Jason Dabelstein

Jason is a project delivery and construction disputes lawyer, with more than seven years of experience advising principals, contractors, suppliers and consultants on construction, infrastructure and renewable energy projects and disputes across Australia.

Experience

Jason's experience in project delivery and construction disputes spans various industries and sectors, including renewable energy – transmission lines, wind, solar and pumped hydro; road, tunnel, bridge and rail infrastructure; and commercial, industrial and residential building. Jason frequently assists clients in the areas of:

• project delivery advice and support
• claims strategy, management and preparation
• Security of Payment adjudication in all Australian jurisdictions
• alternative dispute resolution, including dispute resolution boards, mediation, and expert determination
• litigation and arbitration. Prior to joining Lander & Rogers, Jason was a Project Counsel for the ACCIONA Cobra joint venture, the D&C contractor for the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone transmission project, and a Senior Associate in the Construction Disputes team at one of Australia's leading law firms. Jason also completed a Master of Laws at Washington University in St. Louis in 2017.

Career Highlights

Jason's career highlights include:

Renewable energy

• Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone transmission project ($5bn+) - Provided transaction and project delivery advice and support to ACCIONA Cobra Joint Venture in relation to its upstream and downstream contracts, third parties, claims management and preparation, and dispute resolution strategy and avoidance
• Pumped hydro - Advised the principal as part of a large team in response to multiple claims (~$4 billion) by the contractor. Jason led the COVID claim, programming, quantum and document collation workstreams
• Transmission line and substation - Advised the principal on its liability for claims made by the contractor on the project, including strategy for responding to and resolving those claims

Infrastructure

• Sydney road tunnel - Acted for an asset operator in multi-party proceedings in the NSW Supreme Court concerning design and construction defects in the road tunnel. Jason led the quantum and fire engineering workstreams
• Commuter carparking project - Acted for a subcontractor in NSW Supreme Court proceedings against a contractor following the subcontractor's wrongful termination
• Major road upgrade - Advised a major construction company on an upstream dispute with a government department over a significant variation claim

Commercial, industrial and residential building

• Landmark commercial building – Acted for a global construction company in its dispute with a developer of a landmark commercial building and defended NSW Supreme Court proceedings commenced by a subcontractor on the project following two Security of Payment adjudication applications
• Office tower – Acted for a principal in proceedings commenced in PNG against the contractor for loss it suffered constructing the commercial office tower
• Resort refurbishment upgrade - Acted for a contractor in relation to upstream and downstream disputes concerning a resort refurbishment and upgrade in Queensland
• Owners corporation - Acted for a property developer in NSW Supreme Court proceedings commenced by the owners corporation for breaches of statutory warranties under the Home Building Act 1989 (NSW) and statutory duty of care under the Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 (NSW)
• Paddington terrace/office conversion – Acted for a principal in proceedings commenced by it in the NSW Supreme Court against the architect and the architect’s consultants for breaches of contract arising in respect of defective works of a de-registered construction company
• Home Building Act proceedings – Successfully represented homeowners in their dispute with a residential builder over defective works in the renovation of their home. The Tribunal awarded the homeowners a money order for more than 95% of the amount they had claimed plus legal costs.