Lisa Curran

Consultant

Lisa has over 25 years of experience advising on the procurement, implementation, and delivery of major infrastructure projects, both in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. She is recognised as a Next Generation Partner by The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific (Transport) and is sought after by clients for her commercially focused legal advice.

As the lead legal advisor on many of New Zealand’s iconic infrastructure projects, Lisa’s experience includes advising on the Canterbury multi-use arena, Auckland’s City Rail Link, NZ PPP projects such as Transmission Gully, Puhoi to Warkworth and Wiri Prison, Auckland’s America’s Cup Base and Spark Arena and the previous government’s Water Reform Programme. Her expertise spans across various industry sectors, including roading and transport, water infrastructure, energy, electricity, and health.

A key area of Lisa’s expertise involves assisting public and private sector clients in devising procurement and delivery strategies for large-scale programmes of work. This requires strategic and commercially focused legal advice on how to best procure and structure documentation to meet the needs of the programme, the client and the market. For public sector clients, Lisa has a wealth of experience with the Government’s procurement rules and public sector good practice.

Lisa has drafted, negotiated, and advised on a variety of infrastructure and construction contracts, from PPP contracts, such as the Project Agreement, PPP D&C/O&M subcontracts and Interface Agreements, to collaborative contracts, such as alliancing contracts and panel/framework contracts. She also has experience in other public-private sector agreements such as build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) and development agreements, as well as more traditional contracts such as EPC contracts, design and build contracts, operation and maintenance and supply agreements. She has advised on standard form contracts such as New Zealand’s NZS391X suite, ACENZ CCCS, NZIA and international forms of contract used in New Zealand such as FIDIC and NEC.

Prior to joining MinterEllisonRuddWatts, Lisa worked in the construction practice at another top tier New Zealand law firm.

Career highlights

Advised the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) on the development and implementation of the previous Government’s Water Reform Programme. Role included working with DIA and local government organisations in the implementation of the tools and documents required to give affect to the reform, particularly in relation to the Northern Water Service Entity. Providing advice in relation to some aspects of the current Government’s Local Water Done Well reform.

Led the external legal team advising City Rail Link Limited in relation to all aspects of the project up to execution the Project Alliance Agreement, and advising the Ministry of Transport on the Auckland Light Rail project from 2022.

Advised consortia on the Transmission Gully PPP Project from early tender stages through to contract and financial close and provided advice to a shortlisted consortia on its bid for the Puhoi to Warkworth PPP Project.

Advised consortia on their bids for various New Zealand PPP projects. Role included preparing tags for the Project Agreement and drafting D&C/O&M agreements, as well as ancillary arrangements.

Assisting Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and Rau Paenga as delivery agent on the largest biosecurity project by the Government – the Plant Health and Environment Capability. Advising on the procurement, contracting, and project delivery for the new laboratory building, office building, and quarantine facilities.

Advising Tait Communications on the reset of arrangements with the Crown in relation to the delivery and operation of New Zealand’s $1.4 billion Public Safety Network new land mobile radio network. This required drafting and negotiating agreements with the Crown and restructuring prior joint venture arrangements.

Advised a New Zealand-based large-scale solar developer on the development of template EPC contracts for its solar PV projects. Also advised an international investment and asset development company on its 1GW portfolio of solar PV projects, which was part of its longer-term strategic interest in solar opportunities in New Zealand.

Affiliations
  • Trustee, Middlemore Foundation
  • Member, Infrastructure New Zealand
  • Member, Society of Construction Law New Zealand
Achievements and recognition
  • Next Generation Partner, Transport, The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific
  • Band 1 team, Energy & Natural Resources, Chambers Asia-Pacific
  • Band 1 team, Construction, Chambers Asia-Pacific
  • Tier 1 team, Construction, The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific