Society of Construction Law Australia · 13th National Conference

2026 SoCLA National Conference

"Building Certainty in an Uncertain World"

6–8 May 2026  ·  Hilton Sydney

33
Days
21
Hours
32
Minutes
59
Seconds

The Society of Construction Law Australia proudly presents its 13th National Conference, running from 6–8 May 2026 in Sydney.

Under the theme "Building Certainty in an Uncertain World", this conference will tackle the pressing challenges and emerging opportunities shaping construction law today — from energy transitions and housing shortages to technological innovation and global shifts.

Featured

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Visionary leaders and industry experts bringing cutting-edge insights and thought-provoking perspectives across two full conference days.

Bernard Salt AM

Keynote Speaker

Bernard Salt AM

Prof. Douglas Jones AO

Keynote Speaker

Prof. Douglas Jones AO

Dr Sean Brady

Keynote Speaker

Dr Sean Brady

— with —

Jane Hider

Moderator

Jane Hider

— with —

Monique Carroll

Moderator

Monique Carroll

— with —

Penny Bond

Moderator

Penny Bond

Meet all our speakers Explore the full lineup of experts, practitioners and thought leaders presenting at the 2026 SoCLA National Conference.

View All Speakers

Schedule

WHAT'S ON

Explore our curated schedule — two full conference days with leading industry voices, woven together with a dynamic lineup of social events and conference-adjacent experiences.


Partners

OUR SPONSORS

We are proud to partner with the organisations below. Their support makes the 2026 SoCLA National Conference possible — and reflects their genuine commitment to the future of construction law in Australia.

If your organisation is looking to connect with senior construction lawyers, industry principals, and in-house counsel, explore our sponsorship packages.

Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Platinum Sponsor
Rimkus
Gold Sponsor
Versed Advisory
Gold Sponsor
FTI Consulting
Gold Sponsor
Greenway Chambers
Key Supporting Sponsor
Diales
Welcome Drinks
Sponsor
Secretariat
Gala Dinner &
Debate Sponsor
Clayton Utz
Young Constructors
Event (YCC)
MTECC
Charrett Moot
Sponsor
TBH
Name Badge &
Lanyard Sponsor
Thomson Geer
Pen Sponsor
Marvin David Consulting
Thursday Lunch
Sponsor
Quantum Phases Consortium
Friday Lunch
Sponsor
LexisNexis
Tech Sponsor
Pinsent Masons
Wellbeing Sponsor
(Run)
Twenty Two Group
Coffee Cart Sponsor
Routledge
Prizes for
3 Best Papers
Constructive Advisory
Small Business
Sponsor

Proud sponsors of "Tracing a Construction Dispute"  |  Tuesday 5 May 2026  |  Banco Court, Sydney
This event is a collaboration between SoCLA, ACICA and The Lighthouse Club.  Buy Tickets

Note: This event is part of the 2026 SoCLA National Conference. If you wish to buy a ticket just for this event, and not for the event and the full SoCLA conference, select the 'Social Events only' option on the registration page and then select the 'Tracing a Construction Dispute' event.

RICS DRS
Banco Court Sponsor
HKA
Banco Court Sponsor
Hall & Wilcox
Banco Court Sponsor

Interested in sponsoring the 2026 SoCLA National Conference?


Registrations Open

CONFERENCE & EVENT PRICING

Secure your place early. All conference registrations include attendance both conference days and a Welcome Drinks ticket. The Gala Dinner is ticketed separately.

Non-Member

$1,550

Includes both conference days + Welcome Drinks.
Gala Dinner added separately at booking.

Full-Time Student

$100

Part-Time Student

$650

Proof of student status required.

Building Contractor*

$700

*Employee of a building or civil (principal) contractor on a state/territory database.
Email events@scl.org.au to confirm eligibility.

International SCL Members & Foreign Residents

$700


Need Help?

FAQ'S

How do I update my contact details?
Please contact us at events@scl.org.au and we will update your details for you.
How do I change my hotel and accommodation booking?
Hotel accommodation changes or substitutions must be discussed directly with Hilton Hotel (+61 2 9266 2000) and are subject to the Hilton Hotel's policies.
What is your cancellation policy?
Please contact events@scl.org.au to discuss your cancellation.

On or before Sunday 5 April 2026: Refund less 50% of the registration fee.
On or after Monday 6 April 2026: No refund.

View the Registration and Event Cancellation Policy
How do I change the name of the person attending?
You may substitute your conference registration with another participant eligible for the same registration type. SoCLA reserves the right to charge a $30 administration fee for substitutions. Substitutions are permitted until Monday 4 May 2026. Please contact events@scl.org.au to arrange a substitution.
What is the dress code?
SoCLA events aim to be welcoming, inclusive and comfortable for all attendees. We encourage guests to dress in a way that feels authentic to them while being appropriate to the occasion.

