Episode Details

Welcome to Where it's AT | the Architectural Technology Podcast

In this episode, host Jon Clayton MCIAT speaks with Harry Pangli FCIAT about his journey into the world of construction disputes and Expert Witness work.

Harry shares insight into what it takes to investigate building failures, analyse evidence, and provide impartial expert opinions for courts and tribunals. Conversation also explores post-Grenfell regulation, AI in the built environment, and the skills that make great Architectural Technologists.

An insightful look at a specialist career path that combines technical expertise, investigation and problem-solving.

—

Harry Pangli FCIAT RIBA MCIArb SAAE

A Chartered Architectural Technologist and Architect with over 18 years of experience in the construction industry working on small domestic projects to large residential/commercial/industrial developments in the UK. Since early 2018, Harry has developed his career in the construction dispute sector of the construction industry now working for Expert Architect Limited. He is a Fellow of CIAT, a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and a Senior Associate of the Academy of Experts. In addition to his studies in Architecture, Harry has completed his MSc in Construction Law and Dispute Resolution and holds a GVC certificate as a commercial drone pilot. Harry represents CIAT on the CIC Liability Panel, CIC ADR Panel, and BSI committee for flexible sheets for waterproofing and water vapour control. In addition to representing CIAT on external panels, Harry also sits on the CIAT Liability Panel and is a member of the CIAT Principal Designer steering group.

—

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro

00:40 A Week in the Life

01:49 Variety vs Practice Life

02:37 What Is an Expert Witness

03:25 Limits of Expertise

04:02 Document Review at Scale

05:05 From Review to Reports

05:26 Site Visits and Deconstruction

06:05 Explaining to the Court

06:59 Meetings and Oral Evidence

07:48 Retraining for Expert Work

08:23 Masters in Construction Law

09:29 Biggest Challenges

09:57 Handling Difficult People

11:38 Tailoring Communication

13:17 Industry Shifts and Safety Law

14:42 AI and Competence

19:08 What Makes a Great Architectural Technologist

20:53 Lifelong Learning in Architectural Technology

22:35 Gadgets, Takeaways, and Wrap

—

Your accumulated experience is what makes you valuable as an expert witness.

To operate effectively as an expert witness, you need a substantial body of professional experience to draw upon. You cannot provide a credible, independent opinion on matters you have never encountered in practice. Harry spent nearly two decades working across the construction industry before transitioning into dispute work. It is that depth of technical knowledge — built up over years of designing buildings, solving problems, and understanding construction — that gives your opinion weight in legal proceedings.

You must develop the ability to communicate across very different audiences.

Technical expertise alone will not carry you far if you cannot communicate it clearly and adaptively. You will need to translate complex building science into language that a judge, barrister, or layperson can follow. Equally, you will encounter difficult personalities on site — contractors who are hostile or defensive — and you will need to adjust your approach accordingly. Rather than meeting resistance with resistance, you should step back, consider the other person's perspective, and find a way to move the situation forward constructively.

You must commit to lifelong learning and approach new tools with a critical eye.

The built environment is constantly evolving — new materials, updated legislation, and emerging technologies mean that your education never truly ends. You should be regularly unde