About

Frustrated by the current costly, inefficient and often ineffective dispute resolution processes, particularly statutory adjudication, Raine Selles and Steven Evans combined their knowledge and experience to create the Construction Disputes Resolution Board and Expert Academy with the aim of making dispute resolution more effective and more economical.

At the outset, it was decided that we would focus exclusively on ensuring the best person was nominated to resolve the dispute or expert appointed to assist in dispute resolution. Whilst other organisations provide similar services, they do so as part of other services they also supply.

We are different in that we do nothing else.

It was also decided that only the highest quality dispute resolvers and experts would be members of the board. Not only are potential members subject to rigorous scrutiny, but their ongoing membership is subject to completion of appropriate CPD, peer-review of their performance and regular review of the fees charged.

On that last point, as incentive to ensure the fees charged are appropriate, all our dispute resolvers are required to account in detail for all of the time spent on the matter.

In the founders’ experience, on occasion a bad decision by an adjudicator or arbitrator not only has serious consequences for the affected party, but that party also had little opportunity to feed their concerns back to the dispute resolver.

To address this, we have a robust complaints procedure which ultimately may result in a review by an independent barrister and, if the complaint is upheld, dismissal of the member from the board.

Our board members comprise a wide range of professional disciplines including solicitors, architects, quantity surveyors, building surveyors, engineers and project managers ensuring the most appropriately experienced person is nominated.