Owen Cooper
Partner, Infrastructure Industry Leader, Melbourne
I am a construction and infrastructure project specialist and lead our Infrastructure Markets team nationally. I bring my private and in-house experience in Australia and abroad together with my dual qualifications as a lawyer and engineer to bring a problem solving mindset to the many challenges faced in procuring and delivering complex infrastructure and energy projects.

My passion is helping public and private developers and contractors to plan and deliver complex projects. This includes all aspects of procurement and contract preparation across the health, education, entertainment, justice, property development, renewable energy, telecommunications and transport sectors, with a particular focus on public-private partnerships.

I focus on being highly responsive to my clients’ needs, and know how important it is to provide timely, commercially focused advice.

Career highlights

Worked on more than 30 public–private partnerships in Australia and New Zealand, helping governments, sponsors, building contractors and facilities managers deliver large, complex infrastructure projects. Recent highlights have included:

  • Convention Centres – Acting for Plenary on its successful bids for Geelong Convention Centre, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and its subsequent Expansion and separately for Spotless as part of the Sydney International Convention Centre Exhibition and Entertainment Precinct
  • Hospitals – Assisting Victorian government authorities in the delivery of New Melton Hospital, Frankston Hospital Redevelopment, New Footscray Hospital, Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre Monash Children's Hospital Development and Box Hill Hospital Redevelopment
  • Transport – Assisting bidders on Sydney Metro Western Sydney Airport, Sydney Metro City & Southwest, Suburban Rail Loop, Melbourne Metro Rail Project, Sydney Light Rail, Outer Suburban Arterial Roads Project
  • Energy – Advising bidders on Central West Orana REZ, Glenrowan Solar Farm and Liverpool Ranges Wind Farm
  • Numerous other school, prison, social housing and student accommodation projects

Worked on one of the world’s top 10 construction projects, as in-house construction counsel for the Abu Dhabi–based Tourism Development & Investment Company, a government-owned master developer with a multibillion-dollar construction portfolio.

Frequently assist developers and contractors with hospitality, residential, aged care, commercial properties and renewable energy projects. These include Australian Unity, Living Utilities, Salter Brothers, Mayne Pharma, Trenerry Property, and Summerset Group.

Awards and recognition

Recognised as a top-tier construction and infrastructure law expert in various legal directories. Most recent highlights include:

  • Next Generation Partner – Infrastructure Projects and Construction 2023, Legal 500
  • Recommended – Leading Front End Construction, Infrastructure and Projects Lawyers – Victoria, 2023, Doyle’s Guide
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https://www.minterellison.com/people/owen-cooper