Peter Wood
Managing Partner Infrastructure, Construction and Property, Melbourne
I specialise in resolving high-stakes project, construction and engineering matters. The clients I serve include private and government principals and most major building and engineering contractors.

My work spans claims and disputes concerning power stations (solar, wind, battery, pumped hydro), rail, roads and tollways, hospitals, prisons and mining projects. I have expertise in international arbitration; construction litigation in Victoria, NSW, Queensland and Western Australia; and security of payment adjudications and judicial reviews in all jurisdictions.

I always develop a strategic approach that is tailored to the nature of the claim or dispute, as well as my clients’ commercial goals.

Career highlights

  • Icon/Kajima: Acting for the builder of Opal Tower in class action proceedings before the Supreme Court of NSW.
  • Grocon: Acted in litigation concerning a number of projects including the Soul tower in Queensland and Westpac's headquarters in Victoria, both of which led special leave applications to the High Court of Australia, and claims concerning the Ribbon Project in Sydney.
  • Acting in disputes concerning a major pumped hydro project.
  • Acted for the builders of the A$4.5bn Victorian Desalination Plant PPP in over 20 different disputes.
  • Acted for the EPC Contractor concerning connection issues, claims, litigation and arbitration in relation to many of solar farms across Australia.
  • Fluor Corporation – acted in one of the world’s largest arbitrations, concerning claims of $1.5 billion.
  • Worked for Victorian Government departments and agencies; leading builders, including CIMIC Group (CPB Contractors and Thiess), John Holland, Lendlease, McConnell Dowell and Icon/Kajima; and global engineering companies, including ACCIONA, Engie, Siemens, SNC–Lavalin and MWH Global.
  • Acted in two matters that were resolved in the High Court of Australia, as well as a series of proceedings relating to three different offshore jurisdictions.
  • Senior Fellow of the University of Melbourne since 2008, and a lecturer in its Master of Construction Law course since 2008 on Construction Risk Allocation and Insurance.

Awards and recognition

  • Ranked as a leading individual in Construction between 2012 and 2023 by Chambers
  • Ranked as one of Australia’s leading lawyers in Alternative Dispute Resolution, Construction and Infrastructure, and Litigation by Best Lawyers between 2007 and 2023
  • Ranked as a leading construction and infrastructure litigation lawyer by Doyles Guide between 2017 and 2023