Ben Mellors is a specialist international construction lawyer with over two decades of experience and an engineering background. He advises clients worldwide on complex, high-value construction and engineering projects, from contract drafting and negotiation to project delivery, claims, and dispute resolution. He is a Partner at Hawkswell Kilvington, where he leads the firm’s international construction practice.

Ben has acted on major infrastructure, energy, and EPC projects across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, and the Americas. His experience spans airports, metros, tunnels, pipelines, ports, and roads, as well as renewable and conventional energy projects, including solar, wind, geothermal, hydropower, nuclear, and energy-from-waste. He also regularly advises on contracts for the design and construction of complex offshore vessels such as FPSOs and FSRUs.

A recognised authority on FIDIC contracts, Ben co-authored FIDIC Contracts: Law and Practice (Informa, 2009) and frequently advises on FIDIC-based agreements and other international standard forms, including ENAA, NEC, LOGIC, IMCA, and IChemE, as well as bespoke EPC and PPP structures.

Ben has extensive experience in international arbitration under ICC, DIAC, UNCITRAL, and ad hoc rules, alongside other forms of dispute resolution such as litigation, dispute boards, and ADR. His practice focuses on assessing and resolving complex technical and contractual issues in high-stakes scenarios.

Qualified as a Solicitor-Advocate in England and Wales, Ben previously practised as a barrister at the English Bar. Before entering the legal profession, he worked as a civil engineer for a leading international consulting engineering firm. He holds an M.Eng in Engineering Science from Oxford University.

Ben is active in thought leadership and professional development, having served as Chair of the TECSA International & Arbitration Sub-Committee and regularly speaking at international conferences on FIDIC contracts and arbitration. He has been recognised in leading directories, including Chambers UK and Legal 500, where he is described as “an excellent lawyer – very thorough and detailed.”