HFW launches in Brisbane and continues rapid Australia, global construction growth with hire of leading team

Global, sector focused law firm HFW has launched in Brisbane and continued the strategic expansion of its international construction practice and its Australian business with the appointment of a leading team headed by Partner Christopher Rowden. 

Christopher has more than 15 years’ experience in back-end disputes, project delivery and front-end, and joins HFW from CDI Lawyers alongside Special Counsels Jason Pungsornruk and Thomas Law, Senior Associate Samantha Fry, and Associate William Lowes.

Jeremy Shebson, Managing Partner & Giles Kavanagh, Global Senior Partner, HFW: “We are pleased to welcome Christopher and his team to the firm. Their appointments are the latest in a string of strategic hires we have made as we continue to expand our client offering. Launching in Brisbane is a significant milestone in the firm’s growth trajectory in Australia. This move complements the strength of our existing offices in Melbourne, Perth and Sydney and supports our ambitious growth strategy across the region.”

Gavin Vallely, Australia Managing Partner, HFW: “Queensland has been experiencing a construction boom, with many of our clients involved in major infrastructure projects across the State and, in particular in the South East corridor. The investment in private and public infrastructure will continue as Queensland gears up for the 2032 Summer Olympics. Brisbane is also increasingly being recognised as a gateway to PNG and the Oceania region generally. Chris and his team will work closely with our Australian construction group to support clients on significant projects and disputes in Australia and across the wider Asia Pacific region.” 

This continues the rapid growth of HFW’s 90-lawyer global construction practice, which has grown significantly in the past two years, with nine Partners appointed during that period, and of its business in Australia, where the firm has now added 16 Partners since FY24. HFW now has 33 Partners and more than 150 lawyers in total across Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney, working as part of an Asia Pacific team of more than 260 lawyers. 

Christopher Rowden, Partner, HFW: “I am excited to be joining HFW as the firm continues to expand its footprint in Australia. The firm is well known for its specialist and sector-focused expertise – something that has been central to my own practice for more than a decade. I feel a strong alignment with HFW’s vision and culture and look forward to contributing to the firm’s continued growth and success.”

Christopher and the team advise contractors and subcontractors on construction and infrastructure projects across a wide range of sectors, including energy and resources, oil and gas, renewables, and engineering. Christopher has significant expertise in large-scale court litigation, domestic and international arbitration, and adjudication, and recently acted for a major Japanese contractor in international arbitration (seated in Singapore) and adjudication disputes in relation to the AUD$50 billion Ichthys LNG project in Darwin. He is the Queensland editor of the Building and Construction Law Journal and an external author for LexisNexis on construction law.