Karen Kirkham is a construction lawyer at Broadfield Law LLP. She has 30 years’ experience working with JCT contracts, advising clients from all sectors of the industry. Her clients include commercial developers, occupiers, charities, local authorities, public infrastructure companies, contractors, sub-contractors, architects, and individual householders. Karen has been listed as a leading construction legal practitioner in Chambers since 2008 and regularly publishes articles on topical construction issues.

Karen’s involvement and interest in JCT goes back a long way. She is a former legal director of the Construction Confederation during a key period for the industry when major legislation, including the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 and Arbitration Act 1996, was being passed.

John Riches is a Chartered Quantity Surveyor and Chartered Builder with more than 40 years’ experience in the construction industry and dispute resolution.

He formed and owns Henry Cooper Consultants with a wide remit of consultancy services to the construction industry. Presently he acts as Arbitrator, Mediator and Adjudicator. He is an Arbitrator on the RICS Arbitration Panel acting both in the UK and overseas. He has carried out approximately 550 Adjudications, ranging from £5000 to £256m and covering value, liability, loss and/or expense, damages and quality.

John is a member of the JCT Board and Council, and vice-chair of the JCT Drafting Sub-Committee. He also chaired JCT’s Payment Review Working Group.