Adrian Hughes KC acts as counsel and arbitrator with a broad international and UK construction and commercial practice. He focuses on complex contract disputes spanning a wide range of sectors, including construction and engineering, energy and natural resources, international trade, shipbuilding, transport and infrastructure, investment and public international law, information and communication technology and commercial disputes including agency, insurance and joint venture cases.

Whilst his domestic practice centres on the Technology & Construction Court and the Commercial Court, the majority of his work involves international arbitration and associated court proceedings. He regularly conducts commercial and construction arbitration work as counsel in many different jurisdictions. His cases have included major international arbitrations arising from power and infrastructure projects in Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and Asia, with seats in London, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Dubai and China.

Adrian Hughes sits as President/Co-Arbitrator and Chairman/Member of Dispute Boards in commercial, construction and energy related disputes including power stations, oil and gas projects, construction, engineering and mining cases. He is a Fellow of the CIArb and member of several international arbitration panels, including HKIAC, CIETAC and SIAC. He also acts as mediator and adjudicator.

He has a leading practice relating to China and regularly conducts advocacy and advisory work involving Chinese parties. Recent cases have included a number of prominent international arbitration and court cases in, and related to, China. He is instructed as expert to the Great Britain China Centre / Foreign Office on UK / China Arbitration and Dispute Resolution, and is on the advisory board of the Oxford University Belt and Road Institute directed at the impact of China’s outbound investment policy. He acts as expert witness on English law issues and was the first English barrister to act in this capacity in Chinese commercial court proceedings.

Adrian Hughes was past Chairman of the UK Society of Construction Law, the country’s leading multi-disciplinary construction law association, and a member of the Society of Construction Arbitrators. In the recent issue (October 2025) of both Chambers and Legal 500 Directories, Adrian Hughes KC is recommended in Tier 1 as an International Arbitrator and in June 2026 has been shortlisted by Legal 500 as Arbitrator of the Year.