Senior Associate
International Construction Disputes
Jess is a senior associate in our International Construction Disputes group, based in our Tokyo office. Jess advises clients on a range of complex cross-border disputes with a focus on construction and engineering disputes and disputes in the energy sector. She has experience of arbitration under a variety of institutional rules, adjudications, mediation and of litigation before the English courts.
Jess also has experience of front-end construction matters, including in relation to power and chemical plants, carbon capture projects, transportation projects and offshore wind. She has extensive experience drafting and negotiating EPC contracts and other project documents including where the contractor is a JV/consortium.
Jess was previously on secondment at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Tokyo from January 2020 – December 2021, where she advised on various aspects of their business both contentious and non-contentious. Jess has also spent six months on secondment at ExxonMobil.
Jess is a licensed Registered Foreign Lawyer (Gaikokuho Jimu Bengoshi) in Japan.
The following is a list of representative matters in which Jess has assisted.
Acting for a Japanese EPC contractor on SIAC arbitrations arising in relation to multiple power plants in Southeast Asia
Acting for a Japanese contractor in ICC arbitrations relating to a rapid transit rail system
Representing a Korean main contractor in an ICC arbitration concerning a wide range of delay and disruption claims, together with over 400 additional cost claims, arising out of a Middle Eastern petrochemical plant construction
Acting for the contractor consortium in LCIA proceedings relating to an LNG receiving, storage and regasification terminal in Europe
Providing ongoing project support to a Japanese EPC contractor in relation to delay, defect, variation and acceleration claims on a power project in North Africa
Advising an employer in relation to time and cost claims relating to the design and construction of a power plant in East Africa
Acting for a European energy major in an LCIA arbitration relating to the sale and prior operation of petroleum licenses offshore West Africa
Acting in the English Commercial Court for an international oil and gas major in relation to a dispute arising under a long-term gas sales agreement
Acting in the English Technology and Construction Court in relation to the public procurement process for elements of a large UK railway project
Acting for the main contractor in an adjudication regarding the construction of an onshore substation for an offshore wind farm
Advising a Japanese contractor during the bid phases and EPC contract negotiations for the entry into multiple power plant projects across Asia, and chemical plant projects in Africa and Asia
Advising on various carbon capture and underground storage projects, including leading contract-drafting and negotiations on the implementation of CCUS technology on a large, first of its kind, European project
Advising a construction company in connection with the entry into offshore wind projects in Asia
Education
Admissions
Articles
The 2026 ICC Arbitration Rule updates: What the updates mean for Japanese parties
On 1 June 2026 the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) brought into force a revised set of its Arbitration Rules. …
June 17, 2026
June 17, 2026 • 5-minute read
Client Alerts
2026 Energy Disputes Outlook: Key Energy Arbitration and Litigation Trends from Vinson & Elkins
Overview Vinson & Elkins’ International Dispute Resolution & Arbitration team examines 10 trends involving liquefied natural gas (LNG), climate change, renewable …
January 14, 2026 • Vinson & Elkins’ International Dispute Resolution & Arbitration team examines 10 trends involving liquefied natural gas (LNG), climate change, renewable energy projects, grid modernisation, power purchase agreements, and more.
January 14, 2026 • 2-minute read
Articles
KCAB’s 2026 International Arbitration Rules: What Practitioners and In House Counsel Need to Know
On 1 January 2026, the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board (KCAB) will bring into force its revised International Arbitration Rules. The new Rules strengthen procedural efficiency, transparency and flexibility, and reflect the broader shift among leading arbitral institutions towards prioritizing procedural efficiency. While the previous 2016 Rules had already positioned KCAB as an increasingly significant venue and institution for cross-border disputes, the 2026 update signals a further step towards global best practice.
December 22, 2025
December 22, 2025 • 4-minute read
Articles
A Partnership of Shared Fate: The Realities and Risks of Consortiums
Large, complex construction projects often require complex team-working arrangements to deliver them. In this article for the Overseas Construction Association of Japan INC. (OCAJI), Angus Rankin and Jess Webster explore some key considerations in navigating contractor consortium arrangements, and ways to mitigate the risks of working with partners.
December 9, 2025 • Published by The Overseas Construction Association of Japan INC. (OCAJI) Autumn 2025 Journal Vol. 64
December 9, 2025 • 1-minute read
Client Alerts
Japan’s Key Role in the SAF Industry
Published by SAF Investor, this article highlights Japan’s growing leadership in the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) space. Backed by strong government policy, industrial investment, and innovative feedstock strategies, Japan aims to replace 10% of its jet fuel consumption with SAF by 2030.
July 14, 2025 • Published by SAF Investor
July 14, 2025 • 1-minute read
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