Baker Merz Construction Lawyers (T/As Construction Lawyers Brisbane) offers tailored legal expertise, proudly accredited by both the Law Society and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
Why engage a Law Firm that needs to be assisted by a "team of experts" when you have access to our Construction Experts that develop 100s of projects before coming into the law.
Our team brings a wealth of practical experience from the fields of project development, including design engineering, cost estimation, and construction management. With qualifications like MCIBSE, MRICS, C.Eng, MAIPM, and CIARB, our lawyers are equipped to fully understand the complexities you encounter.
We handle claims related to cost or delays directly, developing customised strategies for effective solutions. As QBCC Adjudicators, we work on cases under the Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act, and represent clients in QBCC-related disputes, including those involving defects, costs, and licensing. We also appear before tribunals and courts at various levels to advocate for your rights.
Our legal team's unique project development background in design engineering, estimating and construction management (our lawyers hold current MCIBSE, C.Eng, MRICS, MAIPM and CIARB certifications) gives us the first-hand on-site construction expertise that earns our client's immediate trust. These credentials guarantee that we will fully understand your situation, develop your cost or delay claim in-house, and select the most appropriate legal approach and strategy to deliver results quickly and efficiently. As QBCC Adjudicators, we are well-versed in the Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act. and provide representation in QBCC defects, cost and licensing disputes. We also actively represent clients across various courts, including tribunals, magistrates, district, and supreme courts.
We offer straightforward, concise advice, drawing from our extensive experience within the construction industry.
Consider the Following Factors When Choosing Legal Representation
Construction Experience: Our team consists of quantity surveyors (QSs) and engineers who have years of practical experience as commercial managers on-site. This allows us to interpret the nuances of construction contracts, guiding our clients through the complexities of the construction industry.
Knowledge of Local Regulations: We are well-versed in the building approval processes, compliance requirements, Australian standards, and building codes specific to Mackay, ensuring you meet all necessary guidelines.
Expertise in Construction Contracts: Whether you require assistance with HIA, EPC, PMC, MB, EPCM, TA, RCA, or JV contracts, our team is dedicated to safeguarding your interests throughout the entire process.
Industry Insights: We have worked alongside CEOs and boards of prominent construction firms, offering strategic and practical advice grounded in our deep understanding of construction activities in Mackay and nearby regions.
Dispute Resolution Focus: When conflicts arise, we focus on resolving them through adjudication, tribunals, or court proceedings, ensuring your case is presented clearly for an efficient resolution.
Our commitment to service, responsiveness, and cost management means you receive expert guidance with a focus on building lasting partnerships.
Drawing from our engineering background and on-site expertise, we offer thorough contract reviews, covering rights, liabilities, duties, and scope.
We are proficient in Australian Standard Contracts (AS4000, AS2124), Master Builders Association (MBA) agreements, Australian Building Industry Contracts (ABIC), Security of Payments Act compliance, FIDIC, NEC4, and JCT contracts. Our pre-contract audits provide suggestions to minimise risk and ensure contracts serve your interests.
We assess contracts, drawings, and site records to evaluate claims. We prepare concise claims using critical path method (CPM) delay analysis. Before QBCC adjudication, we verify affidavits and expert reports, representing clients through both formal and informal proceedings for efficient resolutions.
We analyse schedules, identify delay causes, quantify disruptions using earned value or measured mile methods, and present data in an auditable format. We also prepare acceleration claims and provide third-party independent reports.
We assist in procurement and contracting strategies to mitigate risks, maintain cash flow, and reduce administrative costs.
We help secure project finance, joint ventures, ECI phases, partnerships, and draft contracts, supporting projects from feasibility studies through to final execution.
Our services include advice on defects, insurance policies, indemnities, subrogation, and representing clients with insurers.
“I am extremely grateful
for your professional assistance in this matter. Four different law firms and no one has taught us about these procedures before, thank you.”
“They had a building full of lawyers against the two of us. We would not have prevailed without your technical and construction knowledge.”
“I thought I was losing my business... thank you.”
Some 50% of our clients settle their disputes even before legal action commences. This is because we prepare fully substantiated cost and delay claims that deal with defects, variations, valuation, disruption, and payment disputes on their projects with a solid contractual/legal argument that leads to commercial negotiations and early settlement.
With 30 years of experience participating in design engineering teams and on-site construction (for leading companies CPB, CIMIC, Lend Lease, AECOM, Fluor, Nova, Parsons, WSP, High Commission for KSA), we guarantee our complete understanding of the issues that arise on construction sites and understand the perspectives of all participants and stakeholders involved in a building dispute - we likely already dealt with a dispute involving similar circumstances to what brought you to this website.
Why Choose us?
Contact us today for exceptional legal solutions backed by practical construction knowledge.