John Smy is a hugely experienced and impressive partner, very knowledgeable about UAE law and procedure, and has a great understanding of the construction industry in the UAE and region. He is extremely bright and tactically astute. He is totally committed and really cares about getting the right outcome for clients.
Recognised as a “Leading individual” for Construction
John Smy is well versed in a variety of contentious construction issues, such as disruption and delay claims. He also demonstrates an extensive skill set in cross-border disputes. One source considered him to be "extremely knowledgeable in all matters relating to construction law."
‘John Smy is exceptionally experienced in big-value disputes. He is unflappable even in the most trying circumstances, cheerful, calm and very client friendly. The attention to detail and preparation for hearings is magnificently impressive.’
John Smy is “a highly experienced lawyer who is very well versed in international arbitration”, with one client saying: “His knowledge is second to none”.
Recognised as a “Leading Lawyer”
John Smy, the firm's head of engineering and construction, is 'highly skilled at managing large-scale complex construction litigation while keeping a grip on the detail of the case, a rare and unusual skill'; he represents subcontractors, contractors and developers in matters with leading London counsel instructed concerning major building developments, towers, hotels and infrastructure.
“Unflappable even in the most trying circumstances and very client-friendly”
"I have worked with John in a complex arbitration case where the contractual arrangements between the parties and the issues at disputes were very uncommon and tangled. Dealing with such issues required thinking outside the box, which John was able to do most impressively. John was able to grasp the complex issues and set out a very effective legal strategy and strong legal arguments that I am sure made a big difference to his client’s position. I was very impressed with John’s ability to get to the core of the technical issues and be able to reflect on them and fully understand how these technical issues may affect the legal arguments, and act accordingly. John is a pleasure to work with and a very nice person to know, and I am glad to have had the opportunity to work with and know him."
"Following the Hearing I wanted to note how genuinely impressed I am with how the client’s pleadings and evidence were prepared and presented by John Smy and the Hadef & Partners team. Having worked for many years with the blue chip London outfits I can honestly say that this is one of the best prepared and presented cases I have encountered."
“John Smy is ‘meticulous and client-focused’.”
In this chapter, Matthew Page, Partner and Alexander Wagg, Associate present an analysis of arbitration in the UAE, capturing key recent developments, the current legal framework and discussing some of the most significant matters for comment in this jurisdiction.
In this article, we look at the increase in construction disputes related to Covid-19 as a Force Majeure Event in Construction Contracts.
In this article, we look at the increase in Bond calls due to current market conditions, the impact of such calls and how to resist unwarranted Bond calls.
In this article, we highlight the potential issues that can arise from a construction perspective and how these issues can be mitigated if contracts are carefully prepared by local construction lawyers with experience of the market, as well as with the Expo 2020 project.
Johny Smy, Partner and Head of Engineering & Construction, Matthew Page, Partner and Anthony Edwards, Legal Consultant discussed in Emirates Law the important distinction between the Demand Guarantee and the Guarantee simple which is found by reference to the name of the former type of security; namely a security that is recoverable on demand.
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