Chris Hey
Partner, Melbourne
I specialise in project, construction and engineering dispute resolution. My experience includes acting for contractors, principals (both public and private) and consultants on large infrastructure and energy projects in all Australian states and territories and internationally.

I am involved in contract administration, project delivery and dispute resolution across all sectors of the infrastructure and construction industry. This has included acting for and advising clients in respect of adjudications (in all Australian jurisdictions), mediations, expert determinations, arbitrations (both domestic and international) and litigation.

I have acted for clients on renewable (solar, wind, pumped-hydro and battery), utility (water, electricity and gas), transport (rail and road), hospital, mining, commercial and residential building and mixed-use development projects. In particular, with the energy transition, I have a keen interest in renewable energy projects and have assisted clients in navigating variation, construction delay, registration, grid interface and performance issues across the sector.

I provide strategic commercial advice to help deliver client-focused solutions. I enjoy working closely with project, commercial and legal teams and seek to tailor my approach to the nature of the claim or dispute.

Career highlights

  • Solar projects: Advised and represented an EPC Contractor on the delivery of various solar farm projects throughout Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia. Issues involved construction delay, registration/grid interface issues and commissioning delays, harmonic issues, defects and performance.
  • Major renewable project: Acting in variation and delay disputes concerning a major renewable project.
  • International power station arbitration: Advised a joint venture EPC contractor on a large international arbitration concerning delay and variation claims in respect of the engineering, construction and commissioning of a geothermal plant.
  • Transmission line arbitration: Acting for a contractor in a domestic arbitration concerning a major transmission line project.
  • Supreme Court piling dispute: Acting for a head contractor in relation to a piling dispute with its subcontractor concerning latent conditions and the availability of geotechnical information.
  • Adjudications: Successfully bringing, and defending against, adjudication applications (for amounts ranging from a few hundred thousand dollars to one of the largest single claims through the security of payment legislation to date).
  • VCAT proceedings: Defending domestic builders and consultants in respect of claims brought by owners corporations' in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal concerning domestic building work.