George McDonald

Ranked in 3 Practice Areas

Star Individuals

Costs Litigation

All Circuits

10 Years Ranked

Band 2

Group Litigation

All Circuits

3 Years Ranked

Band 3

Construction

London (Bar)

4 Years Ranked

Ranked in Guides

Global 2024

About

Provided by George McDonald

UK Bar

Practice Areas

George has extensive experience of commercial disputes with a real focus on construction, costs and international arbitration. In costs, George is regularly instructed as sole costs counsel in major pieces of group/class action litigation and other seminal cases. Recent cases include many collective actions (e.g. Coll v Google, Kent v Apple, Which? v Qualcomm), the News Group Newspaper and Mirror Group phone hacking litigations, the FX litigation, the Royal Mail Group litigation, the emissions charges litigation, many novel representative actions for major data breaches, and the leading cases in the Court of Appeal on solicitor-client disputes (Belsner and Ivanishvili) as well as in respect of Part 36 offers and interest (King). He also frequently advises firms and third party funders about complex funding structures and retainers. In construction, George acts on substantial domestic and international claims. This includes civil claims arising from the Grenfell Tower tragedy, substantial disputes about many separate PFI contracts, a complex arbitration claim worth in excess of £100million relating to a nuclear facilities construction project, and in claims worth around £200million against the government relating to subsidies for solar power. He has considerable experience of the various dispute resolution processes commonly encountered on large construction and commercial contracts and is highly regarded in this field.

Career

BA (Oxon) (1st class). Worcester College Scholar. Called in 2007 (Hardwicke and Shelford Scholar).

Professional Memberships

PNBA, COMBAR, TECBAR, SCL.

Publications

Lexis Nexis PSL Costs Practice Notes.

Personal

Qualified USPTA tennis coach and keen sportsman.

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

UK-Bar

Costs Litigation - All Circuits

Star Individuals

Individual Editorial

George McDonald represents a range of clients in complex costs disputes, and has particular experience of handling specific costs issues relating to large group actions and complicated funding structures. He is experienced at representing clients before the Supreme Court and is a past master at handling solicitor-client disputes. McDonald is regularly instructed as sole counsel in major pieces of litigation.

Learn more about this team❖View ranking table

Group Litigation - All Circuits

Band 2

Individual Editorial

George McDonald is vastly experienced in the management of group claims throughout their life cycle. His expertise covers traditional GLO cases and representative actions via CPR 19.6 or competition law. He is also highly regarded for his expertise in the funding and cost mechanisms of group litigation.

Learn more about this team❖View ranking table

Construction - London (Bar)

Band 3

Individual Editorial

George McDonald is a highly regarded junior with extensive experience in major construction litigation and arbitration. He has particularly notable expertise in disputes arising from large government projects.

Learn more about this team❖View ranking table

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

George's costs knowledge is second to none. He is approachable and provides pragmatic commercial advice. His advocacy skills always deliver excellent results.

Costs Litigation respondent
UK-Bar

A specialist in the field who's many people's first choice. What sets him apart is that he is both just so approachable and so prompt in his advice - he always keeps you updated.

Costs Litigation respondent
UK-Bar

George is an excellent advocate with extensive experience. A purveyor of the most reliable advice, he's both highly responsive and very helpful.

Costs Litigation respondent
UK-Bar

George is very user-friendly, highly astute and someone with a clear commercial focus.

Costs Litigation respondent
UK-Bar

George is a very reassuring presence in any litigation team, who really puts in the time and effort to appreciate the big picture and the detail in a case. He's very strong on detailed assessments.

Costs Litigation respondent
UK-Bar

On the funding elements of class actions, George is great.

Group Litigation respondent
UK-Bar

George is very user-friendly.

Group Litigation respondent
UK-Bar

George is very hard-working and very diligent. He gets the job done.

Construction respondent
UK-Bar

George McDonald is very bright. He is particularly strong on a case with a need for data analysis.

Construction respondent
UK-Bar

As well as being very bright, hard-working and technically proficient, he is an absolute pleasure to work with.

Construction respondent
UK-Bar

George's costs knowledge is second to none. He is approachable and provides pragmatic commercial advice. His advocacy skills always deliver excellent results.

Costs Litigation respondent
UK-Bar

A specialist in the field who's many people's first choice. What sets him apart is that he is both just so approachable and so prompt in his advice - he always keeps you updated.

Costs Litigation respondent
UK-Bar

George is an excellent advocate with extensive experience. A purveyor of the most reliable advice, he's both highly responsive and very helpful.

Costs Litigation respondent
UK-Bar

George is very user-friendly, highly astute and someone with a clear commercial focus.

Costs Litigation respondent
UK-Bar

George is a very reassuring presence in any litigation team, who really puts in the time and effort to appreciate the big picture and the detail in a case. He's very strong on detailed assessments.

Costs Litigation respondent
UK-Bar

On the funding elements of class actions, George is great.

Group Litigation respondent
UK-Bar

George is very user-friendly.

Group Litigation respondent
UK-Bar

George is very hard-working and very diligent. He gets the job done.

Construction respondent
UK-Bar

George McDonald is very bright. He is particularly strong on a case with a need for data analysis.

Construction respondent
UK-Bar

As well as being very bright, hard-working and technically proficient, he is an absolute pleasure to work with.

Construction respondent
UK-Bar

Filter by

Silks (KC)

All Circuits

Construction: Professional Negligence

Ben Patten KC

Band 1

George McDonald

UK Bar Guide 2025

Costs Litigation + 2 more rankings

About

Practice Areas

Career

Professional Memberships

Publications

Personal

Chambers Review

UK-Bar

Costs Litigation - All Circuits

Individual Editorial

Group Litigation - All Circuits

Individual Editorial

Construction - London (Bar)

Individual Editorial

Strengths

Discover other Barristers at 4 New Square Chambers

Silks (KC)

All Circuits

London (Bar)

Discover other Barristers at
4 New Square Chambers