Veno Panicker

Partner

Veno is an expert in the legal issues facing the construction and infrastructure sectors. He has over 20 years’ experience advising clients from tenders and contracting through project delivery, claims and completion. He approaches his work with positivity and assertiveness and is driven to achieve the best possible commercial outcomes for his clients.

Veno is a construction and infrastructure partner based in Hamilton Locke’s Sydney office. He specialises in advising on complex transactions, as well as dispute resolution, enabling him to provide counsel across the entire project cycle.

He advises major contractors, developers and consultants across the projects spectrum – from residential and commercial developments, through to road, rail, defence, renewable energy and social infrastructure projects.

Prior to joining Hamilton Locke, Veno led the Construction and Infrastructure team at Blackstone Waterhouse, as well as working at Minter Ellison, Maddocks and DibbsBarker.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Construction; Infrastructure; Energy Projects

AWARDS

Legal 500, Leading Firm (Construction), 2017 – 2020
Lawyers Weekly, Partner of the Year Awards, Finalist – Construction and Infrastructure Partner of the Year, 2018 and 2019
Lawyers Weekly, Australian Law Awards, Finalist – Partner of the Year (across all categories), 2018

QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Laws and Legal Practice – Flinders University, South Australia
Master of Laws – University of New South Wales
Admitted to practice in New South Wales, Federal Court, and High Court of Australia

SELECTED REPRESENTATIONS

Acted for First Solar in respect of the delivery of the Broken Hill and Nyngan Solar Farms.
Acted for various major head contractors, including Lend Lease, John Holland and Consolidated Contractors Company in various proceedings including in the NSW Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, expert determinations and arbitration (ACICA, SIAC, ICC and CIETAC) relating to civil, defence, LNG pipeline and mixed-use projects.
Advised a major renewables concern as to their suite of EPC agreements and subcontracts.
Advised on rights to securities across multiple sites for a major solar panel supplier following the insolvency of RCR Tomlinson Group.
Successfully negotiating and resolving a $45 million multi-party dispute for a major head contractor as part of the NBN Project. The dispute involved over 2000 variations and claims for delay costs and preliminaries across 10 sites and 5 states.
Acted for a major contractor in various major works packages relating to the Tindall Defence base upgrade.
Preparing a suite of construction project contracts for a major developer in respect of a new town centre involving building works exceeding $300,000,000.
Acting in various landmark construction decisions including in respect of contract law, security of payment, defects, termination, disputed variations, extensions of time, delay and end of project claims including having:
- Acted for Hills Central in Hagerty v Hills Central [2018] NSWCA 200 and subsequent application for special leave to the High Court in respect of the disputed exercise of a call option;
- Acted for Ceerose in Owners Corporation SP76841 v Ceerose Pty Ltd & Anor [2016] NSWCA 1545 & [2017] NSWCA 140 in a landmark case relating to limitation of action in building claims;
- Acted for Lend Lease in Intercon v Lend Lease Project Management & Construction (Australia) Pty Ltd [2014] NSWCA 463 in an important decision relating to ‘back to back’ contracts;
- Acted for Lend Lease in Wright v Lend Lease Project Management & Construction (Australia) Pty Ltd [2014] NSWSC 441 in a related proceeding relating to a major defence project;
- Acted for CSR in Skilled Group v CSR Viridian & Anor [2012] VSC 290 in respect of claims relating to the design and construction of major industrial plant; and
- Acted for Watpac in Watpac v Austin Corp [2010] NSWSC 168 in an important decision in respect of security of payment and the re-agitation of claims.