Richard Edwards

Richard Edwards

He/himPartner
Richard is an excellent lawyer and leader of his team; his stewardship was central to the delivery. He is an absolute credit to the firm.
Client, multinational construction and engineering contractor
About

Richard Edwards is a construction, transport and insurance disputes lawyer with over 20 years’ experience working in these sectors.

Richard has provided dispute resolution advice and representation on numerous complex disputes, spanning construction (infrastructure and commercial projects disputes, security of payments disputes and risk advice), transport (charterparty disputes; admiralty matters, carriage of goods and port risks) and insurance (professional indemnity, construction and marine insurance).

He has particular experience in advising construction sector participants on issues connected with construction contracts and insurance risks.

In addition to his substantial experience in litigated disputes, Richard is regularly called upon to advise and represent clients in alternative forms of dispute resolution, including arbitration, adjudication and mediation.

Professional QualificationsSolicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria, 2004Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Western Australia, 1998Solicitor of the High Court of Australia, 2000

EXPERIENCE

  • Advising and representing a multinational construction and engineering joint venture contractor in numerous adjudications and arbitrations (ICC Rules, seated in Singapore), arising out of a multi-billion dollar mega LNG project in northern Australia. The mandate comprised a diverse range of disputed issues including claims for scope changes, time and compensation under a reimbursable target costs regime. The mandate involved DLA Piper offices across the world, and the proceedings consisted of large scale arbitrations, related court proceedings, and a long running and highly successful security of payment adjudication campaign.
  • Advising and representing an EPC contractor in successfully resisting parallel Court and arbitral applications to restrain the client's call on the contract security arising from the subcontractor's late completion of the subcontract works (CPB Contractor Pty Ltd v JKC Australia LNG Pty Ltd [2017] WASCA 123).
  • Acting for an engineering contractor in multiple disputes (including parallel adjudications, Supreme Court proceedings and 3 international arbitrations) arising under an EPC Contract for the construction of mine, rail and port infrastructure in Western Australia. The arbitrations involved defending claims by Subcontractors for asserted variations and extension of time claims.
  • Acting for a construction engineering contractor on a charter party and engineering services dispute connected with pipe-laying work undertaken on a significant LNG project off the coast of Western Australia.
  • Acting for an engineering company on a domestic arbitration (ad hoc rules) to recover additional fees for services supplied to a D&C contractor for the construction of a children’s hospital in Perth.
  • Acting for a firm of architects in an arbitration (ad hoc rules) arising from the novation of a consultancy agreement on a commercial office building with a project value of AUD130m.
  • Acting for an African company in a Geneva-seated arbitration (International Chamber of Commerce Rules) concerning services provided by a consultancy in connection with mine planning and feasibility for a thermal coal mine in Southern Africa.
  • Acting for a mining engineering consultancy on a USD55m dispute arising from the design and construction of a copper mine’s processing plant in Kazakhstan. The dispute involved complex issues around design quality and insurance cover.
  • Advising vessel owners on a claim for hires and associated costs arising from the chartering of tugs and support vessels to a contractor who chartered the vessels for use in an offshore construction project in the north west of Western Australia.
  • Acting in a Federal Court of Australia action for the insurer of a port authority in a successful recovery claim against vessel owners arising from damage done to the port's berths: Geraldton Port Authority v The Ship 'Kim Heng 1888' & Ors.
Education
  • University of Western Australia, Bachelor of Laws, 1997

Insight Overview

Richard is experienced in delivering presentations and authoring publications on legal issues relevant to his practice areas. In recent years Richard has presented on the following topics:

  • Expanded Proportionate Liability Defences Post Hunt v Hunt (Legalwise 2014)
  • Charterparties : Tips and Traps (Legalwise 2013)
  • Insurance Risks on Infrastructure Projects (Akolade 2012) 
  • Registration of Foreign Flagged Vessels in Australia (Legalwise 2012) 
  • Construction Insurance (Melbourne University, Masters of Construction Law Course 2011) 
  • Managing Cargo Claim Risks (Legalwise 2011)

Memberships And Affiliations

  • Maritime Law Association of Australia and New Zealand
  • Aviation Law Association of Australia and New Zealand
  • Law Society of Western Australia
  • Society of Construction Lawyers Australia

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