Danielle Cooper
Associate
Trisha Durney
Solicitor
Joshua Salameh
Lawyer
Sarah-Jayne Rayner
Special Counsel
Christina Sartor
Senior Associate
Justin O’Callaghan
Partner
Natasha von Bibra
Senior Associate
Chloe Marriott
Lawyer

Justin O’Callaghan

Partner

Justin O’Callaghan is a front-end construction and major projects Partner in Hamilton Locke’s national Energy, Resources, Construction and Infrastructure (ERCI) team, based in Brisbane. He advises owners, developers, sponsors and contractors on major capital projects. His work starts with procurement and contracting strategy, carries through the drafting and negotiation of the delivery contracts, and stays with the project to completion.

Justin has practised at leading firms in the United Kingdom and Australia, and in-house with a tier one contractor. He understands the commercial and delivery pressures on both sides of the table. His advice is strategic and commercial. He works collaboratively with general counsel, legal teams and executives to advance complex transactions and projects.

Justin’s work spans the energy transition, including traditional generation, large-scale solar, wind, battery energy storage and transmission. It extends across mining, processing and materials handling infrastructure, transport and social infrastructure, and development, hotel and living sector projects. He works across all major delivery models, including EPC, design and construct, balance of plant, operations and maintenance, alliance and early contractor involvement contracts. He has written and presented on procurement and delivery models for major infrastructure, including the program building toward Brisbane 2032. He practises as part of Hamilton Locke’s national construction team across Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, drawing on the firm’s planning, property, corporate, finance, restructuring and disputes capability as a project requires. Clients keep the continuity of one team for the life of the asset.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Construction; Infrastructure; Energy; New Energy Projects; Resources; Real Estate; Major Projects; Project Procurement and Delivery

AWARDS
  • Best Lawyers, The Best Lawyers in Australia™, Construction / Infrastructure Law, 2021-2027
  • Lawyers Weekly, Partner of the Year Awards, Construction and Infrastructure Partner of the Year, Finalist, 2023
  • Doyle’s Guide, Recommended Leading Front End Construction & Infrastructure Lawyer, Queensland, 2022
QUALIFICATIONS
  • Bachelor of Science (Psychology) / Bachelor of Laws, University of Queensland
  • Master of Laws, Queensland University of Technology
  • Solicitor of the High Court of Australia
  • Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland
SELECTED REPRESENTATIONS

Energy and new energy

  • Advising an international renewable energy EPC contractor on a solar and battery energy storage project of c$1.3 billion, including the EPC contract and the operations and maintenance framework.
  • Advising a Queensland Government-owned electricity generator on critical upgrade projects at two power stations, and on overhaul arrangements including through alliance contracting.
  • Advising an operator of a high-voltage electricity transmission network on the delivery of a State-critical transmission upgrade project in Sydney.

 

Mining and resources

  • Advising an international engineering and construction company on its role in the multi-billion dollar development of rail and port infrastructure for a mine.
  • Advising an Australian engineering and construction company on its bid in relation to a Mozambique mining project.

 

Infrastructure, transport and government

  • Advising a major Australian airport operator on procurement contract drafting.
  • Advising a Western Australian local government on the construction and procurement arrangements for a regional airport runway upgrade.

 

Real estate, hotels and the living sectors

  • Advising a real estate group on its Australian hotel redevelopment portfolio across the east coast, including on its contracts relating to a c$130 million CBD redevelopment.
  • Advising on an apartment development of c$56 million delivered under a public-private partnership using modular construction, including the design and construct packages into delivery.

 

Food and agribusiness

  • Advising an institutional agricultural investor on irrigation, earthworks and development contracting across its Australian asset portfolio.
  • Advising an agribusiness group on construction due diligence and delivery for its development projects.

 

The experience described above was undertaken prior to joining Hamilton Locke.*