Cooper Grace Ward is a Brisbane commercial firm with two linked construction teams. One handles front end work like contracts, tenders and procurement. The other runs building disputes, from payment claims and adjudication to defects and QBCC matters at QCAT. The firm lists partners Marcus Ford, Andrew Corkhill, Rocco Russo and Miranda Klibbe across this work, backed by four special counsel. It acts for developers, government, contractors, subcontractors and owners. It suits commercial clients and builders who want a deep local team on a project or a dispute.
Also worth knowing
The firm says Doyle's Guide recommended it for non contentious construction work in Queensland.
Lawyers
Marcus Ford, Partner, construction and infrastructure
Andrew Corkhill, Partner, construction and infrastructure
Rocco Russo, Partner, construction and building disputes
Miranda Klibbe, Partner, building and construction disputes
Stuart Miller, Special Counsel
Mark Cowan, Special Counsel
Meg Johnson, Special Counsel
Kathy Prince, Special Counsel
Max Carlyon, Associate, building and construction disputes
Areas of construction law handled
Construction contract drafting and negotiation
Tender and procurement advice
Contract administration and claims
Security of payment claims and adjudication
Challenging adjudication decisions
Variations, delay and liquidated damages claims
Building defects claims
QBCC licensing, insurance and directions to rectify
McCullough Robertson is a Brisbane commercial firm that marked its centenary in 2026. Its construction and major projects team is one of the largest on this page, with 14 partners listed across Brisbane and Sydney. The firm says it covers procurement, contracts, live project support and adjudication through to arbitration and litigation. The firm names clients including Seqwater, Thiess, Downer, several Queensland councils and universities. Partner Andrew McCormack joined the Brisbane team from Ashurst in 2026. It suits government, resources companies and large contractors rather than small residential disputes.
Centenary marked in 2026
Also worth knowing
The firm marked its centenary in 2026.
Lawyers
The team page lists 14 partners across Brisbane and Sydney without saying who sits where. McCormack and Saunders are Brisbane based.
Michael Rochester, Partner, construction and major projects
Chris Nielsen, Partner, construction and major projects
Andrew McCormack, Partner, construction and infrastructure (Brisbane)
Scott Higgins, Partner, construction and major projects
Sarah Hausler, Partner, construction and major projects
David Saunders, Special Counsel, construction and infrastructure (Brisbane)
Holding Redlich is a national commercial firm whose construction, infrastructure and projects team has its biggest group in Brisbane. The firm lists nine Brisbane people in the practice, including partners Jonathan Usher, Kirsty Smith and Emily Ng, and national managing partner Troy Lewis. The team runs tenders and contracts, payment claims under Queensland's security of payment laws, and disputes from residential building claims to arbitration. It acts for principals, developers, contractors and subcontractors. It suits project owners and contractors who want a large local team.
Also worth knowing
The firm says it acts for principals, developers, contractors, consultants and subcontractors.
Colin Biggers & Paisley is a national commercial firm with a long running construction and engineering practice. Its Brisbane construction team started in July 2026, led by partners Blake Frost and Kayla Causer with a senior associate and a solicitor. The firm says the team covers procurement, contract negotiation, risk and every kind of dispute, acting for developers, contractors, consultants and government. The wider practice also handles security of payment. It suits developers and contractors on larger projects who want national backup with a local team.
Founded in 1900, going by its 125th anniversary in 2025
Best for Builders, subcontractors and owners in payment, defect or QBCC disputes
Greg Sawers practises exclusively in construction law and has advised the industry for more than 20 years, according to the firm.
The firm says he overturned a QBCC excluded individual decision and an adjudication decision on jurisdictional grounds.
Partner Marc Maskell is listed in Best Lawyers for litigation and dispute resolution and in Doyle's Guide for commercial litigation, according to the firm.
Level 32, Riverside Centre, 123 Eagle Street, Brisbane QLD 4000
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
Thynne + Macartney is a Queensland commercial firm that has practised from Brisbane since 1893. Its building and construction work is led by special counsel Greg Sawers, who the firm says practises only in construction law and has more than 20 years in the industry, alongside disputes partner Marc Maskell. The team covers contracts, payment claims and adjudication under the BIF Act, QBCC licensing and subcontractor recovery in insolvencies. It acts for owners, bodies corporate, developers, builders and subcontractors. It suits builders and owners wanting a seasoned local disputes team.
