Presenters

Melissa Hanna, Special Counsel, MinterEllison
Hanna is a versatile commercial dispute resolution lawyer with extensive experience advising clients and managing disputes across the private, public, and non-profit sectors. Her experience includes acting for clients operating in most industries in relation to large, complex disputes and legal risk management, as well as regulatory investigations and prosecutions. Hanna has experience in proceedings in superior courts in Western Australia and Victoria, as well as in the Federal Court of Australia and the High Court of Australia. Having held several in-house roles (both on secondment and immediately prior to joining MinterEllison, as Senior Legal Counsel at Edith Cowan University), she understands the importance of providing clients with accurate, practical and timely legal support through all stages of their operations.

Tom French, Partner, MinterEllison
Tom is a Partner at MinterEllison in Perth. Tom specialises in commercial dispute resolution (including litigation, arbitration, and adjudication) in projects & construction, energy & resources, and professional practices. He regularly advises contractors, principals, and engineers on major infrastructure disputes in respect to the construction of infrastructure on significant mining and resources projects in the Asia Pacific region and Africa, and in respect to the construction of significant commercial projects in the Perth metropolitan area. Tom has appeared in all superior courts in Western Australia and New South Wales, and the Federal Court and Full Federal Court of Australia, on appeals, trials, and interlocutory matters. He has also appeared in the High Court of Australia.

Lauren Smith, Lawyer, MinterEllison
Lauren is a Lawyer in MinterEllison’s Projects, Infrastructure and Construction team based in Perth. Lauren supports clients on both front-end projects and dispute resolution matters in the construction sector. Prior to commencing in this team, Lauren worked as a law graduate and paralegal in MinterEllison’s Project Finance, Insurance and Workplace teams. Lauren attended the University of Western Australia, graduating with a Juris Doctor and Bachelor of Commerce.


Andrew Vinciullo, Partner, Hopgood Ganim Lawyers
Andrew is a senior construction and disputes lawyer who advises on complex construction, infrastructure, resources and energy projects across Western Australia. He works closely with clients and industry stakeholders to manage construction risk across the full lifecycle of major projects, and regularly advises government authorities, developers, principals and contractors on high-value commercial and residential construction projects, including apartment tower developments, major road and haulage infrastructure, and large-scale mining, resources production and refinery projects. Andrew has extensive experience advising on project risk allocation, project management issues and dispute avoidance strategies, and regularly assists clients with the negotiation and drafting of construction contracts across both traditional and bespoke procurement models. In addition to his front-end practice, Andrew acts in complex construction disputes before the Supreme and District Courts of Western Australia, the Federal Court of Australia, and in international and domestic arbitration, expert determination and statutory adjudication proceedings.