Jim Allen has been involved with expert witness work since early in his career, working with the respected engineer Stephan Tietz researching case papers and summarising relevant evidence for and against in each case. This included briefing clients and their legal team and explaining the significance of the evidence in engineering terms. During this period Jim worked on the well known Great Ormond Street Hospital case, where the design and construction of a major new building was at issue, and on serious cladding defects to elevations of Imperial College.
After joining Ellis and Moore he reported on a building collapse at Manchester Street in London. This involved detailed investigation of a Grade II listed building to determine the cause of collapse. The report helped avoid enforcement action by preparing the way for a scheme of remedial works preserving the historic fabric where intact.
More recently Jim has been involved in several significant cases one of which concerned obligations in respect of design and construction services, and culminated in a four day hearing in the Construction Division of the High Court during which he gave his evidence and the case presented was preferred to that of the claimant. Other instructions include cases of building defects, building collapse, slope stability and retaining wall failures, and he is currently instructed on a building subsidence case.