Jonathan Ward’s practice encompasses technology and construction disputes, as well as general commercial matters, particularly those with a technical or scientific aspect.

He has appeared as sole counsel in multi-day trials and heavy applications in the High Court; has regularly appeared in arbitrations and adjudications and upon the enforcement of resulting awards, both at home and abroad; and has served as part of a counsel team in several multi-week trials, both in the English High Court and in the Commercial Court of the British Virgin Islands.

Expertise

Jonathan regularly appears in construction adjudications, arbitrations and in the Technology and Construction Court on all aspects of construction and engineering disputes. He has conducted multi-day trials in the TCC as sole counsel, and multi-week trials as junior counsel, including Amey v Cumbria County Council ([2016] EWHC 2856 (TCC)), a four-month trial in the TCC. He maintains a busy advisory practice.

An increasing proportion of Jonathan’s practice is concerned with tech law. Jonathan has a first-class degree in Artificial Intelligence and a good knowledge of a variety of computing languages and frameworks. He regularly acts in IT and tech disputes concerning defects, software licensing, and confidential information.

Jonathan serves as a co-opted member of the TECBAR committee, and on the TCC sub-committee of the Manchester BPC Forum.

Good experience of IT project disputes and solid underlying domain knowledge – degree in artificial intelligence, certifications in machine learning and coding and familiarity with various languages and frameworks. Understanding and experience of project structures, contracts, and agile methodology. No problem talking to clients about the technical aspects of disputes and understanding the issues, project structures, bugs etc.

Lengthy experience of subrogated claims across many sectors. Fire, flood, cable strike, negligent design / construction. Handled many multi-party disputes. Coverage disputes over policy wording, notification, exclusions. Third Party (Rights against Insurers) experience. Long experience handling a variety of large claims (for insurers against insureds / third parties etc) for a large international insurance practice in London. Crossover with construction / professional negligence / arbitration practice. Also two years plus experience working offshore and good cross-border knowledge etc.

Jonathan regularly appears in and advises in relation to arbitrations and adjudications, as sole counsel and junior counsel in a larger team, covering various commercial, construction and sports matters. As junior, Jonathan has been instructed in a substantial sport / financial fair play dispute, and in a heavy commercial dispute under ICC rules where claims exceed £2 billion.

Jonathan also appears regularly on arbitration and adjudication related business in the High Court, such as applications for stays, injunctions, challenges to awards, and enforcement of awards (including the enforcement of foreign awards under the New York Convention).

Jonathan regularly conducts trials, applications and appeals on a variety of commercial and contractual matters, including international disputes. He served as junior counsel in a five-week trial (BVI Commercial Court) concerning the misappropriation of the $75m proceeds of a sale of oil assets in Eastern Europe.

Jonathan has been instructed in relation to all manner of subrogated recovery actions resulting from fire, flood, cable and pipeline strikes, construction accidents, death in care, shipping etc. He also regularly advises on policy coverage.

Jonathan regularly acts and advises in relation to professional negligence disputes, particularly those with a technology and construction aspect, but also in relation to solicitors, valuers, and insurance brokers.

Jonathan has been instructed by various national and international banking organisations on a variety of matters, including disputes on guarantees and indemnities, bills of exchange, hire purchase agreements, mortgages, and hedge fund disputes. Jonathan has been published in The Hedge Fund Journal.

He has a broad experience of shareholder disputes, including international matters; unfair prejudice, just and equitable winding up; ex parte injunctions for freezing orders and appointment of receivJonathan spent two years (2013-2015) at one of the leading offshore law firms, as in-house counsel in the British Virgin Islands. He developed expertise in private international law across a range of cross-border disputes, with an emphasis on shareholder and fraud work. He acted for the liquidators and provisional liquidators of, amongst other things, international hotel chains and airlines; appeared weekly in the BVI Commercial Court as sole counsel, often on heavy applications, and appeared regularly in the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal (including the successful appeal on a significant BVI case on forum non conveniens).

Significant Cases

Redrow Plc v Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities - [2024] EWCA Civ 651


Barkby Real Estate Developments v Cornerstone Telecommunications [2022] EWHC 1892 (TCC)


Keystone Healthcare Ltd & Anor v Parr & Others - [2018] EWHC 1509 (Ch)


M Davenport Builders Ltd v Greer & Anor - [2019] EWHC 318 (TCC)


Amey LG Ltd v Cumbria County Council - [2016] EWHC 2856 (TCC)


Company A v Company B (arbitration business) - [2017] EWHC 2319 (QB)


A One Distributon Ltd v Rotronic Instruments (UK) Ltd - [2017] EWHC 1813 (TCC)


Dynniq UK Ltd v Lancashire County Council - [2017] EWHC 3173 (TCC)


Bodycote Heat Treatments Ltd v Vacuum and Atmosphere Services Ltd - [2021] EWHC 579 (QB)


Several arbitration matters, including construction, finance, technical and manufacturing disputes, general commercial disputes, and sports disputes (financial fair play in football)

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"Jonathan Ward is incredibly user-friendly, providing pragmatic and commercial advice."

Chambers UK 2024

"Jonathan Ward is good and intelligent."

Chambers UK 2024

 

Chambers UK 2023: “Jonathan has amazing technical skills and his advocacy is very strong.” “When he talks, all the judges listen. He is very persuasive and impressive.”

Legal 500 2022: “Jonathan is a rising star. An extremely competent Junior who is very thorough and academically strong.”

Legal 500 2015 (British Virgin Islands): “First-rate intellect”

  • BVC (Outstanding, Northumbria)
  • GDL (Distinction, Northumbria)
  • BA (Class I, Birmingham)

  • Society of Computers and Law
  • TECBAR
  • Society or Construction Law
  • Northern Circuit Commercial Bar Association British Irish Bar Association
  • Co-opted member of the TECBAR committee
  • Committee of the Manchester BPC Forum (TCC)

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