‘Termination of Construction Contracts’ : Principles, Pitfalls and Providence

Date: Wednesday, 15 Apr 2026, 19:00 - 20:00 Location: Desborough Bowls Club, Green Lane, Maidenhead, SL6 1XZand Online Member cost: £0 (including VAT) Non-member cost: £0 (including VAT)

Nick Kaplan - Barrister

Terminating a construction contract is often seen as the ‘nuclear option’. It is one that is highly likely to generate disputes . When done wrongly, it can expose all parties to significant legal, financial, and project risk.

This talk explores the key principles governing termination of construction contracts, from common law and contractual rights to procedural requirements and some recent case law.

It will also examine common pitfalls and how to avoid them, and will consider the recent Supreme Court decision in Providence v Hexagon [2026] UKSC 1 as an illustrative example of what can go wrong. The session aims to equip participants with a clearer framework for deciding when termination is appropriate, how it can be executed lawfully, and what the consequences are of getting it wrong.

Nick Kaplan is a barrister at 4 Pump Court who specialises in commercial and construction disputes. Nick is ranked as a leading junior for construction in Legal 500. He is regularly instructed as sole or junior counsel in litigation, arbitration and adjudication. His experience includes: payment disputes, delay and disruption claims, claims for defective works (in particular cladding and fire safety disputes), claims arising from defective construction materials and associated product liability, construction professional negligence, enforcement of adjudicators’ decisions and recovery of adjudicators’ fees and expenses. Nick acted as junior Counsel for the successful appellant in Providence v Hexagon [2026] UKSC 1.”