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Find Lawyers in Australia for Construction / Infrastructure Law
Practice Area Overview
Construction and Infrastructure Law in Australia is the specialist practice area servicing all aspects of the Construction industry and construction projects from inception to completion. It encapsulates all the legal issues which arise during the tender, construction, delivery, and operation and maintenance phases of construction and infrastructure projects such as:
- residential and mixed use developments;
- commercial and industrial developments;
- essential hard infrastructure assets such as transport, water and energy facilities; and
- essential soft or social infrastructure assets such as schools, hospitals etc.
Practitioners in this area assist clients at all stages of a project’s life cycle from inception through to commission, subsequent regulatory compliance, and litigation. This includes:
- advice in relation to initial concept design documentation;
- guidance in relation to construction tender documentation;
- drafting construction contracts, consultancy agreements, supply agreements, operation and maintenance agreements, and advising on same (to name but a few);
- advising in relation to Security of Payment legislation; and
- representing clients in construction disputes and litigation, whether that be court litigation, arbitration, or expert determination.
Large scale projects may require the practitioner to provide advice in relation to strategy and structuring, project management, joint ventures, land use, and local planning or zoning issues. Construction and Infrastructure practitioners frequently act for large institutional investors, individual land owners, commercial developers, building contractors, government departments, and infrastructure services entities.
As the Security of Payment framework is highly regulated in all Australian jurisdictions, Construction and Infrastructure lawyers must have a sound knowledge of the area given the particularly severe consequences for clients of non-compliance with the relevant statute. This usually entails advising clients in relation to:
- the proper form and timing for payment claims;
- responding to payment claims;
- drafting Adjudication applications and responding to such applications;
- enforcement of adjudicator’s determinations (recovering payment) and appeals from same.
In addition to their core practice areas, construction and infrastructure lawyers are also regularly called upon to advise in relation to complementary areas of practice. Given Australia’s recent period of sustained investment in residential construction, their practice often crosses into other areas such as planning and environment law, property law, and finance/foreign investment law.
David’s practice includes all areas of property, infrastructure, and contract law. He has significant experience in the negotiation and documentation of property acquisitions and disposals, and associated due diligence processes. David has significant experience acting for property developers, purchasers, vendors, government agencies, financiers, leading corporates, landlords, and tenants with respect to development projects, sales and purchases, leasing, building contracts, land divisi...
Geoff specialises in construction and engineering matters and regularly advises on the preparation of construction contracts and significant building and construction disputes for a number of large contractors, property owners, and government. He has experience in a wide range of building and construction disputes including claims under security of payment legislation, professional negligence claims against consultants, variation claims, time related claims and claims with respect to defectiv...
Stephen practises in construction and infrastructure matters, specialising in construction litigation, arbitration, expert determination and BCIPA claims. Stephen has significant major international and local project experience across the commercial construction, mining and road infrastructure sectors. He specialises in dispute avoidance and resolution with extensive experience in mediation, arbitration, expert determination, litigation and claims under the security for payment legislation na...
Megan has extensive experience in infrastructure and construction, guiding clients through complex front end negotiations and litigation. She is best known for her commercial and practical approach and the breadth of her experience and expertise, having acted for contractors, major sub-contractors and suppliers, developers, not for profit organisations and statutory insurers. Megan focuses on obtaining a deep understanding of the strategic and practical requirements of her clients through all...
Tom is a Principal in the firm’s disputes practice. Tom joined DMAW Lawyers in April 2007 as a senior associate, following previous roles at Clifford Chance in London and Hicksons Lawyers in Sydney where he acted in major litigation matters. Tom specialises in commercial disputes. He has acted in a full spectrum of complex commercial litigation, construction, superannuation, transport and trade matters. Tom's experience includes advising and representing a variety of clients, ranging fr...
Mark is one of Australia’s leading barristers specialising in major construction, engineering and infrastructure disputes throughout Australia and Asia. In addition to his pre-eminent status as a specialist barrister in the field of construction, engineering and infrastructure, Mark has extensive experience in advising and appearing in relation to a broad range of complex commercial and equity disputes at trial and appellate level. Complementing his extensive practice in litigation, Mar...
Stephanie is a construction contracts specialist with experience gained in-house and in private practice. Stephanie has advised in relation to a wide range of projects, including commercial, industrial and residential developments, civil and infrastructure projects, and engineering and mining projects. She is focused on applying strong technical drafting skills and providing commercial and practical advice to assist clients to best position themselves for each project. Her experience includes...
