Sydney, 30 June 2018: Clayton Utz consultant Doug Jones AO RFD has become the first lawyer to be awarded the prestigious John Shaw Medal by Roads Australia. Announced at the annual John Shaw Award Dinner in Sydney on 31 May, the road industry's highest accolade recognises Doug for his lasting contribution to Australia's roads.
Noting the accolade on their website, Roads Australia described Doug as "Australia's foremost construction lawyer and arbitrator" whose innovations on a raft of projects - Melbourne CityLink, EastLink, the Cross Harbour Tunnel, M5 East, the Eastern Distributor, the Lane Cove Tunnel, Westlink M7 and Cross City Tunnel, the Clem7, Airport Link and Legacy Way - "shaped the way in which PPPs (public private partnerships) are procured and delivered throughout the world".
Doug is one of Australia's most sought-after infrastructure lawyers, having led major road, rail, power and defence projects in the region over his 40-year legal career. Among his many achievements, Doug was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 1999 for his service to the law, particularly in the field of construction law, and was made an Officer for the Order of Australia in June 2012 for distinguished service to the law as a leader in arbitration and alternative dispute resolution, to policy reform, and to national and international professional organisations. He also headed the Clayton Utz national major projects practice from 1993 to 2015. Doug is now a consultant to the firm and a highly respected international arbitrator.
Commenting on the accolade, Doug said: "I have worked with many of the past recipients of the John Shaw medal, and they are all exceptional practitioners in their respective fields who have had an immeasurable impact on our nation's road networks. It is an honour and privilege to join this small, distinguished cohort of Australians, and to have my contributions to major road projects, especially in project delivery and legal models, and the contributions of the Clayton Utz team recognised in the same vein."
A full list of Doug's professional achievements can be found here.