Laura Berry
Special Counsel, Brisbane
I am a construction lawyer specialising in the strategic management and resolution of large scale disputes. I have extensive experience in all forms of dispute resolution including litigation, expert determination, adjudication and mediation.

I enjoy working collaboratively with clients, including through various secondments I have undertaken (Stanwell Corporation, CPB Contractors and Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation).

  • Queen's Wharf: currently acting for Multiplex in relation to the construction of the $3.6 billion Queen's Wharf project. Disputes of ~$420M arose in relation to delay, acceleration, variations and changes in law that impacted the integrated resort development. These claims progressed in both Supreme Court proceedings and in an adjudication before they were settled.
  • WestConnex: advising the joint ventures responsible for the design and construction of the M4 East and M5 packages of the $19 billion WestConnex project.
  • Wiggins Island Export Coal Terminal: advised WICET in relation to the disputes arising out of the construction of its $2.6 billion port facility. Disputes of ~$1 billion arose out of several of the project's major construction and equipment supply packages. A key part of resolution was successfully defending one of the largest adjudication applications ever submitted (for ~$430m).
  • Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation: acted on the procurement and delivery of design and construction works, including as part of the GC2018 in-house team (on secondment).
  • Security of payment: successfully brought, and defended 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) for companies including Civmec, CPB Contractors, CMC, Lendlease, Multiplex, TMR and WICET.
  • Resources: acted for various principals, contractors and suppliers, including Anglo American, CPB Contractors, GAWB, Hastings Deering, INPEX, McConnell Dowell, Sedgman, Stanwell Corporation, Thiess and UGL.