Benn acts for local, national and multinational contractors in construction law advisory and dispute resolution across infrastructure, energy and resources, including Security of Payment adjudications, court proceedings and international arbitration.

Biography

Benn acts for local, national and multinational contractors, engineering companies and joint ventures across Western Australia’s infrastructure, energy and resources sectors. He is based in Perth.

Benn advises on construction and engineering claims, contract drafting and review for major construction and infrastructure projects, and represents clients in dispute resolution proceedings including court proceedings, domestic and international arbitration, and Security of Payment adjudications under the Building and Construction Industry (Security of Payments) Act 2021 (WA), the Construction Contracts Act 2004 (WA) and equivalent legislation in other jurisdictions.

Benn has acted for ASX-listed construction and engineering contractors on disputes across multiple states, including opposing interlocutory injunction applications and judicial review proceedings in the WA Supreme Court. He has acted for an ASX-listed electrical contractor in multiple adjudications for works at Tindal RAAF Airbase in Katherine, and represented a multinational engineering joint venture in international arbitration concerning subcontractor disputes arising out of the Ichthys LNG project in Darwin. He has also advised on disputes arising from a A$400 million hotel and residential apartment development and a A$360 million multi-use tower development in Western Australia.

Benn combines front-end contract advisory with experienced construction dispute resolution, practising across Security of Payment adjudications, court proceedings and international arbitration. His experience on major energy and resources projects — including LNG and defence infrastructure — reflects a practice that operates across some of Western Australia’s most complex and high-value construction environments.

Credentials

Academic qualifications:

Memberships:

Benn's experience

Ichthys LNG project — International arbitration

Acted for a multinational engineering joint venture in international arbitration proceedings concerning subcontractor disputes arising out of the Ichthys LNG project in Darwin.

Tindal RAAF Airbase — Security of Payment adjudications

Acted for an ASX-listed electrical contractor in multiple Security of Payment adjudications for works at Tindal RAAF Airbase in Katherine, Northern Territory.

ASX-listed contractor — Multi-state disputes

Acted for an ASX-listed construction and engineering contractor, advising on disputes and contracts across multiple projects in Western Australia, Victoria and Queensland.

WA Supreme Court — Interlocutory injunction and judicial review

Acted for a national construction, engineering and projects services contractor in contractual disputes, including opposing an interlocutory injunction application and judicial review proceedings arising under the Construction Contracts Act 2004 (WA).

Hotel and apartment development — Defective works dispute

Acted for a national construction company in disputes concerning alleged defective works in a A$400 million hotel and residential apartment development in Western Australia.

Multi-use tower development — Contractual dispute

Acted for a national engineering company in contractual disputes concerning the development of a A$360 million multi-use tower in Western Australia.