The System
Four stages.
One framework.
Global outcomes.
From the moment a contract is signed to the moment an award is enforced - across 170+ jurisdictions. The only system that begins before the dispute and ends after the award.
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170+
Enforcement jurisdictions covered
The Fellowship
323+
inducted fellows.
Every specialism.
100+ countries. 40+ specialisms. Every major enforcement jurisdiction. The world's most rigorous vetting. Tribunal appointed within 15 days.
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323+
Active UNIONE™ fellows · AF · F · SF designations
UNIONE™ Sector Benches Construction & Infrastructure

Construction & Infrastructure

Construction generates more international arbitration value than any other sector. Most of it begins with an ambiguity that could have been caught before the contract was signed.

NEC 3 & 4 FIDIC Red/Yellow/Silver DAAB JCT EOT Claims Variations DRBs
62%
of construction arbitrations begin with a contractual ambiguity present at signing
32 months
average duration of a contested international construction arbitration
USD 1.8M
average combined party costs - often for a dispute starting as a variation claim under USD 500K
NEC 3 & 4 · Full suite coverage FIDIC 2017 editions · All suites DAAB & DRB procedures Extension of Time analysis Loss & expense assessment Defects Liability Period disputes Adjudication · HGCRA & equivalents NEC 3 & 4 · Full suite coverage FIDIC 2017 editions · All suites DAAB & DRB procedures Extension of Time analysis Loss & expense assessment Defects Liability Period disputes Adjudication · HGCRA & equivalents

What Construction Fellows handle.

The UNIONE™ Construction bench is built for practitioners with genuine sector depth - not generalists with a passing familiarity with the standard forms.

Variations & Change Orders
Disputed scope, engineer's instruction valuation, unauthorised variations, and the cascade of time and cost claims that follow.
NEC CEFIDIC Cl.13Valuation
Extension of Time & Delay
Programme-based EOT, concurrent delay, critical path, loss of productivity, and LAD disputes on infrastructure projects.
EOTSCL ProtocolLADs
Payment & Interim Certification
Disputed payment applications, withheld certificates, smash-and-grab adjudications, set-off, and cash flow disputes.
HGCRAAdjudicationSet-off
Defects & Fitness for Purpose
Latent defects, specification non-compliance, fitness-for-purpose obligations at practical completion and beyond.
DLPExpertFfP
Force Majeure & Employer Risk
Supply chain disruption, geopolitical events, employer-caused disruption - FIDIC Cl.19, NEC Cl.60.1(19).
FIDIC Cl.19NEC Cl.60MAC
Subcontractor & Supply Chain
Back-to-back disputes, nominated subcontractor claims, and multi-tier liability allocation.
Back-to-backDOM/1Nominated

The right instrument
for every stage.

Every UNIONE™ engagement begins with prevention. Arbitration is always the last resort. The Fellow who monitors the DPC may be the same Fellow who chairs the tribunal - bringing continuity no other institution offers.

Evaluation
Neutral Evaluation - Technical & Legal
Before any formal claim - independent expert assessment of variation entitlement, EOT quantum, delay causation, and defect liability. Produced in writing. Without-prejudice in subsequent proceedings.
7-12 business days. QS, engineer, or construction lawyer. Without-prejudice.
From
USD 4,000
Enquire →
Expert Determination
Binding Technical Determination
Binding determination of variation valuation, programme assessment, and defect liability - where the dispute has a defined technical question and both parties want a final answer without arbitration.
Binding under contract. 4-8 weeks. QS, engineer, or construction lawyer appointed.
From
USD 5,000
Enquire →
Arbitration
UNIONE™ Arbitration · Rules v3.0
Last resort. Construction-specialist tribunal from the UNIONE™ Construction Fellows bench within 15 days. ERR before every final award - enforceability reviewed across all relevant jurisdictions.
Tribunal in 15 days. ERR mandatory. Rules v3.0 - 61 Articles.
Case filing
from USD 3,500
Enquire →

Prevention built into the contract.
Not retrofitted after the dispute.

