Kon Nakousis

Biography

Kon is a partner in our Construction group.

He frequently acts for market-leading clients on their business-defining disputes across the energy, infrastructure and development sectors. He is commercial, strategic and highly responsive, exhibiting a tenacity that often achieves results quickly and effectively.

Kon and his strong team of 20+ lawyers are often also deployed by clients to act as their project counsel and assist with managing delivery risk on major projects where disputes are likely to emerge. He has been involved in two of the largest arbitrations in the southern hemisphere and more recently, he has conducted disputes for clients on nation-defining renewable energy projects, including a transmission line dispute exceeding $2 billion. Over the last 10 years, his team has actively pursued the resolution of disputes, either as project counsel or in formal dispute resolution, totalling a combined value of more than $8 billion.

Kon also has over 15 years’ experience in providing strategic advice to market participants on the structuring, drafting and negotiation of contracts across a broad range of projects, including: renewable energy projects, oil and gas facilities, process plants, residential (including social and affordable housing projects) and commercial developments, rail, roads, bridges, tunnels, airports, hospitals, schools and sporting facilities.

He is consistently recognised in the various legal directories. Recently, he was identified as a leading construction lawyer in the global and domestic editions of Who's Who Legal. He is consistently recognised by his peers as a Leading Construction Lawyer in the current Australian edition of Best Lawyers, The Legal 500 and has been named by Doyle’s Guides as a Leading Construction & Infrastructure Lawyer for the last ten years.

Experience

Kon’s experience includes advising:

  • Elecnor on a circa $2 billion transmission line dispute concerning Project EnergyConnect.

  • Elecnor on a circa $400 million dispute concerning the Goyder Wind Farm.

  • Acciona on various major disputes concerning each of the Rockingham and Kwinana Waste to Energy projects.

  • Acciona and Ferrovial on claims and disputes concerning the Central Tunnelling Project on Sydney Metro.

  • Acciona and Ferrovial on claims and disputes concerning the Warrell Creek to Nambucca Heads Pacific Highway Project.

  • Foresight Group on various disputes concerning a significant water treatment facility in Springvale, New South Wales, some of which have been successfully litigated up to the High Court of Australia.

  • Lendlease on claims against Project Co and the contract works insurers regarding the Peninsula Link Freeway PPP in Victoria.

  • Lendlease on various disputes concerning defects to a solar farm in Darwin, Northern Territory.

  • Canadian Solar on various disputes concerning defects to solar farms in Queensland and the Northern Territory.

  • Lendlease on Supreme Court of New South Wales proceedings regarding structural building defects in a high-profile Sydney Harbour foreshore development.

  • JKC LNG as head contractor regarding two Singapore-seated multibillion dollar ICC arbitrations on the Icthys Project against Inpex (the principal) and a major subcontractor.

  • Tianlong Ribbon in a complex, multi-party insurance and construction dispute concerning the W Hotel in Darling Harbour, New South Wales.

  • Hines on the preparation and negotiation of project documentation for the delivery of a circa $1 billion commercial tower in Melbourne’s CBD in Victoria.

  • Housing Australia on a circa $300 million investment with AXA IM Alts and St George Community Housing regarding an affordable housing project delivering 350 homes for key workers in Westmead, NSW.

  • Lendlease on various project counsel-related advisory roles for the Cairns Convention Centre Expansion, New Performing Arts Venue and Caboolture Hospital Redevelopment Projects in Queensland.

Awards and Recognition

  • The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2024

    Recognised as a ‘Next Generation Partner’ for Infrastructure Projects and Construction.

  • Best Lawyers 2025

    Recognised in Construction / Infrastructure Law.

  • Doyle’s Guide 2024

    Recommended for Construction & Infrastructure Litigation.

  • Who’s Who Legal 2024

    Recommended as a Global and Australian Leader for Construction.