Melbourne End of Year Event - Reflections on the Year in Construction and Opportunities and Trends for 2024

Registrations for this event have now closed

To get the ball rolling on the festivities and generate topics for discussion among your peers, four leading figures in the construction industry from various different backgrounds and experience will provide brief reflections on key developments in construction in 2023 and their thoughts on opportunities and trends for the year ahead.

The speakers are:

• Ben Davidson, Partner, Corrs Chambers Westgarth and Chair of SoCLA
• Alyse Mobrici, Barrister, Foley's List
• Caroline Beaumaris, Program Director, Aviation, Melbourne Airport and Director of SoCLA
• Jonathan Harrison, Group General Counsel, Acciona

The event will be followed by drinks and light snacks, and will provide attendees with an opportunity to network with others who have an interest in the construction industry and construction law.

The event will be hosted by Corrs Chambers Westgarth at their Melbourne offices.

Our Speakers

Ben Davidson

Ben advises on strategy and risk management in disputes and negotiations, on major project delivery, and in respect of Government issues.  He has been with Corrs Chambers Westgarth for over 25 years. He has been a disputes partner since 2004, and has acted on a number of significant projects and disputes (with quantum exceeding several billion dollars).

Ben is Chair of Gather my Crew, a not for profit providing support to people in crisis; Chair of the Society of Construction Law Australia; a Vincent Fairfax Fellow; and alum of the Committee for Melbourne Future Focus Group program.

Previously, Ben was an acting CLO / GC of a Government Department in Victoria; was a Board Member of Corrs Chambers Westgarth, and Chair of the Audit and Risk committee; was a Director of Lifebroker Pty Ltd; and he has studied at several universities (Melbourne, Monash, Bond and Harvard) and lectured at a number of universities.

Alyse Mobrici

Alyse accepts briefs in commercial and public law matters.
Her commercial practice encompasses banking and finance, building and construction, class actions, energy and resources, and tax (charity law). Her public law practice includes regulatory and administrative law.
Alyse has advised: ESV (led by M Peckham) and AGS (unled) on matters relating to energy regulation; and VGSO on matters relating to the treaty process with Aboriginal Victorians (led by J Batrouney AM AEDT KC and E Nekvapil SC).
Immediately before the Bar, Alyse was a Principal Legal Adviser at both the Department of Justice and Community Safety and the Department of Premier and Cabinet. Prior to this, Alyse was a Senior Associate at White & Case and a solicitor at Herbert Smith Freehills. 

Alyse has a Masters of Law (First Class Honours) from the University of Melbourne and is a member of the Victorian Building Appeals Board. 
Alyse read with Tom Clarke. Her Senior Mentor is Daniel McInerney KC.

Caroline Beaumaris

Currently a Program Director (Aviation) at Melbourne Airport, Caroline is an internationally renowned Commercial and Project Director with more than 20 years’ end to end experience across an array of projects and industries worldwide. 

In 2018, Caroline reached the national finals of the Australian Construction Awards, Women in Construction award; an award which celebrates the outstanding contribution by any individual paving the way for women in the construction industry. In 2022, Caroline was finalist in NAWIC’s Crystal Vision Award; an award celebrating excellence in actively promoting and encouraging participation and career progression of women.

Caroline is a thought leader and chairs the Society of Construction Law Australia (SoCLA) Thought Action Sub-committee and has been a Director on the Board since November 2022.

Jonathan Harris

Jonathan has spent almost all of his working life as a construction lawyer, starting out doing dispute work at Minters and Deacons before moving into PPPs and then in house, working for a range of contractors including Fulton Hogan, Bouygues and now Acciona.  Jonathan’s practice is currently focussed on transport infrastructure and energy.