Construction Law

Construction projects throw up some of the most interesting issues in jurisprudence. Although at its core, each construction project is concerned with a contract or a series of interrelated contracts, the great complexity of the deliverables under those contracts means they are put to the test in ways that most others are not.

Indeed, the contract is one of the most important assets in the business of both owner and contractor (and those who provide services to each). It is the tool by which risks, many of which are very difficult to predict and manage, are allocated and priced. It influences project culture and behaviours which in turn have significant influence on the success of a project. The contract is also, of course, central to the resolution of disputes, many of which (unlike many contracts in other fields of commerce) are actually expected to arise.

This course covers several important doctrines of contract law and equity, as well as key legislation specific to issues which commonly arise under construction contracts.

In an effort to explore all of these areas of the law, we will follow the journey through a hypothetical project for the design and construction of hybrid solar/battery, gas-fired power supply infrastructure for a gold mine in Western Australia, from negotiation of the contract through some of the issues which most often arise, to a consideration of dispute resolution of those issues. The workshop will be led by Chris Ryder. Chris is a partner Corrs Chambers Westgarth and one of Australia’s leading construction lawyers.

Full attendance at this short course entitles a practitioner up to 10 Legal CPD points. 

The CPD rules differ for jurisdictions outside Western Australia and if you are outside Western Australia, we recommend that you check with your local relevant authority whether you can claim any CPD points.


We invite registered charities to inquire about the discounted registration rates. Please contact executiveeducation-slaw@uwa.edu.au for further information.