
Jeremy Farr
Jeremy Farr is the lead practice area leader of the Energy, Infrastructure and Resources Practice Area and is a partner in the firm's London office with a co-listing in Houston. He is an energy and EPC lawyer focused on dispute resolution, project advisory and contract formation with a particular focus on offshore energy including upstream oil and gas projects and services, offshore wind, shipbuilding, super-yachts and related maritime issues, and major on-shore energy related and infrastructure engineering and construction disputes. He is in his 37th year of practice, working with clients in the oil and gas and maritime sector to help them identify and minimize risk in their contracts during negotiations, to provide support to project teams with a view to dispute avoidance or early resolution, to protect their interests when there are health and safety or other incidents and to resolve those disputes which cannot be dealt with in the ordinary course of performance of the contract, through negotiation, mediation or formal international arbitration or court process.
Jeremy has conducted, managed or advised upon dispute resolution under both civil and common law and in many jurisdictions including England, USA, China, Africa, Latin America, Singapore, Korea, Former Soviet Union/Eastern Europe and Australia. He is an experienced arbitration practitioner under ICC, LCIA, LMAA, DIAC and other Rules as well as ad hoc, and also has considerable experience of mediation. Notable industry sectors include EPC contracts for specialist offshore units such as drilling rigs, production platforms, cable-lay, pipe-lay and heavy lift vessels, floating production units, buoys and other offshore infrastructure, shipbuilding and superyacht; subsea installation, drilling and other services contracts, charters, operation and maintenance contracts and other ancillary contracts for floating production units; supply-chain; joint operating agreements, joint ventures, production sharing agreements; design and engineering contracts and disputes in the energy, industrial and infrastructure sectors; realtime strategic advice, assistance and investigation into onshore and offshore incidents including blow outs, pollution, health and safety, loss of life and injury, breakdown and physical damage, energy and marine insurance claims.
Jeremy is widely respected for his strategic insight, his ability to help clients to find commercial solutions to problems in accordance with their business objectives, and his dispute management.
Jeremy is a ranked lawyer in energy & natural resources: disputes lawyers – UK and Global - Chambers 2017-2022.
Sources say:
- "He is an intelligent, insightful and commercial lawyer who understands client needs and provides clear, concise and pragmatic advice." Chambers & Partners 2021
- "He has a brilliant strategic mind, is great with clients and is a joy to work with." Chambers & Partners 2020
- “..an outstanding energy solicitor with an extremely wide knowledge of the market." Chambers & Partners 2019 and 2020
- “Jeremy Farr has the ideal blend of technical legal knowledge and a strong commercial, pragmatic approach” Legal 500 2020 (International Arbitration)
- “.. He frequently acts on behalf of contractors and oil and gas majors in international arbitrations arising from contractual disputes. Sources say: “He’s one of the safest pairs of hands in the business and has been running huge energy cases over the years with great skill”.” Chambers & Partners 2018
- “Jeremy Farr is “an outstanding solicitor” according to commentators, who describe him as “an absolutely excellent strategic thinker, very practical. Client-focused and very intelligent.” He is highly regarded for his expertise in energy disputes and regularly handles both arbitration and litigation.” Chambers & Partners 2017
Jeremy is often engaged by clients in the early stages of tenders, contract qualification and negotiation across the full spectrum of offshore services, shipbuilding, EPC and general commercial agreements.
Jeremy qualified as a lawyer in 1987 and remained at the same City of London headquartered international law firm until the end of 2017. He became a partner in 1994. He served as a member of the firm’s board, as global head of energy and as managing partner for the energy group.
- BTI Consulting Group Client Service All-Stars, 2022
- Ranked in Chambers UK and Global, Energy & Natural Resources: Disputes, 2017-2022
Jeremy serves as a trustee of Pimlico Opera, a charity which brings the benefits of music to disadvantaged primary schools and prisons.
- “Adapting the IADC International Offshore Daywork Drilling Contract for use under English Law” 2006
- “Using the contract to contain risks” 2008
- “Risk and Liability in Offshore Contracts” 2010
- “How to get paid for extra work” 2010
- “Breaking the code: protecting your day rates (even in the event of breach)” 2010
- “Delay and Disruption” 2011
- “Can you exclude liability for negligence and wilful misconduct” 201
- “Extending time for performing a construction contract – a guide to the black art” 2011
- “Battle of the Forms” 2012
- “Deconstructing Indemnities” 2013
- “Termination of contracts for breach” 2014
- “Meeting in the Middle: Understanding the fault lines arising from the choice of contract form for offshore construction” 2015
- “Liability and Bad Behaviour – a refresher on contractual fault” 2016
- “Enforceable liquidated damages or unenforceable penalty” (co-presenter) 2016
- “Transocean v. Providence: The restoration of sanity to English Law” (co-presenter) 2016
- “Experiences of FPSO Construction/Conversion Disputes: Learning the Lessons to Protect Budgets” FPSO Europe Congress 2019
- Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims 4th Edition, Griggs, Williams, Farr (Informa Law 2005)
- Contributor to Corporate Liability: Work Related Deaths and Criminal Prosecutions – Forlin (LexisNexis 2003)
- Contributor to Dispute Resolution in the Energy Sector: A Practitioner’s Handbook – King (Globe Law and Business 2012)