Founded in 1893
Also worth knowing
The firm has practised in Queensland since 1893.
Lawyers
Marc Maskell, Partner, Disputes + Insolvency lead
Greg Sawers, Special Counsel, building and construction
Areas of construction law handled
Construction and consultant contracts
Project procurement strategy
Licensing, certification and security advice
BIF Act adjudication
Statutory debt recovery and subcontractors' charges
Defective and incomplete work disputes
QBCC Act advice and licensing offences
Construction insolvency advice
PPSA advice
Construction litigation
Office
Level 32, Riverside Centre, 123 Eagle Street, Brisbane QLD 4000
Contact the firm to ask about first consultation terms.
Office
Level 1, Suite 6, 16-20 Blackwood Street, Mitchelton QLD 4053
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
Construct Law Group is a building and construction boutique based in Mitchelton, in Brisbane's north west. Its directory profile says it opened in 2014 and has a team of seven. All five of its solicitors on the Queensland Law Society register list building and construction law, including Craig Sawford, Aleisha MacKenzie, Crystal Ray and Jordan McDougall. The firm says it handles contracts, BIF Act adjudication, subcontractors' charges, defects and delay claims. It acts for principals, builders, subcontractors, consultants and homeowners. It suits builders and trades wanting a dedicated construction firm.
Opened in 2014, according to its directory profile
Also worth knowing
It says it refers out work with no building element, such as conveyancing and leasing.
Lawyers
Craig Sawford, Solicitor
Aleisha MacKenzie, Solicitor
Crystal Ray, Solicitor
Jordan McDougall, Solicitor
Ashleigh Nicholas, Solicitor
Areas of construction law handled
Standard form contract review (AS, ABIC, QMBA)
Special conditions and contract amendments
Construction management and consultancy agreements
Security of payment adjudication
Subcontractors' charges claims
Defects and variation disputes
Delay and liquidated damages claims
Retention monies and bank guarantees
Construction debt recovery
Mediation, arbitration and litigation
Office
Level 1, Suite 6, 16-20 Blackwood Street, Mitchelton QLD 4053
Contact the firm to ask about first consultation terms.
Office
270 Adelaide Street, Brisbane QLD 4000
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
Rostron Carlyle Rojas is a commercial firm with offices in Brisbane and Sydney and a construction practice that acts for builders, contractors, subcontractors and developers. The firm says it has handled adjudication for first tier contractors, payment recovery for subcontractors against government principals, and insurance recovery for a building regulator over defective work. Partner Paul Rojas and solicitor Suzanne Crause list building and construction law on the QLS register. It suits builders and subcontractors wanting contract, payment and dispute help from one firm.
Also worth knowing
In 2024 the firm folded Brisbane boutique NicholasBlack Lawyers into its Brisbane practice.
Contact the firm to ask about first consultation terms.
Office
Level 7, 239 George Street, Brisbane QLD 4000
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
McCarthy Durie is a south east Queensland firm that says it has more than 30 years of practice behind it. It is a broad firm covering family, tax, insolvency, commercial and property work, and building and construction sits alongside those. Three of its solicitors, Ben Schefe, Drazen Kozaric and Michael Mapp, list building and construction law on the QLS register. It suits clients who already use the firm for business or property matters and want construction advice under the same roof.
Firm details come from each firm's own website. Google ratings are shown as published on Google and don't set the order. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
Not sure which firm suits you?
Tell us a little about your matter and we'll put you in touch with a Brisbane construction lawyer. It's free and there's no obligation.
How we compiled this list
We include firms with a Brisbane office whose websites or Queensland Law Society register entries show real building and construction work. For each firm we read its website and the QLS register in October 2026 and wrote the description ourselves. Some firms here mainly act for contractors, developers and government on larger projects, and we say so in the write-up. We only call a lawyer an accredited specialist where the firm or the QLS says so, and we didn't find one for this page. We show Google ratings with the date we checked them.
No firm pays for its place on this list, and the order is our own. If something here is out of date, let us know. There's more detail on how we rank law firms.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Rules, time limits and fees are as published by the Queensland Government, the QBCC, QCAT and the Queensland courts in October 2026.
Getting paid under the BIF Act
Queensland's Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act 2017 sets the rules for progress payments. A payment claim is a written request that identifies the work or goods and services, states the amount and asks for payment. You can claim from each reference date, and only once per reference date. If the contract doesn't set one, the reference date is the last day of the month the work was done.
