Profile

Stewart has a wealth of experience in providing strategic advice and appearing in the superior courts of Australia and in arbitral proceedings in broad range of commercial disputes, a short selection of which appear below.

Arbitrations and related matters

• Representing a publicly listed head contractor in a large domestic arbitration against a multinational company contracted to provide services on a large infrastructure project (instructed by Ashurst)
• Represented a large infrastructure provider in a multi-party expert determination concerning fees payable in relation to a $1 billion infrastructure upgrade project (instructed by Quinn Emanuel)
• Represented a global resources company in a multi-party long-term contract pricing clause arbitration (instructed by Allens)
• Represented McConnell Dowell in proceedings to set aside an arbitral award relating to a building & construction dispute on a large LNG project (instructed by Pinsent Masons)

Substantial or high-profile trials and other proceedings at first instance

• Acting for CS Energy Limited and Callide Energy Pty Ltd in proceedings in the Federal Court of Australia involving an insurance claim for over $100 million relating to catastrophic damage to a generating unit at the Callide C Power Station (instructed by Clayton Utz)
• Acting for Airservices Australia in Supreme Court proceedings brought by the Brisbane Airport Corporation relating to alleged environmental contamination from PFAS chemicals in fire-fighting foam (instructed by Maddocks)
• Represented Glencore in a four-week trial in the Supreme Court of Queensland involving a claim in relation to alleged lead contamination from the Mt Isa mine (instructed by Allens)
• Represented the Receivers and Mangers of the Presbyterian Church of Queensland is a substantial trial concerning substantial debts alleged to be owing to a real estate investment fund.
• Represented the Sunland Group in a series of proceedings in the Planning & Environment Court, Federal Court, Queensland Court of Appeal and the High Court of Australia concerning a large multi-stage mixed use development on the Gold Coast which resulted in the Queensland government introducing legislative changes (instructed by Holding Redlich).
• Represented the Sunland Group in Supreme Court proceedings for damages relating to the involvement of Australian citizens in a high-profile land transaction in Dubai (instructed by Holding Redlich)
• Represented Anglo-American in a major contractual dispute with two power station customers (instructed by Gilbert + Tobin)
• Acted for the BHP-Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) against another mining company in a long-running claim for compensation of over $100m concerning an alleged lost commercial opportunity (instructed by Allens)
• Represented a building contractor in an eight week trial in the Supreme Court of Queensland involving claims for variations, extensions of time and liquidated damages concerning construction for the Wiggins Island Coal Export Terminal, and in related appeals (instructed by Thomson Geer)
• Acted for Adani Australia in various judicial review challenges to mining and environmental approvals in the Supreme Court of Queensland, Federal Court and Full Federal Court (instructed by Ashurst)

Appeals

• Acting for the Santos Group in an appeal the Queensland Court of Appeal concerning the liability of joint venture partners to contribute to a royalty payable to a Texan company as a result of the outcome of an arbitration in Texas (instructed by Allens)
• Represented a Singaporean investment company in an appeal to the Queensland Court of Appeal concerning whether land which the company had acquired had been dedicated as a public road (instructed by Clayton Utz)
• Represented Deed Administrators in an appeal to the Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia in an appeal from a decision about whether a deed of company arrangement should be set aside (instructed by Clayton Utz)
• Represented Aurizon in an appeal to the Queensland Court of Appeal about the proper construction of contractual provisions between Aurizon and users of its freight rail network (instructed by Quinn Emanuel)