Geoff has 25 years’ experience in the construction and infrastructure sectors. He works with many of the construction industry’s major organisations on projects from start to finish. His expertise includes advice on tenders, contract drafting and negotiation through to project finalisation including claims preparation and advice, as well as dispute resolution. Geoff acts for owners, contractors and facility managers on all types of contracting and procurement. He has experience in...
St John has over 26 years’ experience in New South Wales and Victoria as a construction, engineering, and infrastructure lawyer. St John acts for a diverse range of institutional and private commercial clients in relation to: Project delivery and documentation – Advising in respect of tenders, project delivery methods, and the preparation of project documentation for a diverse range of institutional and private commercial clients. Risk management/insurance – Advising on proj...
James undertakes a variety of complex corporate and commercial work in the State and Federal Courts of Australia. He acts for a broad range of domestic and international clients including ASX200-listed companies, high net-worth individuals, directors, shareholders, company liquidators, banks and government entities. James has particular experience in arbitration, contract law, construction litigation, competition and consumer law, insolvency, trusts and administrative law. Before joining Leve...
John Gurr has a commercial practice, with a particular focus on major infrastructure, resources and construction projects, both locally and internationally. He is recognised in the Australian Financial Review's Best Lawyers for construction/infrastructure and has for the past five years been recognised in Doyle’s Guide as a pre-eminent or leading construction barrister. John has appeared as counsel in significant domestic and international commercial arbitrations, both ad hoc and under ...
As a highly skilled commercial lawyer Tim advises clients on efficient and effective business structures that facilitate access to the capital necessary for growth or acquisition. Capital Structuring extends to business restructuring whether solvent or insolvent and to enable generational business succession or exit. Tim provides pragmatic advice that has seen him develop key client relationships across a range of industries including manufacturing, construction, agri-business, technology, to...
Matthew Hawke is Special Counsel in Cowell Clarke’s Building, Construction & Infrastructure and Dispute Resolution teams. Matthew has broad experience in construction advice and disputes (including construction contract drafting and advice), compulsory acquisition disputes, and the construction industry security of payment regimes across Australia. When not working in the construction space, Matthew supports clients in negotiating or litigating their general contractual, misrepresen...
Kiley is a specialist insurance and construction lawyer with 20 years’ experience resolving disputes on behalf of local and UK-based insurers and private companies as well as front-end contract negotiation. Kiley is passionate about driving change at all levels so, in addition to her practice, she recently became a member of Sparke Helmore’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee. She is an advocate for bringing your “whole self” to work—with a long history in the dis...
John is a senior construction and infrastructure lawyer, with over 20 years’ experience advising clients on construction and infrastructure projects. He has particular expertise in infrastructure agreements including engineering procurement and construction, design and construct, operation and maintenance and facilities management contracts and development agreements. He drafts and negotiates all manner of construction and construction related agreements including EPC, D&C, ECI, O&a...
Andrew has more than 20 years' experience in the construction and engineering matters, both in Australia and in the United Kingdom, and advises principals, contractors, sub-contractors, engineers, architects and other consultants. Andrew leads a pre-eminent Construction team in Queensland consisting of 12 construction lawyers regarded as leading advisers to the industry, particularly in relation to the adjudication process under the Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act 2017 (Q...
Troy specialises in project delivery, risk mitigation, avoidance and construction disputes in all states and territories of Australia. He has over 20 years' industry experience and is a recognised industry leader in relation to the security of payment legislation Australia wide. His experience acting on behalf of both claimants and respondents, as well as training industry participants and adjudicators ensures that he and the entire Holding Redlich construction, infrastructure and projects te...
Michael specialises in corporate and personal insolvency law and is recognised as one of Australia’s leading insolvency lawyers. He acts regularly for banks, financial institutions and other secured lenders providing advice in relation to the security enforcement. He acts for insolvency practitioners in all types of personal and corporate business restructuring and insolvency administrations. Michael is regularly engaged to act for companies and directors providing advice on the restruc...
Josh has extensive experience practising in the area of construction and major projects. He has advised on a wide variety of infrastructure developments in the areas of transport, hospitals, schools, energy and utilities, residential, and government. Josh’s areas of expertise include advising on risk mitigation strategies for project delivery, acting on behalf of parties in dispute, construction, engineering and infrastructure, commercial law (including contract, acquisitions, public/pr...
