Andrew Stephenson heads the Construction Group and the International Arbitration Group in Melbourne. He is a member of its board of directors.
He advises generally in respect of risk allocation relating to major projects, contract drafting and the management of legal issues arising from such contracts. If disputes cannot be resolved by alternative dispute resolution processes he acts for clients in respect of formal dispute resolution such as expert determination, arbitration and litigation.
He has been the lead partner in respect of some of the largest litigation and arbitrations conducted in or from Australia. He was lead partner in the Anaconda litigation and arbitrations. The litigation established his client's rights to cash A$45.15 million worth of bonds. This litigation was resolved over a 10 week period with decisions during this period by the Supreme Court of Victoria, the Victorian Court of Appeal and leave to appeal to the High Court of Australia being denied (thereby confirming Andrew's clients right). The first Anaconda arbitration was conducted in London. It settled after final submissions for A$113 million. Two subsequent arbitrations were conducted in Melbourne (before international arbitrators Jan Paulsson, John Uff QC and Philip Naughton QC). Pursuant to those arbitrations Andrew's clients established (by award and settlement) entitlements of in excess of A$300 million. He was also the lead partner in the Clough arbitration (before John Uff QC) (amount in dispute in excess of A$250 million) where his client successfully defended a A$150 million Trade Practices Act claim and established liability in respect of numerous other claims. He was also lead partner in respect of the Material Adverse Effect arbitration relating to the City Link Project (a multi billion dollar project in Victoria), where the amount in dispute was in excess of A$100 million. His client successfully defended the claim made in that arbitration.
He is currently advising a number of clients in relation to significant litigation and arbitrations in Australia, Asia and the Middle East.
He also continues to advise in respect of project initiation, risk allocation and contract drafting both locally and internationally.
He is a senior fellow at Melbourne University, lecturing in risk allocation for major projects and dispute resolution (including international arbitration). He has also lectured at Monash University, Queensland University of Technology and Queensland University in relation to the risk associated with major projects and dispute resolution.
He is the Australian correspondent for The International Construction Law Review, published in London.
Chambers Global: recognised in Construction (2010)
