Manus McMullan QC Call Date: 1994, Silk: 2010 // mmcmullan@atkinchambers.com ENERGY, NATURAL RESOURCES AND UTILITIES CONSTRUCTION, ENGINEERING AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROFESSIONAL NEGLIGENCE INSURANCE GENERAL COMMERCIAL PRACTICE International Arbitration Silk of the Year 2018, Legal 500 UK Awards International Arbitration Silk of the Year 2017, Chambers UK Bar Awards Construction Silk of the Year 2016, Chambers UK Bar Awards Energy and Construction Silk of the Year 2015, Legal 500 UK Awards Manus specialises in commercial disputes with an emphasis on energy, natural resources and utilities, construction and engineering, professional indemnity and insurance matters both domestically and internationally. He is often the lead advocate on the largest and most high-profile disputes in these fields. He has represented a wide range of clients including multi-national corporations, government entities, professional advisers, contractors and individuals all over the world. Manus is recommended by both the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners in the fields of international arbitration, construction, energy and natural resources, and professional negligence. Manus has won accolades as both a silk and a junior. In addition to his awards as senior counsel, he is the only barrister to have won the Chambers and Partners Junior Construction Barrister of the Year Award three times. Uniquely, he was nominated for the award in each of the five years in which he was eligible. He has also been nominated for an award in the field of professional negligence. ENERGY, NATURAL RESOURCES AND UTILITIES Manus practice includes acting for parties concerning the development and exploitation of oil and gas fields all over the world, as well as the extraction and processing of other natural resources and minerals. Domestically, his work in utilities is more broadly based. He has acted for and against utility providers (water, electricity and gas) in disputes with developers and also on projects such as power plants and sewage treatment works. In addition to cases concerning development, he has advised and fought cases upon the statutory framework in Manus McMullan QC 1
England and Wales and the rights and duties provided thereby. Matters include disputes over payment rates for renewable energy, royalties, and energy service agreements. "He is a very fluent advocate, and is very, very bright so even when you are against him it's a pleasure to watch him in action." "His advocacy style is good. He presents very clearly and very precisely, and he comes across as genuine and trustworthy. He's an exceptional QC." Energy, Chambers UK Bar 2017 "He is user-friendly and pragmatic. He rolls his sleeves up and gets on with it." Energy, Chambers Global 2017 A standout silk with an impressive international arbitration practice. Energy, Legal 500 2016 Excellent strategically, and can pinpoint the key issues in a mass of details. Energy, Legal 500 2015 CONSTRUCTION, ENGINEERING AND INFRASTRUCTURE Manus has experience of the whole range of disputes that arise in all varieties of construction and engineering projects including variations, defects, loss and expense, prolongation and acceleration. As well as dealing with such claims he has been instructed in cases involving fires, floods, structural collapse and subsidence. In relation to engineering disputes his case load has covered the chemical, civil, electrical, electronic, geotechnical, industrial, manufacturing, marine, mechanical, piping, process, structural and tunnelling disciplines. He has also been involved in technical engineering disputes concerning defective equipment, machinery and systems of all kinds. "A first-rate lawyer and advocate, who is very hard working and an excellent strategist." "He's just brilliant. Courteous, charming, witty and on top of it. A real star." Construction, Chambers UK Bar 2017 "He's smooth in court, a good cross-examiner." "He is enthusiastic and tactically brilliant." Construction, Chambers UK Bar 2016 Very client-friendly and tactically shrewd. Construction, Legal 500 2016 A standout silk, and a very good reader of tribunals. Construction, Legal 500 2015 PROFESSIONAL NEGLIGENCE Manus has acted for and against many professionals, particularly in the construction and engineering fields. Cases have involved architects, engineers of many different disciplines, project managers and quantity surveyors as well as valuers, building surveyors and other designers. He also acts in some cases of alleged professional negligence in other fields. On more than one occasion he has in cases concerning negligent legal drafting and advice, and against management consultants for failure to perform. As a result of his experience in information technology he has acted for and against software designers. Manus McMullan QC 2
