Robert Calnan
Robert.Calnan@kennedyslaw.com
+44 20 7667 9777
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Profile
Rob Calnan is a partner in Kennedys’ London office who manages complex and high value construction claims for the professional indemnity market. He qualified as a solicitor in 2013 and joined Kennedys in 2019.
Rob focusses primarily on the defence of construction professionals in high-value and multi-party disputes. He acts for architects, contractors, engineers, property managers, subcontractors, and specialist consultants. He is instructed both by insurers and construction professionals directly.
Rob is currently acting on a large number of multi-party disputes relating to fire safety and building regulation compliance following the tragic events at Grenfell Tower, including a number of high profile disputes followed by the press. He has advised insurers across the market about the effect of both the first and second reports of the Grenfell Enquiry.
He is acting on high profile insurance disputes arising out of works to a landmark London commercial property, as well as on a roof collapse at a historic London theatre.
On the coverage side, Rob regularly advises professional indemnity insurers in respect of issues relating to allocation, aggregation, notification and market exclusions, for primary and excess layers, and advises on policy wordings.
He has defended claims in court, focussing on the TCC in London and is well versed in alternative dispute resolution, including arbitration and mediation. He has considerable experience and an excellent track record in adjudication, both in defending complex multimillion pound disputes and in obtaining substantial judgments for referring parties.
Qualifications:
- Qualified in England and Wales in 2013
Work highlights
- Acting for a major roofing contractor in respect of allegedly damaged and/or defective works totalling over £100 million at a corporate HQ. This claim has raised important issues regarding the scope of CAR cover available for pre-completion defects
- Acted for various contractors, subcontractors, architects and consultants in relation to cladding-related issues and compliance with building regulations, including in relation to developments worth more than £300m in Central and South East London.
- Successfully recovering substantial sums for a theatre group and its insurers following the collapse of a theatre roof during an evening performance.
- Acting for a tunnelling specialist in a £35m claim in respect of allegations of defective design and installation at a major UK vehicular tunnel.
- Acting for engineers in a number of complex multimillion pound claims arising out of the design of modular car park designs.
- Acting for an architect on a £10m fire safety claim at commercial premises in South London in a series of related adjudications.
- Advising Insurers in relation to coverage issues arising out of the Grenfell Inquiry, including in relation to the ambit and scope of fire safety exclusions.
- Achieving a substantial settlement for London developers in a novel ‘Building Liability Order’ claim under the new Building Safety Act.
Construction and engineering