Duncan Hughes-Phillips

Expert Highlights 

• Advised on over 500 contentious matters up to £2 billion in value.
• Cross-examined over 30 times in high-value, complex construction disputes, including litigation, arbitration and adjudication, as well as witness conferencing/‘hot tubbing’ scenarios.
• Instructed in relation to variations, loss and expense, and damages claims on construction projects; professional indemnity claims against professionals and consultants; liability claims against quantity surveyors, development managers and contract administrators; and Investment Treaty Disputes.
• Commended for quality of testimony and careful, conscientious and reliable approach to evidence.

About Duncan Hughes-Phillips

Duncan is a Chartered Quantity Surveyor and registered Expert Witness with over 30 years of experience in the construction, insurance, oil and gas, petrochemical, process, and civil engineering sectors. He has advised on more than 500 contentious matters, ranging in value from £10,000 to £2 billion, both domestically and internationally.

Duncan has been appointed as a quantum expert in arbitration, litigation, adjudication, and mediation. He has provided oral testimony under cross-examination over 30 times and has provided presentations and given evidence in witness conferencing (‘hot tubbing’). Recent testimonials refer to Duncan’s careful approach to giving evidence and the overall reliability of this quantum analysis.

Duncan has also been instructed in relation to liability of quantity surveyors, development managers and contract administrators in Professional Indemnity claims, in Bilateral Investment Treaty Disputes and in insurance claims involving loss adjusting.

During Duncan’s formative years in the industry, he provided commercial advisory services to employers, main contractors and subcontractors. While working for specialist subcontractors on building sites, he gained a detailed understanding of construction technology and the organisation and utilisation of resources to deliver construction projects.

As head of SOCOTEC Advisory’s expert witness team, Duncan oversees significant auditing, quantification and measurement exercises whilst retaining close control of the process as expert.

Lexology Index

Recommended by Lexology in three categories: Arbitration Expert Witnesses, Construction Expert Witnesses, and Experts – Construction – Quantum, Delay & Technical.

Lexology’s research says:

"Duncan is one of the best of the new generation of quantum experts."

"He has a real in-depth understanding of the underlying concepts and dedication to the case."

"He is extremely measured, fair and reasonable in his approach."

"He is my go-to expert on quantum issues."

"He always delivers precise and realistic results."