Dominic Helps raises the issue of adjudicators seeking technical assistance ("Justice au naturel", 8 August, page 41).
His advice that adjudicators should disclose to the parties all reports produced by an expert is sound. However, I consider that he has overlooked a major issue with this and other recent judgments.

In many cases, there is no need for an adjudicator to seek technical assistance, if the nominating body picked an adjudicator who fitted the bill for the essence of the dispute. The selection for nomination criteria should be based on the adjudicator's specialisms. This will minimise the need to seek technical assistance and avoid additional cost to the parties.

The adjudication Dominic Helps referred to, RSL vs Stansell, is a classic example. The crux of the dispute was RSL's loss and expense claim, which emanated from its claim for delay. If an adjudicator had been nominated who was experienced in time-related issues and delay analysis, then technical assistance would not have been needed.

Postscript

Roger Gibson, Gibson Consulting, Coventry.