Head of Technology and Construction Court congratulates adjudicators on their handling of "awesome responsibility".
The head of the Technology and Construction Court congratulated adjudicators for improving their professional standards and spoke of their "awesome responsibility" to the construction industry this week.
At the official relaunch of the panel of the Association of Independent Construction Adjudicators, the body responsible for nominating adjudicator, Mr Justice Jackson said he was for the most part impressed by adjudicators' awards but that "occasionally I wonder if parties walk away from the experience happy".
He said: "I welcome the efforts made to increase standards and provide continued education and accreditation to ensure only the very best adjudicators are on the panel."
The AICA panel now comprises 40 practising adjudicators and there is a new mentoring scheme with 10 places for those who did not meet the membership criteria. These 10 adjudicators, who "demonstrated competence and desire to develop experience", will be mentored by experienced panel members.
Jackson said adjudicators were doing very important work for the construction industry. He said: "What astonishes me is the awesome responsibility on adjudicators. Their decisions, 90% of which are treated as final, can have a devastating effect on the balance sheets of companies".
In March the AICA revised the membership criteria and reduced the panel from 115 adjudicators to 50. The move to rid the membership of poor performers was a response to criticisms that some adjudicators were not able to handle increasingly complex and high value disputes.
Adjudicators who failed to make it onto the AICA panel are being offered a limited membership. Under a new package, which will cost £75 a year and does not have any entry criteria, AICA members will be able to advertise their services through the organisation as representatives to parties in adjudications.
Adjudicators on the new panel will be nominated on a "cab-rank" principle whereby the AICA will approach the adjudicator next in line to ensure that all panel members receive regular work.
For a full list of the adjudicators on the AICA panel see link below.