Conference Days & Most Events: Smart Casual — neat, well-presented clothing appropriate for a professional setting.
Gala Dinner: Black Tie — formal evening attire befitting a gala occasion.
What are the expected standards of behaviour?
By registering for the 2026 SoCLA National Conference, you agree to comply with the conference Terms & Conditions, including expected standards of behaviour.
Bernard Salt AM

Keynote Speaker

Bernard Salt AM

Bernard Salt is widely regarded as one of Australia's leading social commentators. He has written six popular best-selling books, hosted a TV show on SkyNEWS Business called "The Next Five Years" and hosted a top-rated podcast called "What Happens Next".

Bernard Salt is also one of Australia's most in-demand corporate speakers. After a 20-year career as a Partner in a global advisory firm, Bernard founded The Demographics Group to provide advice to business on demographic, social and property trends.

He is best known to the wider community for his penchant for identifying new social behaviours including "the goat's cheese curtain."

Bernard has been a columnist with The Australian newspaper for more than 20 years. His column in The Weekend Australian Magazine is highly regarded and widely read.

Bernard was awarded the Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2017 Australia Day honours for his services to the Australian people via demography. And finally, Bernard is the person responsible for popularising the phrase "smashed avocado" … globally!

Prof. Douglas Jones AO

Keynote Speaker

Prof. Douglas Jones AO

Doug Jones AO is a leading independent international commercial and investor-state arbitrator with over 40 years' prior experience as an international transactional and disputes project lawyer. Doug has chambers in Sydney and Toronto and is a door tenant at Atkin Chambers in London. He is also an International Judge of the Singapore International Commercial Court.

He has been involved in over 190 arbitrations covering construction, infrastructure, energy, commodities, intellectual property, joint venture, and investor-state disputes spanning more than 30 jurisdictions worldwide. He has extensive experience under ICC, LCIA, AAA, ICDR, KCAB, AIAC, CRCICA, SIAC, VIAC, SCC, DIAC, PDRCI, ACICA, Resolution Institute, AMINZ, QICCA, European Development Fund Arbitration and Conciliation Rules, ICSID, and UNCITRAL Rules in disputes valued in billions of USD.

Doug has published extensively and holds professorial appointments at Queen Mary College, University of London, and Melbourne University. He has served as President of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) and the Australian Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (ACICA).

He was awarded the SCL International Medal during the 11th SCL International Conference in Seoul for contributions to construction law internationally and was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2012 for his distinguished service to law and arbitration. He was elected an Honorary Bencher of The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn in 2020.

For Doug's publications, see dougjones.info

Dr Sean Brady

Keynote Speaker

Dr Sean Brady

Dr Sean Brady has acted as an expert witness in numerous proceedings involving a wide range of constructed facilities. He is a Chartered Professional Engineer, a Fellow of Engineers Australia, a director of the Society of Construction Law Australia, and a member of the Singapore International Mediation Centre's Panel of Experts.

In 2020 he completed the Brady Review, investigating fatalities in the Queensland mining industry. The review analysed 20 years of incident data and resulted in 11 recommendations for industry and regulators to reduce fatality and incident rates.

He also speaks, podcasts, and writes on failure, human behaviour, data analytics, and engineering disasters.

Jane Hider

Moderator

Jane Hider

Jane Hider is a partner in the Construction team at King & Wood Mallesons, practicing in all forms of construction and infrastructure procurement.

Jane advises across the entire project lifecycle, from structuring a tender process, preparing and negotiating contract documentation, contract administration advice and dispute minimisation.

Her recent practice focus has been in the build-to-rent, public and social housing sectors, in addition to data centres, transmission lines and educational precincts.

She lectures in Negotiating Construction Contracts in the Melbourne University Law School JD program and co-chairs her firm's Gen-KWM steering committee which aims to position KWM as a leader in gender equality and inclusion.

Monique Carroll

Moderator

Monique Carroll

Monique is an experienced arbitration counsel and arbitrator. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and the Australian Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (ACICA), a faculty tutor at the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and a Listed Arbitrator for ACICA, the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC), the Asian International Arbitration Centre, and Arbitration Victoria.

She has over 19 years of experience resolving disputes concerning breach of contracts, financial services, joint ventures, investment treaties, foreign investment and trade, sale of businesses, oppression claims, technology, infrastructure projects, construction, property, sale of goods including the CISG, procurement and shipping, commodities, and agribusiness.

Monique also has specialised experience in China-related disputes, having worked in the P.R.C as advisor and counsel in domestic disputes and international arbitrations involving P.R.C entities.

