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Institute of Construction Claims PractitionersConstruction Lawyers Brisbane-QBCC Registered Adjudicator

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Construction Lawyers Townsville

Baker Merz Construction Lawyers (T/As Construction Lawyers Brisbane) provide specialised legal services, holding dual accreditation from 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 legal team brings extensive experience in project development, covering areas such as construction management, estimating, and design engineering. With certifications such as MAIPM, CIARB, MRICS, C.Eng, and MCIBSE, we are uniquely positioned to address the legal and practical challenges you face on your projects in Townsville.

We manage cost and delay claims in-house, ensuring tailored and efficient strategies for resolving issues. As QBCC Adjudicators, we oversee cases under the Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act and represent clients in QBCC disputes, including those relating to defects, licensing, and costs. We also represent clients across tribunals, magistrates, district, and supreme courts, ensuring thorough and expert advocacy.

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 Are Qualified Engineers, Quantity Surveyors and Lawyers

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RICS
CIBSE
Construction Lawyers Brisbane-QBCC Registered Adjudicator

Key Services

With our extensive expertise in engineering, construction, and law, we offer the following services:
Drafting, managing, and reviewing construction contracts tailored to your needs, including EPCM, GMP, PMCM, PO, PMC, EPC, TK, and JVs agreements.
Clarifying your rights and entitlements under existing contracts to protect your interests.
Evaluating claim merits, handling cost compensation claims, and substantiating delays.
Certifying claim values as quantity surveyors (QS) and assessing their impact on critical paths and extension of time (EoT) periods.
Handling force majeure events, insurance claims, warranty disputes, liabilities, and liquidated damages.
Assisting with international contracting, cross-border permits, and litigation.

We deliver clear, concise advice grounded in years of experience in the construction sector to help ensure your project’s success.

CCPM Delay Analysis

Key Considerations When Choosing a Construction Lawyer

Selecting the right construction lawyer is crucial for ensuring the smooth progress of your project. Here’s what you need to look for:

  • Industry Expertise: Our team includes highly experienced engineers and quantity surveyors (QSs) who have worked as commercial managers on-site. This in-depth experience equips us to interpret complex construction contracts, helping clients avoid expensive litigation and resolve issues effectively.

  • Familiarity with Local Regulations: Our team is deeply knowledgeable about the specific building codes, licensing requirements, approval processes, and compliance standards that apply in Townsville, ensuring your project stays compliant with local laws.

  • Expertise in Construction Contracts: We handle a variety of contracts including JV, TA, EPC, PMC, HIA, MB, EPCM, and RCA agreements, ensuring that your interests are protected at every stage.

  • Understanding of Business Operations: We have a wealth of experience advising CEOs and boards of major construction companies, providing practical and strategic advice to meet the unique operational needs of your business.

  • Specialisation in Dispute Resolution: When disputes arise, we specialise in adjudication, tribunals, and court processes, building strong, clear cases that aim for swift and effective resolution.

  • Client-Focused Service: We prioritise responsiveness, cost efficiency, and client satisfaction, aiming to build lasting relationships based on trust and results.

What we do

Contract Reviews and Contract Analysis

Contract Review and Risk Evaluation

We specialize in contract reviews and analysis, covering Australian Standard Contracts (AS4000, AS2124), Master Builders Association (MBA) agreements, Australian Building Industry Contracts (ABIC), FIDIC, JCT, NEC4, and Security of Payments Act compliance. Our pre-contract audits ensure risk mitigation and compliance, safeguarding your interests against unexpected liabilities.

BIFA, QBCC Adjudication  Dispute Management

Resolving Construction Disputes

We conduct in-depth contract analysis, reviewing key terms, drawings, and site records to assess claims. Our expertise ensures well-prepared claims backed by CPM delay analyses and transparent evidence.

We represent clients in QBCC adjudication, managing affidavits and expert reports as needed. Our extensive experience guarantees thorough preparation and effective representation from tribunals to the Supreme Court.

Delay, Disruption, Acceleration  Critical Path Delay Analysis

Delay, Disruption, and Acceleration Insights

Our team handles planning and scheduling, assessing the impact of delays and disruptions. We use earned value and measured mile methodologies for precise disruption claims, and we prepare well-documented acceleration claims and third-party independent reports.

Contract Management and Financial Recovery

Strategic Contract Administration

We provide proactive contract management to minimise delays and cost overruns. Our team manages claims, allowing project managers to focus on results, ensuring cash flow remains positive and projects run smoothly.

Project Development Strategies International Experience

Guidance for Project Structuring

We assist in forming joint ventures, securing project financing, and selecting appropriate project structures for projects in Townsville. Our services cover ECI phase participation, drafting essential legal documents, and obtaining authority approvals.

Insurance claims

Insurance claims

We offer technical and legal expertise to manage complex construction defects and advise on insurance options, including self-insurance and decennial insurance. Our team ensures effective claims management and representation throughout the insurance process.

What our clients say about us

“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.”

Jessica Dale,
Superior Kerb & Concreting

“They had a building full of lawyers against the two of us. We would not have prevailed without your technical and construction knowledge.”

Dr Armond Habibi
General Counsel

“I thought I was losing my business... thank you.”

Ben Hunter,
Bear Claw Civil

Why engage us?

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?

  1. Fast results at low cost: Our team possesses a unique combination of legal expertise, engineering, planning, delay analysis and project costing knowledge.  This multidisciplinary knowledge base sets us apart and allows us to offer comprehensive solutions that align with the technical intricacies of construction projects, reducing the time we need to spend on your case, your legal costs and the time it takes to resolve your dispute.
  2. Regulated by RICS: We do not need to engage construction experts; we are the experts. We are the only law firm in Australia regulated by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). This prestigious accreditation demonstrates our contracts/planning/ costing knowledge and commitment to upholding the construction industry's highest professional and ethical standards.
  3. Tailored Solutions:  Whether you are a contractor, developer, supplier, or consultant, we have the technical and commercial expertise to navigate the legal challenges you may encounter. We understand that every construction project is unique and pride ourselves on delivering tailored legal solutions that meet your needs.
  4. Proactive Approach:  We strive to identify and defuse potential issues before they escalate. Our attention to detail and thorough understanding of industry regulations ensure you receive comprehensive legal guidance at every stage of your project.
  5. Client-Centred Service: Our clients are at the heart of everything we do. We prioritize open communication, responsiveness, and a collaborative approach to ensure that we fully understand your goals and concerns. Our team is dedicated to providing you with personalized attention and guidance so that you can confidently make informed decisions.
  6. Industry Connections: Over the years, we have built strong relationships with key stakeholders in the construction industry, including contractors, developers, architects, and engineers on every discipline. Our extensive network allows us to connect you with trusted professionals who can support your success.
Our specialised offering consists of:
Contract review and formation services, PD strategy and administration 
Planning, Scheduling, EoT, Prolongation, Disruption and Acceleration Claims
Payment Claims and Schedules - QBCC Adjudication Applications & Responses
Dispute management: Expert determination, arbitration and litigation
COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION
Ask Us Any Question, It Costs Nothing To Know Where You Stand

Contact us today for exceptional legal solutions backed by practical construction knowledge.

About Us

Our aim is to bring clarity to Construction Disputes for Developer Builders, Contractors, and Corporations by using our 30-years plus of experience in the construction industry working as Design Engineers, Estimators, Schedulers, Contract Administrators, and Project Managers.

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Head Office

74B Union St, 
Spring Hill QLD 4000
Australia
07 3054 7105

Email: info@clb.net.au
Fax: 07 3839 5393
Mail: PO Box 200 Spring Hill, 4000

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