Team size: Three

What has been the number one challenge that has impacted you over the past year?

As an in-house lawyer overseeing the public-private partnerships for the Sydney Metro, the number one challenge has been balancing the competing requirements of delivering services to the public to ensure value for money while providing fair outcomes to contractors to achieve a more sustainable construction industry. The Sydney Metro is one of the largest transport infrastructure projects in Australia’s history and, like many infrastructure projects in NSW, the preceding year has seen it impacted by unprecedented material cost escalations, surges in demand for workers of all categories, exceptionally heavy rains and protected industrial actions – all while seeking safely to recover earlier delays resulting from adhering to Covid-19 mitigation measures throughout 2021. Overcoming those challenges required close collaboration with the many parties involved in the project to align the interests of private businesses with those of the general public.

Looking forward, what technological advancements do you feel will impact the role of in-house legal teams in the future the most?

In the construction industry, in-house legal teams need direct access to the same information and documents as those in the business they support. Advancements in integrating document management software with communications platforms will facilitate the flow of information and improve the timeliness and quality of the advice that in-house legal teams can provide.

What would you say are the unique qualities required to be successful as an in-house lawyer in your industry?

Delivering and operating public infrastructure is a niche aspect of the construction and transport industries: the primary concern behind any decision needs to be the potential impact on the public over the life of the asset. An in-house lawyer involved in public infrastructure needs to have a detailed and current knowledge of construction law and a thorough understanding of standard practices and challenges in the construction industry – both within Australia and internationally. That ensures the in-house lawyer can identify the best way to deliver optimal outcomes for the public, including where doing so requires departing from the norm and instead adopting innovative or novel solutions.