“It is rewarding to provide clients with commercial and strategic advice which reflects the considerations of their sector, and to represent them in formal dispute processes and proceedings where necessary.”

Iain specialises in disputes across the UK, especially those concerning construction, engineering, major projects and negligence.

A qualified and active solicitor-advocate, he frequently presents in formal proceedings. He has significant experience of adjudication, mediation, litigation, arbitration and expert determination.

Iain has been a Law Society-accredited specialist in construction law since 2005. He was on the Law Society’s specialist accreditation panel for professional negligence law for ten years.

Areas of practice include:

Sector experience includes:

Admitted

1995: Scotland

Relevant experience

Acting for an M&E contractor in defence of a £50 million defects claim concerning a hospital in Northeast England.
Representing a developer in a £7.4 million dispute with a UK contractor concerning development infrastructure for major housing development in Kent.
Representing a UK contractor in a procurement challenge against a Scottish Council concerning a £450 million roads maintenance and renewal contract.
Representing a UK contractor in disputes with a Japanese contractor and a Belgian sub-contractor concerning 1000MW subsea UK-Belgium cable interconnector project.
Representing a Scottish university in defending an £11 million claim concerning claimed delays and changes affecting a major demolition and asbestos removal contract.
Representing a UK power company in a £40 million claim for defects in cable installation under roads in major UK city.
Representing a UK contractor in a dispute with a network grid operator in Wales regarding directional drilling works for a network upgrade project.
Representing a Joint Venture contractor in disputes with various sub-contractors concerning the construction of the Old Oak Common Station super-hub for HS2.
Representing a Scottish Council in a dispute with a UK contractor regarding fire protection, roofing and structural defects at a series of new-build properties relating to a city-wide housing regeneration project.
Representing a Scottish university in the successful pursuit of a substantial defects claim against a contractor and consultant concerning a scientific research and teaching facility on a major campus redevelopment programme.
Representing an M&E contractor in a £1.4 million insurance claim and disputes concerning works to Heathrow approach tunnels.
Representing a civil engineering contractor in a $6.7 million dispute concerning flood prevention scheme in Scotland.
Acting for a North American batter storage contractor and supplier in disputes concerning battery storage plants in England and Wales.
Representing a civil engineering contractor in a £6.2 million dispute concerning utility tunnel works under the River Exe estuary, Southeast England.
Representing an international temporary power manufacturer in an £8 million dispute concerning defects affecting manufacturing facility in West of Scotland.
Representing a UK contactor in a £7 million dispute concerning fire protection defects in a high-rise residential development in Bristol.

Professional bodies

2004: Admitted as a Solicitor Advocate in Scotland
2003: Member, Law Society of Scotland Panel of Adjudicators

“Iain is an excellent professional who is very knowledgeable and experienced. He is exceptionally thorough and provides superb professional advice.”

Chambers (2024)

Further testimonials

“Iain is super bright and has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the law and construction litigation. So while he’s super bright, he’s also very easy to deal with.”

Chambers (2024)

“Iain Drummond is a very knowledgeable and engaging individual who always has time to talk.”

Chambers (2023)

“Extremely personable and provides first class expertise which is thoroughly thought out and tested internally…Sensible, measured and pragmatic … very good at understanding the issues, and he provides valued and creative guidance on the best way to deal with them.”

Chambers (2020)