Fabio Fior

Partner | Canberra

+61 2 6151 2116 ffior@hwle.com.au

Fabio is a Partner in HWL Ebsworth’s Commonwealth Government group and specialises in major projects, with extensive experience advising on a wide range of property, construction and commercial agreements for both private and government clients.

Fabio has considerable experience in government procurement and contracting, complex design and construct projects and assists clients with a wide variety of commercial matters such as the development of joint venture agreements, construction contracts, consultancy agreements, goods and service agreements, acquisitions and sales, project management agreements, funding agreements, as well as providing strategic commercial advice. Fabio is known for his practical and pragmatic advice to clients, assisting them to navigate complex issues in the most efficient and commercial way. Fabio’s breadth of experience includes extensive in-house secondment roles with Power and Water Corporation (NT) and Defence Legal, as well as assisting major private clients, including the Airport Development Group, DCOH and Datapod on their most complex matters.

Fabio has been listed in Best Lawyers Australia since 2012 in the areas of Construction and Infrastructure, Government and Real Property Law, and was Lawyer of the Year 2017 Government Practice (Perth).

Expertise

Experience

  • The Department of Defence Advising across a very wide range of complex, high-risk and time critical commercial, property and infrastructure matters spanning across Defence’s 2.8-million-hectare estate, including dealing with mining tenements and access issues to the Defence Estate across most Australian jurisdictions; assisting the Estate Works Projects team managing contractor claims and project issues; and assisting the environmental team with the roll-out of renewable energy projects across the Defence Estate.
  • The Northern Territory Government Advising on the sale of a 168 hectare greenfield site in Darwin known as Berrimah Farm. This was the single largest residential and mixed development land sale in the Northern Territory and Fabio advised on all aspects of the 2-stage procurement process and the preparation and negotiation of the Development Agreement with the successful proponent to acquire and develop the land.
  • Land Development Corporation Advising on the two-stage procurement for the development of the Truck Central Precinct, which involved strategic advice to LDC on the structuring of the Project Agreement and developed a bespoke works agreement for use; and currently assisting on the initial stages for the establishment of the Marine Industry Park.
  • Power and Water Corporation Advising on the engagement of EPC contractors for the installation of solar power plants across 29 regional communities in the Northern Territory under the Solar SETuP Program, and the procurement and contract to acquire a 1500KWh High Energy Storage System to be co-located at the 1MW installation at Daly Waters.
  • Commonwealth agencies Advising on a large number of general leasing matters for sites across Australia including multiple agencies on their agreements for lease for new head office buildings in Canberra, many over 40,000sqm of NLA and notably involving agreements with the project developers for the integrated design, construction and fit out works to the building as part of the agreement for lease.
  • DCOH Advising on the contract for the $150m development of the new Civic Centre mixed use precinct, to house the Darwin City Council and DCOH’s commercial offices.
  • Sunbuild Advising on the development and implementation of its subcontract arrangements for the construction of the iconic Charles Darwin Centre, including preparation of back-to-back subcontracts for major works packages, assisting with the extensive negotiation with preferred providers and assessment of legal and commercial risks associated with certain providers.
  • Sunbuild Advising on the negotiation of a head contract based on AS4000-1997 with the property developer for the construction of a multi-tower mixed use development.
  • The Northern Territory Government Providing advice on a wide range of procurements, construction contracts, service and consultancy agreements, planning and development requirements, regulatory compliance and advising on contractor non-performance, indemnities, guarantees, insurance and liability.