facility;
- South Korean contractor, 2012 – 2017, with a dispute value in excess of USD 300 million:
- Representing the contractor in several ICC arbitrations arising from a Power and Water Purchase Agreement, together with its associated bespoke EPC turnkey contract for the engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning of an independent power and water desalination plant in the Middle East;
- Advising the contractor on all associated delay and quantum issues, as well as further disputes arising from its back-to-back subcontracts for aspects of the Works;
- Advising an American security company on disputes under its international service agreements with oil and gas majors (2018);
- Representing a multi-national energy company on its joint venture interests and other arrangements (2017 – 2018);
- Representing a Saudi Arabian investment company regarding certain of its oil and gas Joint Venture interests, covering both surveying and drilling, in the Middle East and North Africa (2016 – 2017);
- Acting for Gul Bottlers before the English Commercial Court, resulting in nominations for Dispute Resolution Team of the Year at the Legal Business Awards 2015 and Litigation Team of the Year at the Lawyer Awards 2015 (2013 – 2015);
- Representing a multi-national oil and gas exploration company in relation to a unitization and unit operating agreement, including associated issues with redetermination (2012);
- Advising a German construction company on a dispute arising out of a FIDIC Red Book, employer design and build contract for the construction of a hydro-electric power plant in Chile (2011 - 2012);
- Advising a Dubai construction company on a dispute arising out of a FIDIC Red Book, employer design and build contract for the construction of a mixed use development of residential, office and retail space (2011 – 2012).
White & Case QMUL International Arbitration Survey: Adapting Arbitration to a Changing World (2021)
ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR Report on Construction Industry Arbitrations, chaired by White & Case Partner of Counsel, Chris Seppala (2019)
White & Case QMUL International Arbitration Survey: The Evolution of International Arbitration (2018)
Climate Change Litigation: A New Class of Action (2018)
WWL; Future Leader in International Arbitration, United Kingdom (2024)
"Jonathan is an arbitration specialist with a lot of mega construction and energy project experience"
"He is an exciting partner who is central to some of the largest disputes in the sector"
"He knows projects inside out, their data and records, and how to utilize these to the benefit of his client"
"He brought a practical and detail-oriented approach to an extremely complex construction dispute"
"He has a unique way to delve into details, identify the crucial points and derive a very analytical and logical conclusion"
"He has the capacity to digest complex technical aspects and to convey them in legal documents"
"He shows an outstanding level of client commitment"
"He was truly exceptional"
"One of the best construction dispute specialists of his generation"
Best Lawyers; International Arbitration, United Kingdom (2024)
Foundation for International Arbitration Advocacy; Questioning of Expert Witnesses (2015)
Nominee for Dispute Resolution Team of the Year, Legal Business Awards (2015)
Nominee for Litigation Team of the Year, Lawyer Awards (2015)
White & Case Pro Bono Award (2010)