With more than 20 years' experience in insurance law and commercial litigation, Patrick acts for local and international insurers and large insureds, advising on complex coverage issues involving professional indemnity, D&O, management liability, public and products liability, recall expense, property and ISR, crime and cyber risk products. Patrick manages medium to large-scale claims as defence counsel and in subrogated recovery actions, and has expertise in class actions as well as regu...
Committed to helping his clients manage their risks and solve problems, Andrew specialises in all areas of construction law. He has worked on both transactional and disputed matters concerning the engineering, procurement, construction and operation of major projects across Australia and internationally. Andrew has advised in both private practice and in-house for some of Australia’s largest construction and engineering companies and understands the commercial and technical drivers in t...
Catie is a projects and infrastructure lawyer with over 25 years’ experience, specialising in energy, transport and infrastructure projects. She has advised and acted for both the public and private sector on large construction, procurement and outsourcing projects, including projects delivered as public private partnerships. Catie also has considerable experience in a broad range of areas including commercial contracts, logistics and supply contracts, legal advisory, property, competit...
Karyn is an experienced construction and infrastructure professional, having specialised exclusively in construction and infrastructure law since 1995. She provides whole of project support and advice to companies developing, designing and delivering construction and infrastructure projects and is particularly experienced in claim assessment and dispute resolution. Karyn has resolved numerous complex construction and engineering disputes using her recognised expertise in adjudication, mediati...
Tony has more than 25 years' significant experience in commercial transactions, including public and private infrastructure. Tony acts for clients in a range of sectors, including government services, property development, construction and defence. Tony has a particular interest and depth of experience in major projects, joint ventures, and infrastructure and development projects. He has advised clients on many of the major residential and commercial developments in South Australia. Tony is a...
Shannon Schwarz is an experienced construction lawyer with a practice focused on building, infrastructure, engineering and other major projects. He has acted for principals, developers, head contractors, subcontractors, engineers, consultants, architects, government departments, manufacturers and suppliers. Shannon provides advice to clients in relation to contract preparation, negotiation and management, including procurement processes and risk management strategies. Shannon also regularly a...
Kyle specialises in construction dispute resolution. He also has extensive experience in property-related disputes, including proceedings under contracts for sale of land and commercial leases. Kyle is an advocate for alternative dispute resolution, having acted in numerous arbitrations, mediations and expert determinations. Kyle acts for principals, contractors and consultants and a number of Victorian Government agencies and departments. He has conducted cases before all Victorian courts, t...
Paul is a senior construction and procurement lawyer. He assists clients through all phases of projects from conception, tendering, documentation to contract and claim administration, and dispute resolution. What he does Paul advises clients involved in infrastructure projects, building developments and the procurement of major plant and equipment. Paul has significant experience in all forms of dispute resolution, including arbitration, adjudication, expert determination, conciliation, media...
Adam specialises in procurement and construction law. He has particular expertise in the negotiation and administration of major construction, Public Private Partnership, infrastructure, residential, power, transport, facilities management and maintenance projects. Relevant experience includes: Acting for Wanda on the redevelopment of Goldfields House at Circular Quay into a five star hotel, residential tower and retail spaces. Acted for EG Funds Management on the urban renewal of Summer Hill...
Juniper has taken a lead role in advising on significant construction, infrastructure, resources and defence projects throughout Australia. Juniper is experienced in amending and negotiating various industry standard contracts as well as preparing bespoke terms. She assists clients to manage their risks throughout the life of their projects from the tender and delivery model through to contract management and delivery. She provides clear advice quickly, alive to commercial consequences and pr...
Jamie Watts is the leader of Cowell Clarke’s Building, Construction and Infrastructure team, bringing nearly 30 years of experience to his market leading guidance and advice. With expertise ranging from the drafting of contracts to the settlement of disputes, Jamie’s understanding of the whole construction cycle allows him to identify and minimise risk from procurement to completion. Although the avoidance of future claims and disputes is Jamie’s primary goal, he has signifi...
Josh is an experienced litigator in our Transaction Disputes team. With experience in complex commercial and construction litigation, Josh has a strong technical skill set which is complemented by a commercial and practical approach when assisting clients with their disputes. Josh is a staunch advocate and has acted for a variety of clients throughout Australia, from Magistrates Court to Supreme and Federal Court matters. He has comprehensive experience in significant Security of Payment adju...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.