Mr. Guy Higginbottom

Guy is an experienced, technically and legally qualified consultant, and advises clients across all tiers of the construction industry – from employer organisations to specialist sub-contractors. In his current practice, he provides both non-contentious (pre-contract) advice, and represents clients in contentious matters such as adjudication, and resolution of disputes.

Guy is a respected consultant; advising blue chip clients at senior and board level. He has worked in a number of sectors including rail, aviation, infrastructure, civil engineering, highways, construction, building services, power generation, and nuclear in the UK, Europe and Middle East. He is personable, very comfortable dealing directly with clients, and is a skilled negotiator.

Guy has extensive experience of commercial matters and project delivery (from pre-contract to final account) across many forms of main contract and sub-contract – in particular, those with contractor’s design (such as JCT 2016 and 2024 editions, NEC4, FIDIC Yellow Books 2017 and bespoke trade-contracts). He has performed pivotal pre-contract roles on high-value projects – carrying out extensive budgetary work (for the client and third-party investors), taking the lead for risk management and negotiating contract terms.

His particular forte lies in dispute resolution and resolving complex commercial matters including claims and delay analysis. Guy has represented many clients in adjudication, and has acted as a quantum expert for litigation in the High Court. He has also acted as an expert in an expert determination.

Guy has worked across all tiers of the industry - with public and private sector employers, main contractors, sub-contractors, and designers.

Prior to establishing his own consultancy in 2019, Guy was as group commercial director of large, regional building contractor (t/o circa £150M) whose duties included those ordinarily required of a commercial director, but with added “general counsel” functions.

Guy is also the author of “Design and Build Contracts” published by Wiley Blackwell in 2024, and the 6th edition of Wiley’s ‘Building Contract Claims’ which will be published in early 2026

Guy's most notable Expert Witness Cases include;

• Appointed by Clyde & Co as quantity surveying expert on the Local Authority’s behalf, to determine the quantum (£8.6M) for a tree-root / subsidence claim for a large, residential property in central London. The matter settled by agreement.

• Appointed Norton Rose Fullbright as quantum expert for the portfolio holder (claimant) to value refurbishment costs, as at 2006, of part of a £1.235BN property portfolio in a claim for negligent valuation. The matter settled in August 2016.

• Appointed quantum expert by the Tenant to report on the appropriate value of reinstatement to three industrial/factory units in Salford, Manchester.
Courtwell Properties Ltd v Greencore PF (UK) Ltd [2014] EWHC 184 (TCC)

• Appointed quantum expert by Fairview Land Limited to report on the £8M High Court claim raised by 85no individual claimants for a multi-storey residential scheme in London’s Docklands. The dispute required valuation of circa 830no complaints of defective work. Following exchange of quantum reports, the matter settled privately.
James Martin Scobie & Ors v Fairview Land Limited [2008] EWHC 147 (TCC)

• Appointed directly by a local authority as quantum expert witness for a professional indemnity claim against the Project Manager for over-certifying six compensation events for a infrastructure project for a local authority (procured under NEC3 Option B). Value circa £1.5M

MRICS (Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) RICS accredited quantum expert (resigned in Mar 2018) MCIOB (Member of the Chartered Institute of Building) MCIArb (Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators) Member of the Society of Construction Law