"Outrageously clever, he puts other lawyers to shame with his legal knowledge." "He's brilliant with clients, excellent on his feet, self-sufficient and very calm." Professional Negligence, Chambers UK Bar 2017 "A fine brain, a superb advocate and a joy to work with on construction professional negligence cases." "He is very responsive, has a very nice manner and explains complex legal concepts in a very easy to understand way." Professional Negligence, Chambers UK Bar 2016 He has a collaborative approach. Professional Negligence, Legal 500 2016 Fantastic client skills and bedside manner. Professional Negligence, Legal 500 2015 GENERAL COMMERCIAL In addition to the specialist areas referred to above, Manus is often instructed in disputes that concern other areas of commerce. He has experience of licence, distribution, royalty and franchise agreements. He was junior counsel in the House of Lords in a case concerning the effect of joint insurance. He has fought a number of cases concerning bonds and guarantees. He has argued cases on jurisdiction and at times his cases concern insolvency. "He's very bright, hard-working and an excellent advocate. He is very good with the tribunal, excellent in arbitration matters and very user-friendly." International Arbitration, Chambers UK Bar 2017 "He has a very good knowledge of construction law, a forensic mind and a calm demeanour." "He is very, very bright and he is extremely likeable personally, but in a courtroom or in an arbitration, he is a ferocious opponent." International Arbitration, Chambers UK Bar 2016 Very client-friendly, tactically shrewd, and good on his feet. International Arbitration, Legal 500 2016 An accomplished and effective oral advocate International Arbitration, Legal 500 2015 QUALIFICATIONS AND AWARDS 2007 Called to the bar of Northern Ireland 2004 Ad hoc call to the bar of the Cayman Islands 1994 Called to the bar of England and Wales 1991 1 st Class Honours, Oxford University (Jurisprudence). OTHER PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS Manus is fluent in Spanish and has competent professional proficiency in French. He is a member of the disciplinary board of the RIBA and a trustee of the Harold G Fox Scholarship. Manus McMullan QC 3
RECOMMENDATIONS "Brilliant with clients, accessible and always responsive. He's a good, measured advocate and very strategic. Everyone likes Manus." "He's clever and good at rolling up his sleeves and getting to the issue quickly. He comes across well with clients. They like him." Construction, Chambers UK Bar 2018 "Destined to be the top QC in the market, he is a phenomenal advocate. He's a good all-rounder, who is calm and measured and hits the right tone every time." "A strong cross-examiner. The opposition are scared of him, but he's also a humble person and a great guy to work with." Energy, Chambers UK Bar 2018 "His clients regard him as a bit of a god. He is in the front rank of construction barristers at the moment." International Arbitration, Chambers UK Bar 2018 "He is able to deal with expert witnesses in a very forensic way, and is very calm in dealing with robust people. He is very good at finding a consensus." Professional Negligence, Chambers UK Bar 2018 A quiet assassin, who is unbelievably clever. Construction, Legal 500 2017 Simply brilliant Energy, Legal 500 2017 An astonishing silk, who dazzles the tribunal in a smooth way. International Arbitration, Legal 500 2017 A solid silk. Professional Negligence, Legal 500 2017 "A first-rate lawyer and advocate, who is very hard working and an excellent strategist." Construction, Chambers UK Bar 2017 "He is a very fluent advocate, and is very, very bright so even when you are against him it's a pleasure to watch him in action." Energy, Chambers UK Bar 2017 "He's very bright, hard-working and an excellent advocate. He is very good with the tribunal, excellent in arbitration matters and very user-friendly." International Arbitration, Chambers UK Bar 2017 "Outrageously clever, he puts other lawyers to shame with his legal knowledge." "He's brilliant with clients, excellent on his feet, self-sufficient and very calm." Professional Negligence, Chambers UK Bar 2017 "A first-rate lawyer and advocate, who is very hard working and an excellent strategist." Construction, Chambers Global 2017 "His advocacy style is good. He presents very clearly and very precisely, and he comes across as genuine and trustworthy. He's an exceptional QC." Energy, Chambers Global 2017 Manus McMullan QC 4
Very client-friendly and tactically shrewd. Construction, Legal 500 2016 A standout silk with an impressive international arbitration practice. Energy, Legal 500 2016 Very client-friendly, tactically shrewd, and good on his feet. International Arbitration, Legal 500 2016 He has a collaborative approach. Professional Negligence, Legal 500 2016 For a full list of legal directory endorsements please download the separate document 'Recommendations' Manus McMullan QC 5