Having previously worked as a civil engineer (and superintendent), I find that being able to understand the underlying technical issues is often critical to resolving issues quickly and favourably.

My experience spans the provision of:

• innovative procurement and project delivery advice across a broad range of industry sectors, and providing guidance on the most appropriate delivery model for any given project; and
• practical and strategic advice concerning administration of contracts and the prevention, management and resolution of disputes.

My skills include the drafting and negotiation of all types of design and construction related contracts (including associated tender and procurement processes).

I take considerable pride in my reputation for innovative procurement and project delivery advice across a diverse range of industry sectors. My substantial experience at the ‘front-end’ and ‘back-end’ of construction projects also means that I bring practical and tested experience to each particular matter, including distressed projects.

 Career highlights

My career experience covers the following industries: transport / infrastructure / civil; aviation; local government; energy (wind, solar, battery, transmission); residential and commercial; water treatment, wastewater and pipelines; marine infrastructure including dredging; education; health; and dispute resolution (litigation, arbitration, adjudication, expert determination and mediation).

My career highlights include:

• Brisbane Airport Corporation – lead partner assisting BAC with all legal aspects of designing and constructing the $1.34bn parallel runway
• Herston Quarter – lead construction partner for Australian Unity to redevelop a five-hectare site within the Herston Health Precinct – a $1.1bn project to deliver a mixed-use community which will cater for health, residential, commercial and retail development
• Brisbane Showgrounds – lead construction partner on the $3bn regeneration project over a 15-year period. The size of the project is 22 hectares and represents the largest brownfield development of its kind in Australia
• Sydney Metro – lead Brisbane partner acting for Aqualand on its bid for the Waterloo Station Integrated Station Development
• Rio Tinto Aluminium – lead Brisbane Partner role in providing legal services in relation to Amrun Mine, a new $2.6bn bauxite mine being developed south of the Embley River near Weipa in Queensland
• Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads – lead partner to draft a standard form contract used by the Department for all transport infrastructure procurement and for outsourcing road asset maintenance to the private sector
• Logan Hospital Expansion – lead partner to advise Metro South Hospital & Health Service on the $500m expansion and upgrade of the Logan Hospital. The role included advising on project structuring and risk allocation for this complex brownfield project, including strategies to minimise disruption to existing hospital operations
• Gold Coast Light Rail – lead Brisbane Partner role to provide advice regarding Queensland building legislation to a joint venture partner in GoldLinQ, the successful contractor engaged to build a $1.6bn, 13km light rail corridor servicing the Gold Coast
• Brisbane City Council – lead partner to advise BCC on a very significant and complex information technology contract dispute using the Government Information Technology Contracting form of contract
• Springfield Private Hospital – lead partner for Mater Misericordiae Health Services to draft a Managing Contractor Contract for stage one of this project which involved the construction of an 80-bed, seven level, 10,000 m2 facility
• Fluor Australia Pty Ltd – lead partner to advise Fluor on its EPC contract for gas field development in the Surat and Bowen Basins and a 420km gas transmission pipeline including the handling of very significant claims
• Aurizon – lead partner to act for Australia’s largest rail freight operator with many types of long-term rolling stock maintenance agreements, rail crossing deeds, rail transport agreements and wagon hire agreements
• Acted many clients with EPC contracts and O&M contracts in relation to LNG projects, power stations, solar farms and wind farms in Australia and Southeast Asia
• Acted for developers and contractors designing and constructing high-rise residential and commercial buildings, including integrated fit-out arrangements and complicated third party arrangements
• Acted for many clients in adjudication claims under the Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act 2017 (Qld) (including subcontractors’ charges claims) and claims made in the Supreme Court of Queensland, as well as guided clients through many different alternative dispute resolution processes

Awards and recognition

My unique experience has been independently recognised. I have been voted as one of Australia's top lawyers in Best Lawyers International (as published in The Australian Financial Review) for:

• Construction / Infrastructure
• Transportation
• Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Government Practice

I am also ranked on the Australian Doyle's Guide as a 'Leading' Queensland front-end Construction Lawyer.

To ensure that my clients receive the most current and informed professional advice, I am an active member of many legal, engineering and contracting professional bodies including:

• Fellow of Engineers Australia (since 2017)
• Editorial board member of the Australian Construction Law Bulletin (ACLB) (since 2012)
• Member of the Society of Construction Law Australia (since 2008)
• Probity officer to the Queensland Major Contractors Association (since 2007)
• Engineers Australia
• Australian Construction Law Bulletin | Australia
• Society of Construction Law Australia
• Queensland Major Contractors Association – Board