About Robert Fenwick Elliott
Construction and energy lawyer now practising as a barrister

I am Robert Fenwick Elliott, a construction and energy lawyer now practising as a barrister. I now live near Adelaide, South Australia, but since November 2014 I have been an International Member of Keating Chambers in London.
One of the most experienced construction and energy lawyers in the common law world, I was the founder of Fenwick Elliott LLP in London in 1980 and senior partner of that firm for 22 years. Having moved to Australia in a failed attempt to retire, I was a founding partner at Fenwick Elliott Grace in Adelaide until 2013, when I went to the independent bar.
I am presently admitted in South Australia, New South Wales, the Federal Court of Australia.
I have been involved – typically as lead lawyer – in the resolution of many disputes involving in aggregate many hundreds of millions of dollars. Most of these have been in the field of construction or engineering disputes.
The projects have involved the construction of mining facilities, process plants, power stations, pipe lines and pumping stations, marine terminals, ships, FPSOs, harbours, dams, reservoirs, hospitals, factories, office buildings, shopping malls, hotels, housing developments, libraries, sports facilities, roads, rail, bridges, tunnels, security facilities and other types of structures. They have involved work in many jurisdictions, including Argentina, Brazil, Christmas Island, Egypt, England, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Iraq, Jersey, Kenya, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, New South Wales, Queensland, Pakistan, Russia, Scotland, South Africa, South Australia, Spain, Syria, Ukraine, USA, Victoria, Wales, West Indies and Western Australia.
I am a former chairman, then now vice president of TeCSA. I am presently a board member of the Society of Construction Law Australia.
I was accredited a mediator by CEDR many years ago and by the Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators Australia in 2006. I was accredited as an adjudicator many years ago by TeCSA, CIC, CIoB and more recently the government of the Northern Territory. As such, I have successfully mediated or adjudicated many disputes in several jurisdictions.
A member of the DRBF, I presently chair the Dispute Avoidance Board for the substantial Sydney Light Rail project.
Articles on Designing Buildings Wiki by Robert Fenwick Elliott include:
- Pendulum arbitration. January 2016.
- Pay now argue later. January 2016.
- 2015 appointments to the Irish Construction Contracts Adjudication Panel. January 2016.
- The distinction between liquidated damages clauses and penalty clauses. November 2015.
- Privy Council in NH International (Caribbean) Limited v National Insurance Property Development Company Limited (Trinidad and Tobago). September 2015.
- Aspect Contracts (Asbestos) v Higgins Construction 2015. August 2015
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Global Asbestos Awareness Week 2025
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The context, schemes, standards, roles and relevance of the Building Safety Act.
Retrofit 25 – What's Stopping Us?
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Types of work to existing buildings
A simple circular economy wiki breakdown with further links.
A threat to the creativity that makes London special.
How can digital twins boost profitability within construction?
The smart construction dashboard, as-built data and site changes forming an accurate digital twin.
Unlocking surplus public defence land and more to speed up the delivery of housing.
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill
An outline of the bill with a mix of reactions on potential impacts from IHBC, CIEEM, CIC, ACE and EIC.
Farnborough College Unveils its Half-house for Sustainable Construction Training.
Spring Statement 2025 with reactions from industry
Confirming previously announced funding, and welfare changes amid adjusted growth forecast.
Scottish Government responds to Grenfell report
As fund for unsafe cladding assessments is launched.
CLC and BSR process map for HRB approvals
One of the initial outputs of their weekly BSR meetings.
Building Safety Levy technical consultation response
Details of the planned levy now due in 2026.
Great British Energy install solar on school and NHS sites
200 schools and 200 NHS sites to get solar systems, as first project of the newly formed government initiative.
600 million for 60,000 more skilled construction workers
Announced by Treasury ahead of the Spring Statement.