Instruct Helen

To instruct Helen please contact our clerks on +44 (0)20 7842 5555 or email [email protected].

Helen Dennis has a broad commercial practice, with particular specialism in construction, technology, energy and engineering disputes, often with an international element. She is regularly instructed in the context of both litigation and arbitration, either as sole counsel or junior counsel.

She has a wide range of experience working on high value domestic and international disputes, in a range of courts within England and Wales as well as having worked on both ad hoc arbitrations and arbitrations under a variety of institutional rules, seated both in the UK and abroad. Many of her cases involve complex, large-scale projects and disputes and require examination of detailed technical and legal matters.

Helen has been recognised in the Legal 500 directory (2024) as a Leading Junior in the field of construction, where recent feedback included: “Helen has strong legal knowledge coupled with strong business acumen and understanding of practical implications and strategic considerations for the client.”

As a keen linguist, Helen has been instructed in a number of international disputes involving French and German documents and welcomes future instructions requiring expertise in either language. Helen also receives instructions to obtain injunctions at short notice in both the Commercial and Technology and Construction Courts.

Helen’s practice spans the following areas:

  • Construction, Technology, Energy and Engineering
  • International Arbitration
  • Professional Negligence
  • Commercial Litigation and Insurance

Helen has significant experience of a range of construction, technology, energy and engineering disputes, in the context of litigation, arbitration and adjudication. Many of her cases involve a cross-border element.  She is familiar with main standard form contracts used for projects in both the UK and internationally,  in addition to having experience of working with bespoke agreements and PFI contracts. She is used to engaging with complex and technical issues which arise in such cases.

Featured Construction, Technology, Energy & Engineering cases

Acting as sole counsel in a case concerning the construction of a utilities infrastructure maintenance contract

Being instructed as sole counsel in a dispute concerning an IT services contract

Acting as junior counsel in a significant and high value international arbitration seated in the Asia-Pacific region relating to alleged defects to a bridge and involving consideration of issues within the scope of structural, chemical and mechanical engineering

Being instructed as junior counsel in relation to a high value arbitral dispute arising out of a power plant construction project in Africa, involving parties from multiple jurisdictions

Advising various parties as to prospective claims available to or against them subsequent to the entering into force of the Building Safety Act 2022, including the retrospective extension of the limitation period applicable to claims under the Defective Premises Act 1972

Being instructed as sole counsel in a high value adjudication concerning a historic project.  Issues related to termination as well as the valuation of the final account

Acting as junior counsel in a substantial dispute in the TCC concerning a domestic housing development project

Regularly advising on and/or being instructed to enforce or defend enforcement of adjudication decisions

Advising a local authority regarding potential claims arising out of the discovery of drainage infrastructure in the course of construction works

Being instructed as junior counsel in a TCC dispute concerning alleged fire safety defects to a public building

Representing defendant contractors as junior counsel in relation to a final account dispute which also raised issues as to validity of termination

Acting as sole counsel in relation to a high-value domestic arbitration concerning fire safety defects

Being instructed as sole counsel representing an international retailer in relation to a claim against various construction contractors and professionals in relation to drainage and subsidence defects

Acting as junior counsel in a substantial claim between contractor and sub-contractor concerning fire safety defects

Succeeding in obtaining an interim mandatory injunction at short notice in relation to an ongoing construction project

Being instructed in a multi-party TCC dispute concerning allegations of cladding, glazing, structural and fire safety defects in a number of residential buildings in the UK.

Acting as junior counsel on a claim relating to a high profile construction project in the Middle East involving a large number of high value claims for variations and extensions of time as well as substantial counterclaims and issues of foreign law.

Being instructed as junior counsel in a high value construction adjudication concerning allegations of cladding and fire safety defects.

Acting as sole counsel in a final account adjudication relating to a significant domestic construction project.

Being instructed as sole counsel in a multi-million pound adjudication concerning applications for extensions of time in relation to a high profile energy sector project.

Assisting as junior counsel in an adjudication between international parties in a dispute concerning construction of a large skyscraper complex in the City of London.

Advising buyers of a number of vessels in relation to the operation of the matrix of agreements between the various parties involved, including in the context of termination and as to the effect of certain refund guarantees

Being instructed as sole counsel representing architects in a high value multi-party construction-based professional negligence dispute concerning the development of a large number of luxury apartments and townhouses in Central London.

Acting as junior counsel in a construction defects claim arising from a domestic infrastructure project.

Being instructed in a high value arbitration between joint venture partners in relation to a large infrastructure project.

Representing defendant engineers in a claim concerning the alleged failure of vibro-compaction ground improvement works.

Being instructed to act for engineers in a multi-party TCC dispute relating to a retail development.

Assisting as junior counsel in relation to a claim concerning the interpretation of a significant PFI contract.

Acting in an arbitration in which a technical claim was brought relating to the structural integrity of concrete elements of a design.

An arbitration between shipbrokers and shipbuilders in relation to unpaid commission fees

Being instructed on a high-value arbitration in respect of a significant construction project involving nuclear implicated design and construction.

Assisting on an international arbitration arising out of a micro-tunnelling project.

Working on a multimillion dollar international arbitration concerning disputes as to variations, extensions of time and prolongation costs.

