I have successfully resolved disputes in road, rail, airport, port, telecommunications, shipbuilding defence, stadium, energy, mining, pipeline, dredging, power, process plant, tunnelling, ticketing, hospital, hotel, office prison, industrial, commercial and residential projects.
I enjoy working with client teams, my colleagues and industry experts to understand problems quickly and lead the development and then execution of resolution strategies. Return business is a cornerstone of my practice. Client quotes include:
"He is very dedicated to the cause, he makes himself available and provides good, timely and practical advice, and finally he is not afraid to put his neck on the chopping block." – Chambers & Partners, Asia Pacific (2018)
“[A] formidable litigator and tactician who is astute to all the avenues to resolve differences and preserve corporate relationships.” – Who’s Who Legal (2017): Construction
"Peter Pether is an eminently regarded figure in the construction sector, a source commenting: "He has been the doyen of this space for two decades." His practice focuses on acting for both government and private sector clients on large, complex construction disputes. A client comments: "He's literally the construction lawyer and the commercial adviser that every managing director would want in their corner, he's quite simply excellent." - Chambers Asia-Pacific 2020
Peter plays hockey for Sydney University Masters and farms cattle and sheep with his family near Gulgong.
Career highlights
- Acting for Transport for NSW on the $1.8 billion Sydney Light Rail construction dispute.
- Advising several contractors on a major public bank guarantee injunction case.
- Acting for CPB Contractors and Hansen Yunken on the long running Royal Adelaide Hospital PPP case.
- Advised in the ICC international arbitration proceedings in relation to the construction of a major LNG project evolving claims in excess of AU$500 million.
- Advising project sponsors on a dispute regarding Australia's first thermal waste-to-energy facility in Western Australia.
- Advising Korean shipbuilder DSME in an Ichthys project dispute concerning the supply to Inpex of the FPSO offshore platform in arbitration, litigation and mediation in Singapore.
- Advising a contractor on a dispute on the Roy Hill project and associated SIAC arbitration proceedings (Singapore seated arbitration).
Awards and recognition
- Ranked Band 1 in Construction, Chambers & Partners Asia-Pacific 2025
- Recognised in the Hall of Fame for Infrastructure, Projects & Construction, Legal 500 2024
- Recognised as a 'Pre-eminent – Leading Construction & Infrastructure Litigation Lawyers – New South Wales and Pre-eminent – Leading Construction & Infrastructure Litigation Lawyers – Australia' by Doyle's Guide 2024
- Recognised by Best Lawyers 2025 in Alternative Dispute Resolution, Construction / Infrastructure Law, International Arbitration and Litigation.
- Recognised as a 'Thought Leader – Construction', 'Global Elite Thought Leader – Construction' and 'recommended – Construction; for Australia & New Zealand by WWL