Current practice

Peter Ridout has extensive experience and recognised expertise in the field of engineering and construction law, major infrastructure projects and dispute resolution. He advises on the most effective means of structuring major projects, use of partnering and other techniques for successful project delivery.

Industry experience

Peter is an expert in commercial contracts, engineering and construction law, commercial litigation and dispute resolution. He acts for major private sector corporations, both principals and contractors. He has also acted for government and semi-government instrumentalities involved in the engineering and construction industry.

Projects in which Peter has been involved include: Sydney Harbour Tunnel; various city office and hotel redevelopments; Moomba - Sydney Ethane/Gas Pipeline; Sydney-Newcastle Expressway Extension; Smithfield Co-generation Plant; various head office/warehouse redevelopments and refurbishments; Darling Harbour redevelopment; Coal Loader Mining Construction; Mining Operations Agreements; Stadium Australia, Homebush; Nickel Laterite Plant, WA; and Millmerran Power and Infrastructure Plants.

Peter deals regularly with the negotiation and preparation of project documentation and the administration of engineering and construction projects with recognised expertise in handling and resolving disputes.

He practises extensively in the Supreme Courts and Appellate Courts and has successfully conducted a large number of arbitrations. However, litigation and arbitration are only two techniques employed to achieve a commercial resolution. Recognising this, Peter's emphasis is on selecting and pursuing the most effective means of achieving client objectives – be it by litigation or by employing one of the alternate dispute resolution techniques. He has successfully used techniques such as expert determination, conciliation and mediation.

Hotels, hospitality, liquor and gaming
Peter also advises on liquor licensing and gaming law. Over a 25 year period he has acted for breweries, hoteliers international hotel groups and large liquor retailing chains. He has also advised on licensing of Sydney Olympic facilities such as Stadium Australia, Sydney SuperDome and on Fox Studios. He is one of a handful of practitioners with a detailed knowledge of the legislation concerning gaming in New South Wales. Peter acted for the NSW Government on gaming related issues in connection with the privatisation of the NSW TAB, including the regulatory and licensing regime in relation to centralised monitoring system, linked jackpots and investment licences, and on the poker machine permit auction. Peter also acted on the contract to provide a centralised monitoring system in Queensland. For many years Peter has advised manufacturers and suppliers of gaming machines and other participants in the gaming industry on regulatory and gaming matters including gaming on the internet.

Professional background

Peter has delivered papers at professional conferences throughout Australia on construction law, and subjects including industry standard form contracts, preventive law and the use of legal professional privilege, litigation and alternate dispute resolution techniques. Peter has also delivered papers at liquor and gaming conferences.

He completed his combined Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Sydney in 1975. He is admitted to practice in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, the Australian Capital Territory, and in the High Court of Australia.