The conference programme brought together construction law professionals from across the globe for a series of engaging panel discussions, expert-led sessions and insightful keynote addresses, including a keynote from Mr Justice Constable, Judge in Charge of the Technology and Construction Court. Delegates explored current trends, challenges and developments shaping the construction industry and the dispute resolution landscape.

Overview of the two days (click for video and photos)

Session 1: Construction DABs in Practice: Advocacy, Expert Experience and Strategic Considerations (click for video and photos)

James Frampton, Keating
Michael Pogue, Secretariat
Milan Perić, Thomas-Koziarski-Perić Consulting & Chair of SCL Serbia
Lucy Pearson, King & Spalding

Session 2: Established Names or Emerging Talent? Rethinking Expert Appointments (click for video and photos)

Emma Schaafsma, CMS
Edward Foyle, Fenwick Elliott
Lizzie Barry, FenwayXn
Dan Miles, JS Held

Session 3: The Persuasion Gap: Why Good Cases Lose and Weak Cases Win (click for video and photos)

Jovan Nikčević, Nikčević Kapor
Volodymyr Yaremko, Mayer Brown
David Falkenstern, FenwayXn & Co-Chair of SCL UK
Alexcia Ossei-Williams, Kroll

Session 4: Delegating to AI. Reliable, or just fast and fluent? (click for video and photos)

Dragan Psodorov, Joksovic, Stojanovic & Partners & Co-Vice Chair of SCL Serbia
Senka Mihaj, Mihaj Ilić & Milanović
Sandrina Antohi, A&O Shearman
Margarita Papaioannou, Martello
Karl Rasmussen, LUPA Technology
Omar Hamdan, Accuracy

Session 5: The new normal? Risk allocation in an age of permanent disruption (click for video and photos)

David Falkenstern, FenwayXn & Co-Chair of SCL UK
Shy Jackson, BCLP
Katarina Obradovic Baklaja, BIT Law
Lucy Preston, DWF
Michael Levenstein, Gatehouse Chambers

SCL Serbia held a lecture with the Construction Industry Association of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia. The lecture covered the legal aspects of the SCL Delay and Disruption Protocol. It focused on whether the Protocol’s concepts and principles apply under the law of the Republic of Serbia, and whether they are compatible with it.

The panellists, Milan Lazić and Dragan Psodorov, were both members of the team that translated the second edition of the Protocol into Serbian. The session was moderated by Jovana Rubežić. This panel discussion followed the presentation of the Serbian translation at the Chamber on 26 February 2026. The translation is available to download here.

We thank the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia for its cooperation and all who attended.

The question of who owns the float in a construction programme appears simple, but it rarely has a simple answer. It becomes decisive when float must be taken into account in establishing entitlement to an extension of time and the associated costs.

SCL Serbia brought together a panel of practitioners to examine the question from the perspectives of the employer, the contractor, legal counsel and arbitration. The discussion considered how contract terms, programme practice and the approach of tribunals determine the answer. It also showed how differently the same contractual and project issue can appear depending on each party’s position.

The event was attended by 33 members, who took an active part in the discussion. Their questions and comments made for a constructive and open exchange of views between the panel and the audience.

Construction contracts in Serbia are often negotiated and implemented based on assumptions derived from foreign contract models, without sufficient consideration of the mandatory rules of Serbian law. Concepts such as “fixed price”, “limitation of liability”, “liquidated damages” or “acceptance” are frequently used in practice, yet their legal effect under Serbian law is often significantly overestimated.

This lecture aims to address the most common legal misconceptions arising in construction projects, from the tender phase through contract performance and completion of the Works. Through practical examples and references to statutory rules, the session will focus on price fluctuation mechanisms, liability limitations, contractual penalties, defects and warranty regimes, as well as acceptance procedures under local law. The objective is to provide participants with a realistic understanding of where contractual arrangements end and where mandatory provisions of Serbian law prevail.

As a contractor, what is the probability you will finish your multiyear and multi-million project on time and on budget? As an employer, what is the probability you will have enough contingency in your budget to complete the project? While these questions may now seem as though they are impossible to answer with any degree of certainty, the aim of these lectures will be to show how with the help of statistics and Monte Carlo simulations they actually can be answered!

It will also be shown how stakeholders can acquire powerful insight not only into the effect of risks on their schedule and budget, but also of the specific risks threatening their schedule and budget. Without these insights it is impossible to know where to focus efforts and resources in order to eliminate or mitigate the effects of these risks.

A lecture on the SCL Delay and Disruption Protocol, with particular attention to the official Serbian translation of the Protocol. The lecture was organised in cooperation with the Construction Industry Association of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia.

How confident are you that your programme truly reflects the way your project will be built? Does it serve as both a contractual baseline and a practical management tool — or merely as a schedule for submission and approval? This lecture will explore how to develop realistic baselines, establish logical sequencing, and apply proper resource loading to create programmes that are not only compliant with contract requirements but also usable for day-to-day project control.

By understanding how to prepare a robust and dynamic programme, stakeholders can gain clarity, improve communication, and ensure that the schedule becomes a powerful management and evidentiary tool rather than a contractual formality.

In April 2025, SCL Serbia became a member of the Society of Construction Law International, a prestigious global network that unites 30 national societies and enjoys a great reputation among professionals in the construction and legal sectors worldwide. This milestone opens the door for collaboration with other SCL societies from around the world, knowledge exchange and the adoption of best practices.

The Launch Event took place on November 5, 2025, in Belgrade, gathering leading experts from Serbia and abroad, representatives of key stakeholders in the infrastructure and construction sectors, as well as members of the professional European SCL community. The room was nearly full with 93 people attending to make the event a memorable and successful launch!

The event also marked the presentation of the Serbian translation of the SCL Delay and Disruption Protocol, a globally recognized guide aimed at improving the management of construction projects.