Step
Time limit
Payment, if the contract is silent
10 business days after the claim
Longest payment term in a commercial building contract
15 business days
Longest payment term in a subcontract
25 business days
Payment schedule in reply to a claim
Within 15 business days, or earlier if the contract says so
Adjudication, if you disagree with the schedule
Within 30 business days after it was given
Adjudication, if a scheduled amount wasn't paid
Within 20 business days after the due date
Adjudication, if there was no schedule and no payment
Within 30 business days after the later of the due date or the last day for a schedule
Business days under the BIF Act don't include weekends, public holidays or any day from 22 December to 10 January. A payment term longer than the maximum is void, and the 10 business day default applies instead. A schedule that pays less than the claim must state the amount and all the reasons. Not paying the full claim by the due date without a schedule, or not paying a scheduled amount on time, is an offence with a maximum of 100 penalty units. Before suspending work, the claimant must give written notice under the BIF Act and wait at least 2 business days. To sue for the debt, they must first give a warning notice (Form S99) within 30 business days of the due date and wait at least 5 business days. A subcontractor can also claim a subcontractor's charge.
A non final claim must be given within 6 months after the work it covers was last carried out, or within a longer period if the contract allows one. A final claim can be given up to 6 months after all the work is complete, or 28 days after the last defects liability period ends, if either is later than the contract period. Since 1 October 2020, a head contractor on a non residential contract that has engaged subcontractors must give the principal a supporting statement with each payment claim.
Adjudication through the QBCC
Adjudication is the fast way to settle a payment dispute under the BIF Act. Applications go to the QBCC Adjudication Registrar, online or on Form S79, before 5pm on a business day. The Registrar refers each one to a registered adjudicator within 4 business days. Give the respondent a full copy as soon as you can after lodging.
Application fee: from 1 July 2026, $68.77 for claims up to $11,345.70, rising in bands, with a maximum of $6,881.62
Adjudicator's fees: paid separately to the adjudicator. For claims of $5,000 or less the adjudicator's fee is capped at $620
Fees are indexed each year, so check the QBCC fee table before you lodge.
Project trusts and the February 2025 pause
Queensland began rolling out project trust accounts on 1 March 2021, and by 1 January 2022 they covered eligible contracts of $1 million or more with the Queensland Government or a Hospital and Health Service, and $10 million or more for everyone else. A contract is eligible when more than half the price is for project trust work. A trust is needed when the contractor subcontracts some or all of the work.
On 10 February 2025 the government paused the further rollout to private projects under $10 million. The phases planned for 1 March 2025 and 1 October 2025, which would have lowered the threshold to $3 million and then $1 million, won't take effect. So as at October 2026 the thresholds are still $1 million for Queensland Government contracts and $10 million for private, local government, statutory authority and GOC contracts.
Exemptions: include contracts only between the State and a State authority, some small residential work and maintenance work
2024 changes: amendments in force from 1 July 2024 simplified the trust framework. The government says they added no new requirements
Still under review: the government's Building Reg Reno program proposes cutting trust account administration further, with no date set
Home building contracts and warranties
A QBCC licence is needed for building work valued over $3,300, or over $1,100 where it involves hydraulic services design. Some work, such as plumbing, gas fitting and building design, needs a licence at any value. The QBCC's Consumer Building Guide, effective October 2026, sets out the main home owner protections.
Deposit: usually no more than 10% for contracts under $20,000 or 5% for contracts of $20,000 or more, or up to 20% if more than half the work is done off site
Cooling off: you may be able to withdraw, in writing, within 5 business days after receiving both the signed contract (with plans and specifications) and the Consumer Building Guide. You may still owe $100 plus reasonable costs the contractor has already paid
Payments and variations: progress payments should match the work done, and every variation should be agreed in writing before the work starts
Statutory warranties: generally 6 years for structural defects and 1 year for other defects, from completion, termination or the work stopping
Most residential work valued over $3,300 must also be insured under the Queensland Home Warranty Scheme, which covers you if the contractor doesn't finish or fix defects. Buildings over three storeys are excluded. The insurance runs on its own time limits, separate from the statutory warranties, and the QBCC says they're strictly applied.
