Overview
Freehills is one of Australia's leading law firms, with particular expertise in major construction project development and delivery. Our team has been at the forefront of many of Australia's most significant projects—not just in terms of dollar value but also in commercial and legal complexity.
By drawing on the national capability of our team, we are able to provide clients with a dedicated and experienced team of legal advisers with a truly multidisciplinary approach. This includes:
- project structuring and project delivery
- risk analysis and management
- preparation of project documentation and contract negotiation
- transaction and project due diligence
- planning, environment and native title advice
- project financing
- dispute resolution and litigation advice when required.
The Freehills Construction team is able to provide clients with an integrated, full-service approach to legal advice on major construction in the diverse areas of commercial property projects, energy, resources and mining, heavy industries and manufacturing, transport, social infrastructure and public private partnerships (PPPs).
Our unrivalled experience in public private partnership projects demonstrates our significant construction expertise. Freehills has led the Australian market in the development of many ground breaking features introduced to public private partnership projects, advising clients on the design, construction and overall development of public private partnership projects in Australia. Our team has been acknowledged by various legal guides, such as the Asia Pacific Legal 500, as one of Australia’s leading firms in the field of construction law.
Experience
Energy & Resources
Domestic experience
- Millmerran Power Station, Queensland – adviser to InterGen on all aspects of the development and financing of the 840MW coal-fired power station
- Gladstone LNG plant, Queensland – adviser to Santos on procurement, engineering and construction aspects of this plant
- Braemar Power Station, Queensland – adviser to ERM Power and Arrow Energy concerning the construction and financing of the 450MW Braemar 2 gas-fired power station
- Neerabup Power Station, Western Australia – advised ERM Power and Babcock & Brown Energy in connection with the development of a $420 million, 330MW gas-fired peaking power plant
- Dalby Bio-Refinery facility, Queensland – advised Dalby Bio-Refinery Limited on this landmark project to build a grain-to-ethanol bio-refinery
- Berwyndale to Wallumbilla gas pipeline, Queensland – adviser to AGL on the construction of a new gas pipeline and associated compressor station
- Cape Preston Mine, Western Australia – adviser to Citic Pacific on its new mine development
- Various wind farm projects (see Renewable Energy experience)
International experience
- Bayu-Undan development, Timor Sea – adviser to ConocoPhillips Australasia in relation to its development of $8 billion of infrastructure, including two offshore platforms, 500km of sub-sea pipeline and the construction of a new LNG plant in Darwin
- Power station, Indonesia - adviser to a consortium bidding for the construction and operation of a 1220 MW coal-fired power station in Java
- Batu Hijau gold and copper mine, Indonesia – adviser to the project sponsor on all aspects of the establishment and operation of a US$2 billion mine development
- Island Power project, Singapore – adviser to InterGen on the development, construction and financing of Singapore's first independent, foreign-owned power station
- Various hydro power projects (see Renewable Energy experience)
Industrial and manufacturing
- Stanwell refinery, Queensland - adviser to Australian Magnesium Corporation Ltd concerning their proposal to construct a $1.4 billion magnesium refinery
- Penola Pulp Mill, South Australia – adviser to Protavia concerning the development of the $1.5 billion pulp mill
- Bell Bay Pulp Mill, Tasmania – advised concerning the construction of this $1.5 billion pulp mill
- Beverage manufacturing facility, New South Wales – adviser to Investa in relation to the preparation of a design and construct contract
- Comalco alumina refinery, Queensland - adviser to Comalco Aluminium Limited concerning development and construction
- Castlemaine food manufacturing complex, Victoria – adviser to George Weston Foods concerning a major upgrade
Property development
To see our extensive property construction experience, see the ‘Property’ section of our website.
Infrastructure
To see our extensive infrastructure construction experience, see the relevant categories on the left hand side of this page.
Working with you
The Australian construction and engineering sector has experienced significant growth in recent years, spurred on by strong economic conditions, significant capital expenditure by both public and private sectors and new approaches to the delivery of public infrastructure.
Furthermore, deal flow in major engineering and construction projects, particularly in non-residential construction, is expected to continue.
Freehills offers clients involved in engineering and construction projects a track record of providing innovative and commercially astute advice across a range of industries and legal issues.
Our team has advised clients on many of Australia’s largest and most complex engineering and construction projects, including all major toll road projects other major landmark infrastructure across Australia.
