Daniel Morris, HHG Special Counsel had the pleasure of chairing the panel discussion entitled "Doing it Overseas – the legal tips and tricks for taking construction smarts to foreign jurisdictions" at the 2019 Society of Construction Law of Australia Conference (SOCLA) on the weekend.

The session saw the preeminent panellists discuss various important issues in construction law with an international perspective.

Alastair Oxbrough, a consultant at HFW and Alexander Swift, contract administrator at Hansen Yuncken started off the session by presenting on the difficulties superintendents face when wearing their 'two hats' and the way forward;

The Hon Wayne Martin AC QC, immediate past Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Western Australia discussed the strengths and weaknesses of international arbitration of construction disputes, and pointed out that given modern case management procedures, arbitration and litigation are becoming increasingly comparable;

The Hon Peter Vickery QC, recently retired judge of the Victorian Supreme Court and longstanding patron of SOCLA; and

Basil Georgiou, construction partner at Jackson McDonald and longstanding patron of SOCLA's WA division raised the issue of unenforceable liquidated damages clauses and provided an innovative and quick solution to the problem.

It is of no doubt that all attendees have benefitted from these excellent presentations. Well done to SOCLA and the Conference Sub-Committee for organising yet another successful conference.