Curriculum Vitae

Summary

Richard McCaffrey’s involvement in dispute resolution spans 30 years. Early in his career he gained first hand experience of resolving disputes on site constructing and supervising major water and waste water projects for over 10 years and used this experience to champion dispute avoidance in contract reforms within the profession. Subsequently, he managed a fast track investment programme at a regional electricity company developing a range of innovative contracts to reduce delays. He also gained experience of design and build contracts running his own company before becoming a director of an environmental and engineering consultancy where he acted as expert witness on a number of disputes and completed a part time Masters degree in construction law and arbitration. His commercial and corporate experience broadened on joining a multi-disciplined consultancy where he helped to expand the company internationally adding new services including dispute resolution. As Chief Operating Officer on the Plc Board he oversaw a major growth phase further diversifying the company into a leading consultancy in support services employing over 3000 staff in 9 countries covering the UK, Ireland, Eastern Europe, Russia, Turkey and Southern Africa undertaking 15 acquisitions worth in excess of £100m in the process.

In 2008, Richard left to pursue a portfolio of business interests including the establishment of McCaffrey Mediation And Dispute Resolution after gaining CEDR accreditation. As Principal of the practice he has developed a growing reputation as a confident and authoritative mediator on a range of complex multiparty disputes.

Mediation Style

Richard has strong negotiating skills with an engaging and collaborative style drawing on a wealth of knowledge in dealing with employment disputes, negotiating contractual and commercial claims and resolving transactional settlements.

Mediation Experience

Recent mediation experience includes complex multiparty disputes involving land and buildings, environmental issues, professional negligence, agency transactions and director dealings.

Example cases:

Commercial Contract

• Sales agreement and breach of duty as director
• Breach of agency agreement between US multi-national and European agent

Professional Negligence

• Law firm failure to register interests in Declaration of Trust

Land & Property

• Disputed land transfer and mortgage redemption
• Land contamination

Construction

• Non performance of structural engineering remedial work
• Breach of contract for demolition and remediation earthworks

Feedback as Mediator

"Confident and authoritative" –"Good with people, puts them at their ease" –"Quickly grasps the issues" – "Commercially astute" – "Creative" –" Incisive" – "Superb timing and tactical use of information" – "Strong stamina, sees the job through to a conclusion"

Disputes & Mediation Fields

Education

University of Bradford – Honours degree in Civil and Structural Engineering 1974
Leeds Metropolitan University – MSc with Merit in Construction Law and Arbitration 2000

Qualifications and Professional Bodies

Accredited Mediator – Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR)
Member of Civil Mediation Council
Panel Member of the Association of Northern Mediators
Panel Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers Conciliators & Construction Mediators

Chartered Engineer
Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers 1977
Member of the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management 1987
Member of the Association for Project Management 1989

Member of Council of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), 1983-86
        Member of ICE External and Public Affairs Committee
        Member of ICE Energy Group Board
Member of the Yorkshire Association of ICE 1989-90
Member of Underground Construction Sectional Committee, CIRIA, 1985-86
Member of Legal Affairs Committee, ICE, 1985-89
Member of Industrial Advisory Board, Univ. of Bradford, 1986-95
Member of Yorkshire and Humberside Development Agency Property Group, 1993-95
Member of Consultative Panel, Leeds College of Building, 2001

Publications

McCAFFREY R G and others (1983) the Civil Engineering Standard Method of Measurement in Practice, London, Granada

International Conference on Ground movement and Structures, 3rd 1984, UWIST. Blasting adjacent to buried cast-iron pipes. P Hunter and R G McCaffrey, Cardiff, UWIST

McCAFFREY R G and others (1988) CESMM in Practice, 2nd Ed, London, Blackwell Scientific

McCAFFREY R G (2000) Route 66 The Engineer’s Highway to Adjudication, MSc Dissertation, Leeds Metropolitan University

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