The DPC Standard v1.0 applies across all commercial contract types. In construction contracts, specific checkpoints carry particular weight. Here is how the UNIONE™ framework applies in this sector.

DPC Fees - Construction Contracts
Standard (to USD 10M): USD 2,500–5,000 + USD 1,200–2,400 p.a.
Advanced (to USD 100M): USD 8,000–18,000 + USD 4,800–9,600 p.a.
Complex (USD 100M+): From USD 25,000 - assessed individually
CP4 · Milestone Trigger Precision
Payment milestones, completion definitions, and EOT trigger events - the clauses most commonly disputed at arbitration. Reviewed at DPC certification before first sod is turned.
CP1 · Clause Integrity
The dispute resolution clause, DAAB/DRB provisions, and escalation pathway reviewed against the applicable arbitration rules and governing law.
Programme Baseline Establishment
The Standing Neutral supports establishment of an agreed baseline programme - the single most important prevention tool in construction and the most frequently absent.
CP6 · Escalation Pathway
Full escalation pathway reviewed: Standing Neutral > DAAB > structured resolution > arbitration. Each stage must feed cleanly into the next.

Standards covered.

UNIONE™ Construction Fellows hold demonstrable experience with the following standard frameworks.

NEC 3 & 4 (ECC, PSC, TSC)
FIDIC Red, Yellow, Silver & Gold Books (2017)
JCT Standard, Design & Build, Intermediate
LOGIC / Offshore Standard
PPP/PFI Concession Agreements
PPC2000 & FAC-1

ERR jurisdictions - Construction.

The UNIONE™ ERR reviews enforceability across all relevant jurisdictions before every final award. Construction enforcement practice coverage:

ERR Coverage · Construction
England & WalesFull enforcement
UAE / DIFCFull enforcement
SingaporeFull enforcement
Hong KongFull enforcement
Saudi ArabiaRecognised - conditions apply
QatarFull enforcement
Coverage across 170+ jurisdictions. Updated quarterly by the UNIONE™ ERR team.

The full construction
dispute ecosystem.

UNIONE™ provides the institutional framework and the Fellows who carry it out. The same Fellow who monitors the DPC can be appointed to the tribunal - continuity no other institution offers.

Developers & Project Owners
DPC from signature. Standing Neutral for ongoing milestone monitoring. ERR before any award.
Main Contractors
Standing Neutral for variation and EOT management. DPC clause in all major subcontract packages.
Funders & Project Finance Lenders
DPC as a condition of drawdown - institutional oversight from financial close.
Subcontractors & Specialists
Standing Neutral assessment of payment disputes before adjudication.
Consultants & Design Professionals
Early neutral evaluation of professional liability claims before formal proceedings.
Government & Procuring Authorities
DPC on major infrastructure concessions from award.

What the Construction bench requires.

A four-stage review of specialism, independence, and practice alignment. Not a minimum appointment count or a relationship with a prior institution. Practitioners at all career stages are welcome.

Q
Qualification. Law, engineering, quantity surveying, or equivalent construction professional qualification.
E
Experience. 7+ years in construction disputes, contract administration, or claims management.
S
Sector Knowledge. Demonstrable experience with NEC, FIDIC, or JCT forms - from practice, not reference.
S
Specialism. Experience in delay analysis, variation valuation, or construction adjudication.
I
Independence. Ability to maintain independence as Standing Neutral across a multi-year contract period.
Founding Cohort · Barcelona 2026

Be inducted at
UNBOUNDED™ Barcelona.

The founding Construction bench cohort closes after Barcelona 2026. Fellows inducted at Barcelona carry founding cohort status permanently.

-14–15 Aug 2026 · Hyatt Regency Barcelona Towers
Apply Now ✦ UNBOUNDED™ Barcelona 2026 →