The global rail market is growing rapidly, driven by climate pressures, rising passenger demand, higher comfort expectations and the need to modernize rolling stock, infrastructure and signalling — all while limiting costs. Our experts bring hands-on rail experience across rolling stock, wayside and onboard signalling, civil construction, infrastructure, operations and maintenance — helping clients mitigate risk and maintain profitability.
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We provide outset-to-close project consulting, damage and quantum analysis and expert support on some of the world’s most complex rail projects — improving performance and ensuring potential issues are quickly identified, analyzed and resolved.
From bid to design and fabrication through to installation and approval processes, we leverage our deep technical and industry knowledge to identify, assess and resolve execution challenges across a rail project — and identify opportunities to improve project and portfolio successes.
We help rail clients avoid and resolve disputes by providing independent expert services across the project lifecycle, including delay and disruption analysis, cost and quantum assessment, claim support and construction analytics.
Advisor to 100 of the top 100 law firms as ranked by American Lawyer Global 100
Learn More About Our ApproachMost Experts Named to Arbitration Expert Witness List Lexology Index (2015-2024)
Advisor to 100 of the top 100 law firms as ranked by American Lawyer Global 100
Ranked #1 in the GAR 100 Expert Witness Power Index
With more than 50 experts globally bringing decades of professional experience across engineering, architecture and project management, we understand the complexities of the rail industry and apply extensive technical, industry, contractual and commercial expertise to advise clients at every stage of a rail project.
Alastair Farr has more than 35 years of experience in the construction and engineering industries across a wide range of sectors, including waste-to-energy/biomass, power generation, offshore and onshore oil and gas, shipbuilding, subsea, civil engineering, building, water, mining and rail and roads.
Mr. Farr is an experienced testifying quantum and delay expert on matters including loss and expense/additional costs/damages, disputed variations, delay and extensions of time. He has acted as an expert witness in international and domestic arbitration and litigation and testified in International Chamber of Commerce (“ICC”), Asian International Arbitration Center (“AIAC”), formerly known as Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration (“KLRCA”), and London Court of International Arbitrations (“LCIA”) arbitrations, as well as in UK litigation in the Technology and Construction Court as a CPR35 Expert.
Senior Managing Director, Head of EMEA Construction, Projects & Assets
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Thomas Hofbauer is a civil engineer with more than 25 years of experience in the construction and engineering industries and acts as both delay and quantum expert in English and German language disputes.
Mr. Hofbauer has a background in strategic procurement, contract management and claims management for rail, infrastructure, industrial, IT, power, buildings and rolling stock projects across Europe. His contract and claims management expertise ranges from contract advice to final account settlement. He specialises in expert witness services, contract and risk analysis, as well as in delivering project audits to assess delay, disruption, damages and cost. He has given evidence in arbitral proceedings at the ICC in Paris, the VIAC in Vienna and the SCAI in Zurich, and has acted as an expert for disputes across Europe, in China, India, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, Turkey and the United States.
Senior Managing Director, Head of Continental Europe Construction, Projects & Assets
María Sánchez-Palomo brings more than 15 years of global leadership experience across complex rail infrastructure projects, advising at the highest levels on delivery, risk and dispute resolution.
A former Chief Operations Officer and board member, Ms. Sánchez-Palomo combines executive oversight with deep technical expertise to help clients navigate critical project challenges. She has led and advised on major rail programs across Spain, France, the UK and the Middle East, with strength in preparing, managing and resolving disputes and claims. She has supported both private contractors and public entities through arbitration proceedings, bringing clarity and control to complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
Stuart Downes is a leading quantum expert with more than 25 years of experience advising on complex rail and infrastructure disputes. A chartered quantity surveyor and expert witness, he supports clients and their legal teams in resolving critical claims across major projects.
Mr. Downes advises on delay and disruption, extension of time and disputed variations, providing expert reports for adjudication, arbitration and litigation. His experience spans heavy and light rail projects in Australia and the UK, alongside broader infrastructure sectors, giving him deep expertise in commercial, contractual and claims management. Mr. Downes is recognized globally for handling complex matters and delivering clear, defensible analysis in the most challenging dispute environment.
Lee Baker is a planner and delay analyst with extensive international expertise, gained over the last 20 years. He is recognised in Who’s Who Legal’s premium list as one of the world’s leading International Arbitration Expert Witnesses.
Mr. Baker trained as a construction planner and now provides clients with comprehensive planning, delay analysis and project risk management solutions for a wide range of sectors within the construction industry. Mr. Baker has been appointed to prepare expert reports and regularly advises clients on dispute avoidance and resolution. He has extensive international experience with high-value mega-projects across a wide range of industry sectors. These include power generation, aviation, rail, high-rise buildings, oil and gas, prestige retail, and commercial developments.
Our rapidly mobilizing team brings diverse expertise to solve key technical, commercial and legal challenges at all stages of a rail project.
