Personal Profile

The first part of Donald's career was spent in the construction industry where he initially trained with a firm of professional quantity surveyors. After training, Donald worked for a housing development company and then for a medium sized London-based contractor undertaking estimating, surveying, planning and contracts management. Following this Donald worked for major national and international construction and civil engineering contractors, both in the UK and overseas. Donald was employed in the construction industry for nearly twenty years, the last twelve of which were spent on major building and civil engineering projects as a senior quantity surveyor and as commercial manager.

Donald's involvement in contractual claims and dispute resolution in the construction industry led him to undertake an MSc in Construction Law and Arbitration at King's College London and in January 1993 to join a firm of solicitors. After initial training with niche practice Freedman (later taken over by city practice Taylor Joynson Garrett), Donald was admitted as a solicitor in March 1999. The main area of practise has been construction litigation, arbitration and other non-contentious contractual matters. Donald also has experience of major international arbitration in the Middle East. In addition, Donald has experience in property related matters, particularly nuisance and compensation and with some company commercial related work.

In July 2000 Donald established his own practice as a sole practitioner solicitor and consultant specialising in construction procurement, contracts and dispute resolution.

Donald has been appointed a quantum expert and expert witness in a dispute in the TCC dealing with matters of delay, extension of time and quantum. He has also been instructed to prepare reports in connection with claims made on both building and civil engineering projects (including being instructed by the Airports Authority - Hong Kong); he has also represented parties in negotiation, adjudication, arbitration and litigation.

Donald Pugh is a tutor for RICS Assessment of Professional Competence. He provides CPD seminars in connection with: procurement of construction contracts, dispute resolution, the role of the expert witness and contract law.

He is past secretary of King's College Construction Law Association (1999 to 2001)

Qualifications and Professional Memberships

  • 1991 MSc Construction Law & Arbitration (Kings College, London)
  • 1992 Fellow Chartered Institute of Building
  • 1993 Fellow Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
  • 1999 Admitted as Solicitor
  • 2001 Appointed to the panel of arbitrators of the CIArb
  • 2002 Appointed to the Presidential List of RICS for adjudicators
  • 2002 Appointed to Construction Industry Council list of adjudicators
  • 2005 Nominated as arbitrator member the Society of Construction Arbitrators


Technical Qualifications

  • OND Engineering
  • HNC Building Construction
  • CIOB Membership Final Examinations