Matthew Smith focuses on advising on heavyweight UK and international infrastructure projects and disputes including procurement strategy, drafting and negotiating contracts and handling disputes in international arbitration and adjudication. He has a particular focus on rail transport (light rail and high speed rail) and nuclear and renewables projects. He has more than 30 years experience in advising on construction and infrastructure projects and has acted for owners, contractors and consultants on many different disputes utilising many different forms of dispute resolution including litigation, arbitration, adjudication and mediation.
He has experience in all forms of infrastructure contracts including bespoke and EPC and EPCM, O&M and concession agreements. He is skilled in the use of the New Engineering Contract (NEC3 and NEC4) and is frequently requested to lecture on the subject.
Matthew is ranked in Chambers for both contentious and non-contentious construction and in The Legal 500 as a leading individual for contentious construction. He is described in The Legal 500 2024 as “a genuine construction law expert in both the international and UK domestic markets” and “a powerhouse of construction disputes.”
Matthew has been a lawyer with the firm since 2000. He qualified as a lawyer in 1995.
- Recognised by The Legal 500 United Kingdom in London
- Leading Partner for Construction: contentious, 2024-2025
- Recommended Lawyer Rail for Insurance litigation: for policyholders, and Construction: non-contentious, 2024-2025
- Selected to the London Super Lawyers list, 2013-2015
- NEC Users Group
- MDBF Corporate Panel Member, Dispute Board Federation. Geneva
- FICACIC (Member)
- Society of Construction Law (Member)
- Technology and Construction Solicitors' Association, (Committee Member)
- Arbitration Club (Executive Committee Member)
- Building Regulations Advisory Committee 2001-2003 advising the Deputy Prime Minister on legal issues relating to Building Regulations
- Qualified Solicitor Advocate (Higher Rights of Audience)
- Speaker, ‘Introduction to the Conference,’ NEC People Conference London 2024, 18 June 2024
- ‘EPC Contracts for Major LNG projects’ Joint K&L Gates/Marsh Seminar on EPC Contracting in the Oil and Gas industry, Houston, 2 November 2015
- NEC: ‘The Need for Change’ NEC People Conference 2015
- The NEC3 Suite: Beyond the ECC K&L Gates Seminar 7th October 2015
- International Rail Summit 2015 ‘Procurement Strategies for Major Rail Projects’ Barcelona 28 January 2015
- ISLP Workshop on ‘Structuring, Negotiating and Managing LNG Projects’ Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania, 13-17 October 2014
- FIDIC International Contract Users Conference ‘Construction Claims and Defence Workshop’ London, 4 December 2014
- NEC People Conference: ‘From Adjudication to Z clauses’ 17 June 2014
- Construction Law Masterclass: FIDIC in Qatar 15 May 2014
- NEC LinkedIn Conference ‘Raising the bar: awareness of events giving rise to time bars for late notification of compensation events’, 25 June 2013
- FIDIC Americas Conference 'Successfully Resolving International Disputes under FIDIC' New York, 4th October 2012;
- 'Construction Risk Management for Major Projects' Joint Marsh/K&L Gates Conference Dubai, 26 September 2012;
- 'Successfully Resolving International Construction Disputes' Arbirtration Club, 2 October 2012
- NEC LinkedIn Conference 'When it all goes wrong: A spirit of mutual mistrust and non¬cooperation?' 25 June 2012;
- 'NEC: Compensation Events and Programme' Issues K&L Gates client workshop 7 June 2012; 'NEC: Warranties and Defects' K&L Gates client workshop 24 May 2012;
- 'FIDIC Claims: Time Bars and Documentation' FIDIC Regional Conference Warsaw 26-27 April 2012;
- 'Construction Act Amendments: Payment and Adjudication' K&L Gates client workshop 22 September 2011;
- 'Limitations of Liability: Recent Case Law' K&L Gates seminar 29 March 2011;
- 'NEC: Compensation Events and Design Issues' K&L Gates client workshop 22 March 2011;
- C5 2nd Offshore Energy Insurance Forum 'Risk Allocation and Insurance Provisions in Offshore Construction and Drilling/Well Services Contracts' 15-16 June 2011;
- 'Offshore Construction All Risks Insurance: Contractual and Coverage Issues' Joint Indecs/K&L Gates Conference 19 May 2011;
- 'Construction Insurance' K&L Gates seminar 25 May 2010;
- 'NEC Contract Skills: Administration and Management of Compensation Events under the NEC' K&L Gates client workshop 15 September 2010;
- 'NEC Contracts: Commercial Items and Defects' K&L Gates client workshop 1 September 2010; 'Understanding the Balance of Risk under the NEC' K&L Gates Seminar October 2010.
Matthew contributed several chapters to Construction Insurance and UK Construction Contracts (Second Edition), published by Informa in September 2008. He has published articles in journals on a range of matters including the NEC, construction insurance and health and safety issues.
