Robert Sliwinski is a Barrister, Chartered Arbitrator, Accredited Adjudicator and Mediator, Quantity Surveyor and Dispute Board Member.

Robert has over 35 years’ experience of the construction industry with particular emphasis on all forms of alternative dispute resolution. After 12 years as a quantity surveyor Robert entered the Bar dealing with civil, landlord & tenant, property and construction law issues whilst also undertaking arbitration and adjudication disputes as the neutral. He also practised as a solicitor for six years specialising in civil, landlord & tenant, property and construction law and dispute resolution. He returned to the full-time Bar in the UK in 2011 and is now a senior partner with Kochhar & Co Inc in Dubai specialising in all aspects of the property and construction industry representing parties as well as undertaking appointments as arbitrator, adjudicator, expert determiner, mediator and dispute board member.

As an arbitrator Robert has been involved in cases in both the UK and internationally concerning professional negligence, property, landlord & tenant, delay analysis, costs, variations, defects, interpretation of contracts, repudiation, and many other aspects of contract in the areas of building, civil engineering, mechanical & electrical, waste water treatment and process engineering. He has most recently been joint arbitrator on a multi-million-dollar case between a joint venture contractor and national government in a dispute involving the construction of an airport runway and as a member of an ICC panel arbitration also between a joint venture and a national government involving the construction of a major road project.

In the field of UK adjudication Robert has received over 400 appointments from the CIArb, CIC, AICA, CEDR, RICS and by private appointment. The disputes referred have covered all aspects of construction including professional negligence, delay analysis, costs, defects, interpretation of contracts, repudiation and all other aspects of contract in the areas of building, civil engineering, mechanical & electrical, waste water and process engineering.

Robert’s work as an expert determiner has included final account, cost and variation disputes for projects including hospitals, office developments as well as mechanical & electrical services, civil engineering and development agreements.

In the mediation arena Robert has acted as party representative as well as Mediator in a wide range of issues including construction, professional negligence, contract, development agreements and landlord & tenant.

Robert is also qualified and trained as a dispute board member and has a thorough knowledge of the FIDIC and ICC provisions. He is a professional member of the Dispute Board Federation. Robert has been appointed by FIDIC and is able to undertake dispute board appointments throughout the world in the areas of construction, engineering, waste water and process engineering.

In deciding disputes covering large numbers of complex issues, (for example Variation Accounts involving 100s of individual items) Robert has worked closely with the parties and/or their experts so that fully functioning Scott Schedules can be used. This allows the parties to understand each decision made and the effect on the overall account/dispute.

Robert’s work as a neutral dispute resolver has taken him across the world including the Middle East (Dubai & Kuwait), the USA and Caribbean, Europe and Cyprus. He also has knowledge and experience of the contracting and dispute processes within the United Arab Emirates, Africa and the Far East (Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia).

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS AND PANEL MEMBERSHIPS

• The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
• Associate, elected 1994
• Fellow, elected 2001
• Chartered Arbitrator, 2008
• Panel of Adjudicators
• Panel of Arbitrators
• Accredited Mediator
• Panel of Property Dispute Service