Home warranty claim
Time limit
Structural defect
Notice it within 6 years 6 months of cover starting, then claim within 3 months of noticing it
Non structural defect
Notice it within 6 months after the work is substantially complete, and claim within 7 months of that date
Work not finished
The contract must end within 2 years of work starting, and the claim is due within 3 months of it ending
Cover starts on the earliest of paying the premium, signing the contract or work starting. The licensing and home warranty thresholds are under government review, with no date set for any change.
Defects: the QBCC first, then QCAT
Before a home warranty claim for defects is assessed, you must give the contractor written notice of every item with a time to fix it, such as 14 days, let them try, and lodge a defective work complaint with the QBCC. That notice isn't needed if the contractor is bankrupt, liquidated, deregistered or has died.
Early dispute resolution: while the contract is still running, the QBCC can help owner and contractor sort it out
Access: the owner must let the contractor inspect, at an agreed time in normal working hours with at least 48 hours' notice
Inspection: a QBCC building inspector may look at unresolved items. It's a visual check only
Direction to rectify: if the work is defective, the QBCC may direct the responsible contractor to fix it, usually within 35 days
Closing letter: both sides get one at the end, which lets them apply to QCAT
QCAT won't hear a domestic building dispute without the QBCC letter showing you went through its process, or that none was needed. Since 1 July 2026 a building dispute application costs $405.60 and an appeal $811.30. Parties at QCAT represent themselves unless QCAT gives leave, for example where the case is complex or the other side has a lawyer. Since February 2026 the QBCC sends notices, including defective work and home warranty decisions, by email where it can, so keep your contact details current.
Where Brisbane construction disputes are decided
Adjudication: payment disputes under the BIF Act, through the QBCC Adjudication Registrar
QCAT: domestic and commercial building disputes, reviews of QBCC decisions such as directions to rectify, and licensing reviews
Magistrates Court: money claims up to $150,000, at 363 George Street
District Court and Supreme Court: larger and more complex claims, both at the QEII Courts of Law Complex, 415 George Street
Contract claims generally have to be started within 6 years of when the cause of action arose, under the Limitation of Actions Act 1974. For a home owner suing for breach of a statutory warranty, the action must start within the warranty period: 6 years for structural defects and 1 year for other defects. Queensland courts encourage mediation and case appraisal before trial, and if that doesn't settle it you can still go to trial.
Free help
QBCC: 139 333, for adjudication and consumer enquiries
Legal Aid Queensland: 1300 65 11 88, weekdays 8:30am to 4:30pm
Community legal centres: free or low cost advice, listed at communitylegalqld.org.au
Queensland Law Society: the Find a Solicitor directory on youandthelaw.com.au
Brisbane construction law: common questions
How quickly do I have to be paid on a progress claim in Queensland?
If the contract doesn't say, payment is due 10 business days after the claim. A contract can't set a term longer than 15 business days for a commercial building contract or 25 business days for a subcontract. A longer term is void and the 10 business day default applies.
What happens if the other side doesn't send a payment schedule?
Not paying the full claim by the due date without a schedule is an offence. You can apply for adjudication within 30 business days after the later of the due date or the last day a schedule could have been given. You can also sue for the debt after giving a warning notice (Form S99) within 30 business days of the due date and waiting at least 5 business days, or suspend work after giving 2 business days' written notice. A subcontractor can also claim a subcontractor's charge.
How long do I have to apply for adjudication?
It depends on what happened. If you disagree with a payment schedule, you have 30 business days after it was given. If a schedule was given but the amount wasn't paid, you have 20 business days after the due date. Applications go to the QBCC Adjudication Registrar.
Do I need a project trust account on my job?
Only if the contract is eligible, isn't exempt and you subcontract some of the work. Trusts apply to contracts of $1 million or more with the Queensland Government or a Hospital and Health Service, and $10 million or more otherwise. Plans to lower the private threshold were paused in February 2025.
How long is my builder responsible for defects?
Statutory warranties generally last 6 years for structural defects and 1 year for other defects, from completion. Home warranty insurance has its own claim windows, some as short as 3 months, so act as soon as you notice a problem.
Can I take my builder straight to QCAT?
Not for a domestic building dispute. You first go through the QBCC dispute resolution process, and the QBCC letter on the outcome has to go with your QCAT application. Without it QCAT may refuse or dismiss the application.
Can I have a lawyer at QCAT?
Only with QCAT's leave in most cases. It can allow it where the case is complex, another party is represented or everyone agrees. A lawyer can still advise you and help prepare your case behind the scenes.