An arbitration in relation to defects on a newly-built vessel

Assisting with the preparation and drafting statements of case for a dispute between a contractor and sub-contractor in relation to refurbishment works being carried out to a building.

Providing assistance in relation to an arbitration concerning a large international airport project.

Working on an adjudication concerning the validity and effect of various contractual payment and payless notices.

Being instructed as sole counsel for a claim for design and manufacturing defects in relation to a bespoke structural project.

Many of the cases in which Helen has been and is involved are within the sphere of international arbitration. She has extensive experience of advising and representing parties in both ad hoc and institution-based arbitrations including in particular those governed by the ICC rules. Her experience involves advising as to arbitral procedural as well as advising and representing parties in disputes.

Featured International Arbitration cases

Acting as junior counsel in a significant and high value international arbitration seated in the Asia-Pacific region relating to alleged defects to a bridge and involving consideration of issues within the scope of structural, chemical and mechanical engineering

Being instructed as junior counsel in relation to a high value arbitral dispute arising out of a power plant construction project in Africa, involving parties from multiple jurisdictions

Being instructed in a high value arbitration between joint venture partners in relation to a large infrastructure project

Acting as junior counsel on a claim relating to a high profile construction project in the Middle East involving a large number of high value claims for variations and extensions of time as well as substantial counterclaims and issues of foreign law

Working on a multimillion dollar international arbitration concerning disputes as to variations, extensions of time and prolongation costs

Helen has experience working on a variety of professional negligence claims spanning various sectors.  Cases with which she has assisted include those involving accountants, solicitors, engineers, surveyors, builders, coverholders, insurer’s agents and independent financial advisors.  She has a particular interest in claims involving alleged technical defects and is often instructed in relation to professional negligence claims concerning construction and engineering projects.

Featured Professional Negligence cases

Being instructed as junior counsel in a substantial dispute regarding whether underwriting and claims handling by a coverholder had been conducted in breach of contract and/or common law duty

Acting as sole counsel to represent architects in a high value multi-party construction-based professional negligence dispute concerning the development of a large number of luxury apartments and townhouses in Central London.

Being instructed to represent defendant engineers in a multi-party dispute concerning the alleged failure of vibro-compaction ground improvement works.

Acting as sole counsel in a marine surveyor’s negligence case.

Instructed as junior counsel in an international case relating to the deficient design and installation of a secure entry system at the claimant’s retail premises in which allegations were made in relation to the door and façade construction.

Instructed as sole counsel to draft the statement of case in a dispute concerning allegations of negligence in relation to a mortgage valuation.

Helen has worked on a number of general commercial disputes and insurance law matters, including:

Featured Commercial Litigation and Insurance cases

Acting as sole counsel in a dispute involving allegations of fraud against a letting and property management company

Being instructed in a dispute concerning alleged unpaid commission due to a consultancy service provider

Acting as sole counsel in a dispute concerning alleged unjust enrichment between commercial parties

Being instructed as junior counsel in a dispute between insurance underwriters and coverholders and claims handlers regarding a series of lines of business.  Issues raised included questions as to coverage under relevant policies as well as detailed analysis of the binding authority contract and associated duties.

Acting as junior counsel for a high-profile international retailer in relation to obtaining an injunction to shut down an international “fake review” business

Regularly advising on insurance coverage disputes

Assisting with a high-value dispute concerning a residential development.

Acting as junior counsel in relation to a claim in which urgent interim injunctions were sought.

Being instructed to draft particulars of claim for a case relating to a defective and/or delayed conveyancing transaction.

A claim in relation to the destruction of a luxury yacht.

Advising and drafting statements of case in relation to sale of goods claims.

Being instructed as junior counsel to assist on a case in which interlocutory orders were being sought in relation to fraudulently obtained funds.

Being instructed as sole counsel to draft statements of case in respect of a number of restitutionary claims.

Assisting with a case relating to defective catering equipment.

Acting as sole counsel in relation to a claim to enforce a ship mortgage.

Being instructed on a number of claims to attend hearings concerning charging orders, including those involving insolvency issues.

A claim against a broker dealer in relation to the trading of swaps

A number of disputes involving the valuation of derivatives

A claim concerning alleged misappropriation of money by a bank employee

Before coming to 4 Pump Court Helen spent six months working as a stagiaire at the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg as the Sir Peter Bristow Scholar.  During her time there she worked with the cabinets of both Advocate General Sharpston and Judge Vajda where she gained an insight into various European legal issues.

Helen currently assists with advocacy and ethics training at Lincoln’s Inn.  She is a long-term member of the TECBAR committee and was also recently selected to be a member of the TCC Users Committee.

Instruct Helen

To instruct Helen please contact our clerks on +44 (0)20 7842 5524 or email [email protected].

  • Contributing author to Lexis Nexis’ Lexis PSL KnowHow online in respect of Construction Adjudication
  • Contributing author to the Practical Law Company’s Adjudication service
  • LLB Law with European Legal Studies (University of Durham, including a year at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland), First Class
  • LLM (University of Cambridge), First Class
  • French (good working knowledge)
  • German (good working knowledge)

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Call: +44 (0) 20 7842 5555

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