CIC publishes new Users’ Guide to Adjudication

CIC has today published a new ‘Users’ Guide to Adjudication’, which replaces the Construction Umbrella Bodies Adjudication Task Group “Users’ Guide to Adjudication” produced in April 2003.

Since its introduction in the late 1990’s, adjudication has come to dominate construction industry alternative dispute resolution. Adjudication was envisaged as a process that construction companies could use with or without external professional assistance. Over the years many novice users turned to the “Users’ Guide to Adjudication”, to understand how adjudication works, and to decide if it was a process that would help them.

The updated CIC Guide provides a general introduction to adjudication in the context of construction contracts, and in particular the right to adjudication in the UK and Northern Ireland. Whether you wish to take a dispute to adjudication, or have received a notice of adjudication, it is hoped that this Guide will assist you. This new Guide takes readers through the essential steps in the adjudication and decision making process.

Niall Lawless Chair of the CIC Adjudicator Nominating Body (ANB) Management Board said, “ANB’s are often asked to provide information on adjudication. Indeed as adjudicator I have been asked by one of the parties to explain what should they do next. Whereas it is not in the role of the adjudicator to advise parties, I have referred parties to the CIC Users’ Guide to Adjudication.

The CIC ANB Management Board consulted stakeholders through an industry wide survey and other means, and important feedback was that whereas the Users’ Guide to Adjudication April 2003 was still frequently used, it should be updated to reflect the development of adjudication and new law. The new User’s Guide to Adjudication will not only assist novice users, but as it contains ‘consolidated legislation’ it will also be a resource benefiting experienced practitioners.

On behalf of the Management Board I would like to express my gratitude to Adam Williamson, Gillian Birkby, Dominic Helps, Bob Maynard, and Marion Rich for their hard work updating the April 2003 Users’ Guide.”

The Users’ Guide to Adjudication is available for free download from CIC’s website here.