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VIEW ALLLegal 500 2027Mark Pritchard is a star. I think he is highly appreciated by both clients and colleagues alike. Top drawer, especially regarding Building Safety Act matters.
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Mark Pritchard is a construction litigation specialist with over 20 years' experience in high profile and complex dispute resolution. He heads the contentious construction team at Howard Kennedy, providing practical and cost-effective advice to members of the house-building and construction industry.
Mark has conducted complex litigation in the Technology and Construction Court (TCC), Administrative Court, and Court of Appeal and is familiar with both the enforcement of adjudication decisions, the use of injunctive relief and the wider regulatory landscape. Prior to qualification, he spent 10 years conducting high profile regulatory litigation. He is equally at home in Court or alternative dispute resolution but remains outcomes-focussed on timely commercial solutions.
More recently, Mark has been engaged by some of the country's leading housebuilders to advise on building safety issues. In that context, he has led teams working on some of the leading cases before the TCC and in the First-tier Tribunal. This has given him substantial, in-depth experience of dealing with the full gamut of fire safety and structural issues and the resulting litigation; advising Plc Board members on risk at asset class level, as well as on a building-by-building basis.
In addition to his dispute avoidance and resolution practice, Mark assists clients with their construction documentation and is familiar with all of the standard forms. He regularly lectures to members of the profession, consultants and contractors, as well as talking at industry events.
- Successfully defending the appeal in Wilson v HB (SWA) [2025] EWCA Civ 1360 which provided helpful guidance on the scope of damages recoverable in Defective Premises Act (DPA) claims, and acting for the developer in all proceedings in the Court below involving a £33m class action by leaseholders.
- Settling £50m Remediation Order and Remediation Contribution Orders under the Building Safety Act 2022 by way of suspended orders, focussing the applicant and Tribunal on the existing obligations under the Developer Remediation Contract that obviate the need for such orders.
- Defending £12m DPA and Remediation Contribution Order claims for developer, including novel issues of fact and law concerning student accommodation and the definition of dwellings under the DPA.
- Acting for the applicant in BDW v Ardmore [2025] EWHC 424 (TCC) which provided guidance, albeit peculiar, on the test for Building Information Orders under s. 132 of the Building Safety Act 2022.
- Obtaining summary judgment in BDW v Ardmore [2024] EWHC 3235 (TCC) securing the enforcement of an adjudication award in respect of historic building safety claims, leading to the extension of the limitation period for adjudication of DPA claims from 6 to 30 years, including the successful adjudication of a £14,5m building safety claim under the DPA and the extended limitation period in contract provided by s.32 of the Limitation Act (deliberate concealment of defects).
- Acting for the developer in the successfully resolved proceedings concerning New Capital Quay, Greenwich, as part of a £20m cladding remediation claim brought by class action. Successfully arguing the application of the proportionality test, per Ruxley v Forsyth, to whether remediation of existing (but immaterial) defects was necessary in Naylor v Roamquest [2021] EWHC 3507 (TCC) and all associated judgments.
- Providing advice to the country's leading housebuilder in relation to its entire estate review of external wall and fire safety issues.
- Multiple building safety claims by litigation, arbitration and adjudication.
- Acting for a Tier 1 contractor in relation to international airport development contracts and supply chain appointments.
- Advising a top-tier house builder in relation to ACM cladding issues with defects claims in excess of £20m.
- Acting for an oil and gas exploration services contractor in a multi-million pound TCC claim arising from the decommissioning of the Brent Oil Field.
- Acting for a national contractor in multiple disputes with an international supermarket chain, securing adjudication wins in all matters.
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"Mark is an extraordinarily dynamic individual with the ability to 'see beyond' in addition to pursuing innovative solutions." Chambers UK 2027
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"Mark provides excellent client service. He's very commercially aware and comes up with practical solutions to complex issues." Chambers UK 2027
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"He has a real talent for understanding the client's needs and wider commercial interests and for providing a superb and very personal service." Chambers UK 2027
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"Mark is a very able lawyer who is experienced in high-value construction disputes and works well with clients." Chambers UK 2027
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"Mark Pritchard has a strong dispute resolution practice. He assists both developers and contractors with defect and termination claims and is particularly adept at handling contentious matters concerning cladding." Chambers UK 2027
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Ranked as Up and Coming, Construction: Contentious, Chambers UK 2026
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"Mark is a hard-working and experienced litigator." Chambers UK 2025
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Ranked as "Up and Coming", Construction: Contentious (London Firm) , Chambers UK 2025
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Ranked "Associate to watch", Construction: Contentious, Chambers 2024
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"Mark is very commercially aware and has great vision to look outside the box to solve a problem." Chambers UK 2024
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"Mark is a pleasure to work with and he prioritises the client at all times." Chambers UK 2024
Mark's father designed the cladding of Norman Foster's Grade 1 listed Sainsbury's Centre at the University of East Anglia, including a prototype aluminium cladding – so you could say it is in the blood.
Outside of work, he is a devoted father of three pre-teens and a mad-keen fly fisherman, happiest waist deep in a cold northern river.
