Unlock the full potential of your architectural practice as you address top legal and operational hurdles. Gain expert strategies to streamline your approach to navigating Complying Development Certificates and securing timely council approvals with ease. Breakdown ABIC, cost-plus & fixed price as you the art of contract management. Safeguard your projects against health risks like mould and waterproofing issues as you tackle evolving building codes head-on. Plus, stay on top of the latest employment law updates as you overcome the challenges of modern architecture and acquire legal essentials for practice success.

Presenters

Kerry Ioulianou, Partner, Colin Biggers & Paisley
A partner in the Construction & Engineering team in Melbourne, Kerry's practice focuses on construction law with a particular emphasis on large scale, complex multi-party disputes. With over 17 years of experience as a legal practitioner across multiple jurisdictions, including South Africa and Australia, Kerry has developed a deep expertise in construction and engineering law. Before joining Colin Biggers & Paisley, Kerry practised exclusively as a barrister from 2006 until 2018. Kerry's practice encompasses construction and engineering advice, as well as handling contractual disputes arising from a wide range of projects in industries such as construction, energy, mining & resources, road & rail, and aged & community care. Kerry is a member of the Building List Users Group of the County Court of Victoria and has been recognised as a leading Construction and Infrastructure Lawyer - Victoria, 2024 by Doyles Guide.  He was previously recognised as a rising star in Australia and Infrastructure (2020 and 2022) by Doyles Guide.


Natasha Stojanovich, Partner, Lander & Rogers
Natasha handles complex disputes involving construction professionals. Over the years, she has acted for numerous architects, engineers and building surveyors as well as property valuers and real estate agents. She has also acted for local councils, government departments and various statutory authorities and has extensive experience defending professional indemnity claims against councils. Natasha has extensive experience in claims involving non-compliant building products, including flammable cladding. Natasha has considerable experience handling litigation in the Federal, Supreme and County Courts, as well at VCAT. She also has experience in class action litigation. Natasha is a proficient public speaker. She regularly delivers in-house training for her clients, as well as speaking at conferences and other industry events. Natasha was recently recognised in the 2019 Legal 500 rankings in the category of insurance. She has also been recognised in Best Lawyers in Australia for her expertise in Construction / Infrastructure Law and Insurance Law.


Charles Fortin, Managing Director, Collard Maxwell Architects
Charles graduated architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology, a Chicago institution known for its Bauhaus philosophy and expertise in high-rise design and construction. He is the Managing Director and owner of Collard Maxwell Architects, a practice that has been in business since 1947. As an Executive Architect he oversees the delivery of 30 to 40 projects a year, many of them construction-side. His focus is on the design and delivery of complex projects of all types, including: Data Centers, Industrial, Mixed-Use Residential, Education, and Lifestyle Retirement projects. He is a chartered architect, A+ member of the Australian Institute of Architects, and regularly contributes his time to different groups and associations, including presenting and tutoring the Practice of Architecture Learning Series (PALS) for the Australia Institute of Architects. As a Designer Charles strives to create spaces that are functional and timeless, spaces that inspire people to do great work, live great lives, and think great ideas.


Sheldon Garcia, Partner, Sparke Helmore Lawyers
Sheldon Garcia is Partner at Sparke Helmore Lawyers. Sheldon joined the Projects & Government Commercial team as a partner in April 2024. Sheldon has been a litigator for 20 years and is known for his fact driven approach and high technical skillset. His many years of experience working with local and state government and large multi-national organisations across infrastructure, manufacturing, commercial and residential projects means that he understands the technical and commercial aspects of construction work and ‘speaks the same language’ as his clients. Sheldon specialises in construction dispute resolution, security of payment and contract drafting and review. He advises a broad range of clients beyond the traditional construction industry companies. He also has a niche practice in residential developments and strata in NSW, NSW Government operations (including construction, goods, services and ICT procurements) and advising and managing contract claims on live projects.


Catherine Morton, Partner, Property, Environment & Finance, Sparke Helmore Lawyers
Catherine is a solicitor and a registered architect with a range of experience across both professions. She has been employed as a planning law solicitor since 2005, providing clients with an in-depth perspective on the statutory planning framework and its relationship with architecture. Catherine's unique combination of skills in law and architecture enables her to provide practical advice from a range of viewpoints. Her experience helps her to manage clients' expectations and deliver timely and effective results. Catherine provides regular advice to council and private clients on various aspects of planning law.   She has been involved in extensive litigation the Supreme Court and the Land and Environment Court, typically involving judicial review, easements proceedings, contempt proceedings and merits appeals from the actual or deemed refusal of development applications.  Catherine has also represented a local council in Code of Conduct proceedings, which were taken to the High Court and has appeared for clients in various local courts and in NCAT. Catherine is an experienced mediator and has been able to regularly negotiate favourable outcomes for clients, often through conciliation.


Nick Ferguson, Special Counsel, Sparke Helmore Lawyers
Nick is an experienced environment and planning lawyer. He specialises in environmental and planning litigation, advising on development and approval strategies, compliance with environmental law and mining and resources legislation, remediation of contaminated land, and biodiversity and offsetting obligations. Nick has a deep understanding of compulsory land acquisition law and compensation and advises a variety of government and private clients on complex compulsory acquisition claims, and strategies to acquire land. Nick also has experience drafting and advising on commercial agreements in the mining sector, including agreements for land access, compulsory acquisition and third party interface deeds. His compensation expertise also includes compensation for subsidence caused by mining.


Kellie Edwards, Barrister,153 Phillip Barristers
Kellie’s practice is dominated by work in the employment and discrimination jurisdictions. Her cases include many reported judgments on issues of new law. They also involve very complex claims for very significant damages. She also is briefed in administrative, trade practices, common law, and restraints of trade cases and is a qualified arbitrator and mediator. She has also advised and appeared in coronial inquiries. Prior to going to the Bar, Kellie was an Associate at the then Dibbs Barker Gosling specialising in employment and discrimination law. From 1997 until 2003, she was a member of the NSW Administrative Decisions Tribunal (now NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal). From April 2017 until 2023, she was the Chair of the Australian Payments Network Limited’s IAC Sanctions Tribunal.