A friend of mine, who now lives in Spain and who has a wicked sense of humour, tells me that he asked Chat GPT this question:

“Has Robert Fenwick Elliott written any good books? “

The answer that he got is that I am a well known author and expert in construction law and that I am highly regarded in this field, and that my books are widely used and respected.

Well, nothing controversial there, you might think. But the wind rather goes out of these sails when one looks at the detail. What Chat GPT actually said is as follows:

Robert Fenwick Elliott is a well-known author and expert in construction law, and he has written several highly regarded books in this field. Some of his most popular works include:

Construction Law: An Introduction for Engineers, Architects, and Contractors – This book provides a comprehensive overview of construction law for professionals working in the construction industry.

Hudson’s Building and Engineering Contracts – Elliott is a co-author of this widely used reference work, which covers all aspects of construction contracts.

Building Contract Claims and Disputes – This book is a practical guide to resolving disputes in construction contracts, and is considered an essential resource for construction lawyers and practitioners.

The JCT Standard Building Contract 2016: An Illustrated Guide – This book provides a detailed explanation of the JCT Standard Building Contract, which is one of the most widely used construction contracts in the UK.

Overall, Robert Fenwick Elliott is highly regarded in the field of construction law, and his books are widely used and respected by construction professionals and legal practitioners.

And when asked “Has he written anything else?” replied:

Yes, Robert Fenwick Elliott has also written several other books and articles on construction law and related topics. Here are a few examples:

Construction Adjudication – This book provides a comprehensive guide to the adjudication process in construction disputes.

Payment in Construction Contracts – Elliott co-authored this book, which provides a detailed analysis of the law relating to payment in construction contracts.

Delay and Disruption in Construction Contracts – This book is a practical guide to managing and resolving delays and disruptions in construction projects.

Construction Dispute Research: Conceptualisation, Avoidance and Resolution – Elliott is a co-editor of this book, which features contributions from leading academics and practitioners in the field of construction dispute resolution.

“Construction Law: The Next 25 Years” – This article, written by Elliott, provides a thought-provoking analysis of the future of construction law and the challenges facing the industry.

Overall, Robert Fenwick Elliott’s body of work in the field of construction law is extensive and highly respected. He has written on a wide range of topics, from specific legal issues to broader trends and developments in the industry.

And so, whilst I might agree with the general drift, I should note that I wrote none of the books listed by ChatGPT, and the bot has failed to identify a single one of the books that I have in fact written (of which, by the way, I think Extra-Contractual Recoveries will eventually have by far the biggest impact[1]).

Those books and other publications are indeed a a body of work which is reasonably extensive and respected.

At least, that is what real people tell me to my face.

The moral: Do not trust a bot with anything headed for the cauldron of real legal enquiry.

[1] For others, see https://feconslaw.com/publications/.