Commercial barrister Christopher Edwards analyses the Court of Appeal decision in Times Travel (UK) v Pakistan International Airlines Corporation and its impact on the criteria of lawful economic duress and reasonableness in commercial contracts.
Clerks Details
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- Clerk Name: Matthew Scanlan
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Overview
Chris is a commercial and construction barrister and Deputy Head of the Construction and Engineering Group. He regularly appears in both the High Court and County Courts.
He has particular expertise and experience in bringing professional negligence claims relating to solicitors and construction professionals, including surveyors and architects, with a wealth of experience in relation not only to litigation, but also mediation and settlement in such claims.
Chris also specialises in high-value contract litigation, in respect of both commercial and construction contracts.
Expertise
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Commercial Add this expertise to your shortlist Chris’ practice encompasses the whole spectrum of high-value business and commercial disputes. He regularly advises and represents businesses in the County Court, High Court and Court of Appeal, across matters including contractual claims, guarantees, misrepresentation, shareholder disputes, the interpretation of commercial agreements and disputes arising in the construction sector. He also has extensive experience of alternative dispute resolution.
Alongside his broader commercial disputes practice, Chris has particular expertise in professional negligence. He regularly advises and represents Claimants in high-value claims against a range of professionals, including solicitors, surveyors, architects and financial advisors, with particular expertise in claims for professional negligence arising from construction projects. His experience extends beyond litigation to strategy and tactics in the successful prosecution of such claims, including advocacy at mediation.
Recent and Notable Commercial Cases
- B&D Clays & Chemicals Limited v Castle Water Limited [2026] EWCA Civ 171, junior for David Parratt KC (Scot). Second appeal relating to the evidence admissible to challenge commercial water meter readings.
- Representing contractor in dispute over quality of installation of castables in hot flue gas ducts in the oil industry.
- Advising a hotel in respect of the liabilities of its franchisor following from the latter’s purported termination of its contract due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Successfully appealing a judgment that an informal IOU given by a husband to a wife was a promissory note within the meaning of the Bills of Exchange Act 1882.
- Advising and drafting in respect of enforcement of a legal charge given by a third-party guarantor to a company’s debts. Issues of interpretation of the charge and knowledge of the guarantor.
- Advising and drafting in respect of a claim arising out of loans to a property development company by a private bank. Issues of economic duress and conduct by the bank.
- Representing guarantors under claim for monies due under a personal guarantee arising from hire purchase and hire contracts. Penalty clauses and automatic termination. Interpretation of damages clause in agreements.
- Numerous cases arising from misrepresentations in property purchases.
- Advising on the construction of share purchase agreements, particularly in relation to the sale of companies in the construction sector.
- Winding up a family company on the just and equitable ground on behalf of the minority shareholders after a breakdown of trust and confidence with majority shareholder.
Recent and Notable Professional Liability Cases
- Advising developer on quantum in respect of failure by conveyancing solicitor to properly negotiate a deed of easement that provided access to the public highway.
- Solicitor’s negligence in respect of failure to properly value High Court claim until immediately prior to trial.
- Architect’s negligence in respect of duty to warn in relation to VAT rates chargeable by a contractor.
- Multiple claims in respect of architects’ negligence in respect of payment provisions under JCT contracts.
- Solicitor’s negligence in respect of failing to properly draft the escalator clause in a lease.
- Architect’s negligence for wrongly designing reservoir situated on farm.
- Architect’s negligence for providing wrong advice as to permitted development rights on a residential property in a green belt location.
- Architect’s negligence for failure to correctly supervise installation of new heating in a listed church. Issues of contractual and tortious assumption of duty.
- Solicitors’ negligence in respect of conveying wrong land in sale of part.
- Numerous claims against surveyors arising from pre-purchase surveys of residential properties.
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Construction and engineering Add this expertise to your shortlist Chris is the Deputy Head of the Construction and Engineering Group. He regularly advises and represents clients in respect of a wide range construction and engineering disputes, ranging from residential property disputes to commercial developments to nationwide installation projects. He has a particular expertise in respect of professional negligence claims in the construction field.
Recent and Notable Construction and Engineering Cases
- Advising and acting in numerous claims, both in the TCC and the County Court relating to defective building work at residential and other properties.
- Advising in respect of Building Safety Act 2022 claims
- Successfully defending significant adjudication claiming professional negligence in respect of a firm of quantity surveyors and costs consultants. Issues relating to the proper valuation of work carried out under an NEC3 Professional Services Short Contracts.
- Advising in respect of the apportionment of liability between contractors and professionals in a claim for the inadequate provision of heating for a restored medieval church.
- Advising and drafting in respect of a claim arising out of loans to a property development company by a private bank. Issues of economic duress and conduct by the bank.
- Advising on the construction of share purchase agreements, particularly in relation to the sale of companies in the construction sector.
Recent and Notable Professional Liability Cases
- Advising developer on quantum in respect of failure by conveyancing solicitor to properly negotiate a deed of easement that provided access to the public highway.
