Bernadette Barker, Barker Consultants

Our Spotlight Series, coordinated by the ERE Young Practitioners’ Committee, continues this month with an interview with Bernadette Barker from Barker Consultants. If you would like to be featured in an edition of the Spotlight Series please email Patricia Moroney ([email protected]) or Laura Powell ([email protected])

Bernadette, please tell us a little more about your background:

I qualified as an architect in 1986 and gained broad experience working in private architectural practices before joining Laing Design. Then I moved to Marks and Spencer, and then lastly a specialist construction claims consultant, James R Knowles, before establishing my own business, Barker Consultants, in 1993.

I am a Practising Member of The Academy of Experts and am listed with the RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) Panel of Experts. My scope of work encompasses appointments as expert witness, mediator, adjudicator, and arbitrator, as well as appointments under the CDM Regulations as Principal Designer. My expertise is not only broad but also highly specialised.

I have successfully handled numerous expert witness appointments, including for building defects, cladding defects, drainage matters, professional negligence, construction contracts, project coordination, health and safety, fire matters, regulatory compliance and the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations and this diverse range of experience ensures I am well equipped to handle any challenge in these areas.

I have completed extensive arbitral and alternative dispute training, including, but not limited to the MSc Construction Law and Arbitration programme at Kings College London, the CIArb Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration and ICC Arbitration training, and I am now undertaking the CIArb Diploma in Maritime Arbitration.

I hold the Cardiff University Bond Solon Expert Witness Certificate (Civil) and the Cardiff University Bond Solon Expert Witness Certificate (Criminal).

Do have a listen to this podcast where I am being interviewed by Austin Williams of The Kingston School of Art.

https://bit.ly/ApprovedDocumentBFireSafetyProfessionalPracticePodcastspodcast

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What has been the highlight of your career?

There have been so many highlights dotted throughout my career that it is impossible to name just one.

A very early highlight, and an important highlight in my career, was being awarded a part scholarship by Kings College, London to undertake the MSc in Construction Law and Arbitration. Without that I would have struggled to pay for the course, and I am forever grateful to Kings College and Professor John Uff for this.

Another highlight that followed soon afterwards occurred in 1993 when I was made redundant from James R Knowles.

Most people are upset when they are made redundant, as indeed I was, but then, with an ￡8,000 redundancy package in my hand (which was a fortune at the time) and a shiny, tiny little 2 MB Tandon Notebook, I then set up my own practice and I have not looked back since. ?

Highlights this year? I have just been accepted onto HKIA List of Arbitrators in Hong Kong.

?In my expert work it is always good to hear when a case has settled and that my report has contributed to facilitating the settlement. I love what I do, have always done so and every day brings in a new highlight.

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What has been the biggest challenge of your career??

As with the highlights I will name more than one challenge:

The challenge of buying land in 2003 in Sri Lanka and designing and building a boutique hotel with my husband has been an exceptional challenge (whilst continuing to work in the UK). Not only was it a challenge but it was also a highlight. Further, little did I know that the experience of shipping containers, with various building materials into Sri Lanka, would lead to an interest in maritime disputes and I am now undertaking the CIArb Diploma in Maritime Arbitration.

Another challenge was being told by the same architect, who used to throw things at me (see below), that I was not ready to take my Part III RIBA exam and he even contacted my Part III professor to tell him the same. We both ignored him, I took the exam two months early and passed. I then asked for a pay rise and he promptly sacked me!

I’d been sacked from my first job as an architect. Looking back I find it quite funny., but at the time I was mortified.

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What career advice would you give your younger self?

Don’t wait around, for if you don’t like the company you are working for, do something about it.

Life is too short to go into work being miserable each day.

If, as happened to me, when the architect you are working for throws pencil sharpeners at you, throw them back – metaphorically speaking.

Believe in yourself.

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What is the secret to having longevity as an expert witness??

Keep up to date and don’t rest on your laurels, for you can always improve and do more.

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Question from last month’s interviewee (Maureen Reitman, Exponent): How have you used teaming across disciplines to expand your access to projects and increase the value you offer to clients?

I am a sole trader and therefore do not have access to a network of other experts within a large organisation.

However, what I do have is a network of professionals that I have built up over the years who I can call on as required.

Having said that, my appointments as an Expert are highly specialised and if I am required to work as part of a large team then I will be integrated into the team.

The value I offer clients is that I do not rely on others to do the intrusive investigations in a building. I will don my harness, put on my hi vis, hard hat, boots and gloves and go up in the cherry picker and investigate the cavity barriers and cladding myself.

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What would you like to ask the next expert to be featured in the Spotlight Series?

What do you dislike about being an expert witness?