Kristen helps project teams get contracts right, allocate risk clearly and deal with claims, delay, defects and payment issues in a practical, commercially focused way.
Biography
Kristen has more than 15 years’ post-admission experience across private practice and in-house roles. She acts for developers, principals, contractors, consultants and project teams on front-end construction matters, project delivery, contract strategy, risk allocation and dispute avoidance.
Kristen helps clients solve the core problems that arise on major projects: how to structure contracts clearly at the outset, allocate risk sensibly, manage delivery issues before they escalate, and respond effectively when claims, variations, delay, defects or statutory payment issues emerge.
Kristen advises on matters involving significant scale, complexity and risk, including major energy and renewables projects, residential and social infrastructure developments, and technically complex disputes involving building products and project delivery issues. She is regularly engaged on matters where commercial outcomes depend on clear advice, strong stakeholder management and the ability to navigate legal, technical and operational issues at the same time.
What differentiates Kristen is her combination of front-end construction expertise and in-house commercial experience. Before joining Thomsons, she held senior roles in private practice and in-house. That background gives her a strong appreciation of the commercial, operational and governance pressures faced by clients delivering major projects, and enables her to provide practical, commercially focused advice that translates complex legal and technical issues into clear options and workable outcomes.
Credentials
Academic qualifications:
- Bachelor of Laws, University of Queensland
Memberships:
- Member – Society of Construction Law Australia
- Member – The National Association of Women in Construction
Kristen's experience
Gas, energy and renewable infrastructure projects
Supporting Origin Energy’s gas, energy and renewable infrastructure projects, including a proposed green hydrogen processing facility and associated pipeline and port infrastructure.
Luxury residential tower dispute
Advising on a luxury residential tower dispute involving approximately $33 million in variations and delay claims.
Variation claims advice
Advising in relation to approximately $20 million in disputed variation claims arising from the Southern Queensland Correctional Centre upgrade.
Combustible cladding
Acting in private hospital proceedings concerning combustible cladding and non-compliant building products claims of approximately $7 million.
Freezing-order
Leading strategy in an urgent contractor freezing-order application affecting settlement of 100 luxury residential lots, and negotiating a commercial resolution.