- Architect’s negligence in respect of duty to warn in relation to VAT rates chargeable by a contractor.
- Multiple claims in respect of architects’ negligence in respect of payment provisions under JCT contracts.
- Architect’s negligence for wrongly designing reservoir situated on farm.
- Architect’s negligence for providing wrong advice as to permitted development rights on a residential property in a green belt location.
- Architect’s negligence for failure to correctly supervise installation of new heating in a listed church. Issues of contractual and tortious assumption of duty.
- Numerous claims against surveyors arising from pre-purchase surveys of residential properties.
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Articles -
Lawful economic duress and reasonableness
24th May 2019View Article -
There’s no basis for that – exclusion clauses, contractual estoppel and misrepresentation
25th Jun 2018View ArticleChristopher Edwards considers the case of First Tower Trustees Ltd and Intertrustees Limited v CDS (Superstores International) Limited [2018] EWCA Civ 1396 and the role of basis clauses in avoiding liability in contracts.
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Claim notification clauses in share purchase agreements: the devil in the detail
8th Feb 2018View ArticleCommercial update: Claim notification clauses in SPAs
When notifying a claim under a claim notification clause in a Share Purchase Agreement, what level of detail does the purchaser need to give? Christopher Edwards analyses the Court of Appeal’s most recent consideration of the issue (Teoco UK Ltd v Aircom Jersey 4 Ltd [2018] EWCA Civ 23).
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An overview of the law relating to the Commercial Agents Directive
2nd Sep 2016View ArticleChristopher Edwards provides an overview of the law relating to the Commercial Agents Directive and its latest developments in Webinar for Lexis Nexis.
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Negligent professional advice: a once-only breach
2nd Sep 2016View ArticleContinuing breach is an area of law that has suffered from a level of uncertainty. In the context of professional risk, it is often important to limitation arguments, in order to determine when a breach of duty has occurred. Christopher Edwards (Call 2008) analyses the most recent contribution of the Court of Appeal, in Capita (Banstead 2011) Ltd v. RFIB Group Ltd [2015] EWCA Civ 310.
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Failed consideration, and additional damages; a game of two halves.
2nd Sep 2016View ArticleIf a contract for work and materials is performed badly, can there be a total failure of consideration? By what 'performance' is that question to be addressed? And can there also be a claim for damages? Christopher Edwards analyses the most recent contribution of the Court of Appeal to the question of total failure of consideration and damages, in Gartell & Son (a firm) v. Yeovil Town Football & Athletic Club Limited [2016] EWCA Civ 62, [2016] BLR 206, 164 ConLR 28
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Recommendations ‘Chris’ intelligence enables him to grapple with the trickiest issues, but he is then able to explain his findings in a way that makes complex matters simple for the client.’
Legal 500 2026/Commercial litigation/Leading Juniors/Western Circuit‘Chris has a very good eye for detail and is a very able and tenacious advocate. He is also very approachable with clients and easy to work with.’
Legal 500 2026/Professional Negligence/Leading Juniors/Western Circuit‘Christopher is a very effective and measured advocate. He grasps issues quickly and is extremely thorough.’
Legal 500 2025/Professional Negligence/Leading Juniors/Western Circuit
Related News
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On 25 February 2026 the Court of Appeal (Peter Jackson, Lewis and Snowden L.J.J.) handed down judgment in the case of B&D Clays & Chemicals Limited v Castle Water Limited [2026] EWCA Civ 171, an appeal relating to the evidence admissible to challenge commercial water meter readings. David Parratt KC (Scot), Christopher Edwards and Zhen Ye of 3PB Barristers appeared for B&D Clays, the Appellant, in this matter. The Court of Appeal held, by a majority of...
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3PB is delighted to announce that its Commercial group has welcomed 4 new rankings in this year's Legal 500 edition, achieving a total of 14 rankings for 8 of our barristers across the areas of Commercial Litigation, Company and Insolvency and Professional Negligence in the Midlands, South Eastern and Western. Our Professional Negligence team in particular is praised as a ‘solid set of chambers’ for its work. Clients appreciate '3PB’s strong multi-disciplinary chambers with excellent...
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Commercial and construction barrister Christopher Edwards (pictured here) was one of the speakers at the Professional Negligence Bar Association (PNBA) "Advocacy and Appeals" seminar, alongside Selena Plowden KC and HHJ Blohm KC, the Designated Civil Judge for Avon Somerset and Gloucester, based in Bristol. The seminar was organised for both professional negligence and clinical negligence practitioners and looked at appeals from the County Court through to the Supreme Court, and heard insights on advocacy in...
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3PB Barristers’ (3 Paper Buildings) The Rt Hon Michael Tomlinson KC, Christopher Edwards and pupil barrister Emily Hayward have all contributed to the latest edition of ThoughtLeaders4 Disputes Magazine. The Rt Hon Michael Tomlinson KC is featured in this issue’s popular “60-Seconds With” segment in which industry experts answer a series of quick-fire questions, giving readers an insight into their thoughts on and beyond their work. In his interview, published on page 10, Michael discusses...
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