Adjudication Solicitors | P.A. Duffy & Co Solicitors

Adjudication

Our expert ADR solicitors at P.A. Duffy & Co have vast experience supporting and representing parties who wish to resolve their commercial contractual disputes via adjudication. Our friendly and approachable ADR team will ensure that the adjudication process runs as smoothly and as stress-free as possible until a binding decision is made.

About Service

About Adjudication

What is adjudication?

Adjudication is a cost-effective, straightforward, and relatively quick method which is utilised to resolve disputes and enforce a decision without recourse to the Courts. Adjudication is commonly utilised to resolve construction disputes but can be an effective mechanism to resolve any dispute relating to payment issues, breach of contract and contract termination and much more.

How We Can Help

Firstly, an agreed adjudicator is named in a contract between the disputing parties. The adjudicator will be independent and appointed from a professional adjudication body.

The process involves one party sending a Referral Notice to the adjudicator and the other party filing a response. Then the adjudicator will lead the resolution with reasonability and confidentiality until they provide a final, binding decision. Adjudicators will usually provide their decisions within 28 days, depending on the facts. This decision binds the disputing parties, and both parties usually accept the adjudicator’s verdict without seeking further engagement with the court.

Who can partake in adjudication?

Adjudication can be used by anyone involved in a commercial contractual dispute, although it is dominantly used to resolve commercial construction disputes. Please note that construction adjudicators are usually construction professionals such as engineers or quantity surveyors with expert knowledge in the field.

Advantageously, these parties can exercise their statutory right to refer the dispute to an adjudicator to resolve the dispute privately, without the need for lengthy and expensive litigation.

Where is adjudication most appropriately used?

Adjudication is essential for the following cases:

Disruption to the construction process
Payment issues
Breach of contract
Contract termination
Defects in construction projects

To speak to our alternative dispute resolution solicitors in Belfast and Dungannon, call us on 028 8772 2102. We will talk through your situation with you and discuss what the first steps are in bringing an adjudication. We can also answer any questions you may have.

Alternatively, you can fill in our online Contact Form and we will ring you.

FAQs

An adjudicator may be named in the initial contract between the parties, this contract could list a nominating body, who will select an adjudicator for the dispute. However, if the dispute has arisen and there is no record of a nominating body in the contract, then both parties can negotiate and agree upon an individual to act as the adjudicator.

Often, the parties cannot reach an agreement, therefore the party responsible for referring the dispute to adjudication may make an application to a nominating body, and within five days the nominating body will notify the parties on the appointed adjudicator.