Construction
Simpson Grierson is New Zealand's leading construction law firm.
Our construction lawyers have a depth and breadth of experience unrivalled by any other law firm in the country.
Specialist construction and project lawyers
We are specialist construction lawyers. We are not property lawyers who dabble in construction contracts; we specialise in drafting construction contracts. We are not litigators who dabble in construction disputes; we specialise in resolving construction disputes.
We understand the construction industry. We have in-depth experience, gained from many decades advising on construction projects, contracts, and disputes. Our experience covers all industry sectors, including telecommunications, roading and transport, water and waste water, oil and gas, solid waste, energy, mining, tunnelling, and building (including commercial, residential, and public properties).
We have been involved in many, if not most, major construction projects in New Zealand. We have also advised clients on a number of international projects. We have experience in the United Kingdom, Australia, Fiji and the South Pacific, South-East Asia, and Africa.
Full service advice
We advise on all aspects of construction projects, from the early stages of planning, financing, structuring, documentation, and procurement through to commissioning and final completion. A key speciality is advising both public and private sector clients on public private partnerships (PPPs).
We also advise clients on innovative methods of procurement and contract structuring. We regularly assist clients to develop and implement partnering, alliancing, and other collaborative working initiatives.
We have expertise in all aspects of alternative dispute resolution, including mediation, adjudication, and dispute review boards. This complements our extensive experience with traditional forums for disputes, such as arbitration and litigation.
As we are part of one of the country’s largest law firms, we can assist with resource consent, planning, regulatory, property, finance, tax, information technology, energy, local government, competition, and commercial law issues.
Examples of our work - major projects
- City Rail Link Limited (and previously Auckland Transport) - legal adviser on Auckland's City Rail Link, the largest infrastructure project in New Zealand
- Auckland Council / Panuku Development Auckland - procurement of alliance partners for the construction of the 36th America’s Cup base in central Auckland
- Watercare - advising on the Central Interceptor Main Works project, one of the largest and most complex infrastructure projects ever undertaken in New Zealand
- Christchurch City Council:
- the development of the new Canterbury Multi Use Arena
- all earthquake recovery anchor projects, including Art Galley reconstruction, Town Hall reconstruction, new Central Library and new Metropolitan Sports Centre
- Auckland Council:
- public private partnership for the $80 million Spark Arena (a 12,000-seat indoor stadium delivered on a PPP/BOOT basis)
- the $133 million upgrade of the Auckland Art Gallery
- The Britomart Transport Centre project and Britomart above-ground redevelopment contract
- Transmission Gully State Highway Project (a $1 billion public private partnership to develop a new highway north of Wellington) - legal adviser to the Leighton Contractors Pty and HEB Construction Joint Venture on all aspects relating to the design and construct element of the project
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Examples of our work - dispute resolution
- Local authorities - acting for 48 of New Zealand's local authorities in respect of their common interests in proceedings arising from the defective construction of school buildings
- Manukau Institute of Technology Business School - advising on the re-structuring of procurement and contracts for this $90 million project post the Mainzeal insolvency
- Mt Smart Stadium - disputes about the reconstruction of the stadium
- Christchurch City Council - advising on contractual issues arising out of the Christchurch earthquakes