In 2022, Monique was listed in Doyle's Guide Leading Arbitration Lawyers Australia. In 2023, she was endorsed by legal professionals as "an outstanding litigation lawyer" and "well regarded within the Australian legal community as an 'up and coming rising star.'"

Penny Bond

Moderator

Penny Bond

Penny is a barrister practicing from Quayside Chambers in Perth specialising in construction and infrastructure disputes.

Penny's experience includes advising and appearing in large-scale disputes across various sectors, including oil and gas, mining, energy infrastructure, transport, and water. Penny has assisted clients in navigating complex litigation, arbitration, and adjudication, as well as building regulatory matters.

Penny has been recognised in Doyle's Guide as a Rising Star in Construction Law.

She is an active member of the Society of Construction Law Australia and holds Associate Membership with the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

Rimkus

Gold Sponsor

Rimkus

Consultants. Experts. Innovators.

Rimkus is a worldwide provider of engineering, technical, and construction consulting to corporations, insurance companies, law firms, and government agencies. Rimkus experts specialise in forensic consulting, dispute resolution and construction management services, solutions for the built environment, and human factors support for the consumer, industrial, and healthcare industries.

For more than 40 years, the company's professional engineers, architects, scientists, and technical specialists have been recognised for their commitment to service excellence by local, national, and international business communities. Rimkus operates more than 100 offices worldwide.

Visit www.rimkus.com
Greenway Chambers

Key Supporting Sponsor

Greenway Chambers

Greenway Chambers is a highly regarded collective of barristers based in Sydney. It is known for delivering trusted advocacy, strategic insight, and outstanding legal acumen. Home to a diverse group of accomplished barristers, advocates, and advisers, Greenway Chambers is recognised for its depth of expertise across a wide range of practice areas.

Our barristers are committed to excellence in all aspects of legal practice — combining intellectual rigour with practical, results-driven advice. We work in close partnership with solicitors on complex, high-stakes matters, offering clarity and confidence in litigation, dispute resolution, and advisory work.

Guided by a culture of collaboration, professionalism, and integrity, Greenway Chambers is dedicated to delivering legal excellence and contributing to the evolution of the law in Australia.

Visit www.greenway.com.au
Secretariat

Gala Dinner & Debate Sponsor

Secretariat

Secretariat experts are trusted in the highest-stakes legal, risk, and regulatory matters around the world. Renowned law firms, leading corporations, and governmental entities turn to our disputes, litigation, engineering, economic, and data advisory professionals when the stakes are high — supporting them with meticulous preparation, insightful analysis, and clearly persuasive communications.

Our bright minds and passionate problem-solvers put their financial, analytical, and strategic insights to work in the fast-paced sectors we serve — from construction and energy to healthcare, technology, and natural resources.

Quality, integrity, and independence are woven into every aspect of our work. But, most importantly, when success is on the line, our globally integrated teams thrive on working through the most daunting problems in ways that remove uncertainty and instil confidence.

Visit www.secretariat-intl.com
TBH

Name Badge & Lanyard Sponsor

TBH

Quantum Phases Consortium

Friday Lunch Sponsor

Quantum Phases Consortium

LexisNexis

Tech Sponsor

LexisNexis

LexisNexis® Legal & Professional provides AI-powered legal, regulatory, business information, analytics, and workflows that help customers increase their productivity, improve decision-making, achieve better outcomes, and advance the rule of law around the world.

As a digital pioneer, the company was the first to bring legal and business information online with its Lexis® and Nexis® services. LexisNexis Legal & Professional serves customers in more than 150 countries with 11,900 employees worldwide, and is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers.

Constructive Advisory

Small Business Sponsor

Constructive Advisory

Constructive Advisory provides construction procurement/tendering, contracting and project delivery support. We also advise about the laws, regulations and rules governing infrastructure, building and construction projects.

Rebecca Dickson, our leading lawyer, has almost 20 years' experience supporting government, owners, contractors and consultants to understand and negotiate contracts, address risk, comply with contractual obligations and deliver projects.

We use the law to facilitate business — with a future-focused approach, working to avoid contract and project problems before they happen. We work pragmatically: from email advice to representation in negotiations, to embedding in your team.

Visit www.constructiveadvisory.com.au
RICS DRS

Banco Court Sponsor

RICS DRS

DRS provides a range of Alternative Resolution techniques for construction disputes, including adjudication, conciliation and facilitated processes. We focus on fair, independent and efficient outcomes, supported by strong training programmes and clear quality standards.

Our approach helps resolve matters quickly and in a proportionate way, giving firms a dependable framework to draw on when setting out dispute resolution mechanisms in their contracts.

Visit rics.org

SOCLA 2026
NATIONAL CONFERENCE

© Copyright 2026 Society of Construction Law Australia

We acknowledge the traditional owners and custodians of the land on which we work and we pay respect to the Elders, past, present and future.