Tuesday, 24 February 2026
Learning Objectives:
- Understand recent case law developments and proposed regulatory reforms in construction law
- Identify practical implications of changes to liability frameworks and building consent processes
Description
Attend and earn 1 CPD hour
* This interactive online recording includes questions and quizzes requiring critical thinking about the topics, so you have no annual limits to the number of points/hours you can claim with this format of learning. Please verify with your CPD rules
Chair
Mark Gillard, Special Counsel, Simpson Grierson
Recent Case Law and Regulatory Updates
- Proposed amendments to streamline the building consent regime including allowing Council’s to voluntarily consolidate their BCA functions
- Proposal to replace joint and several liability with proportionate liability
- The requirement for holding retentions under the Construction Contracts Act 2002: Burt v Grant [2025] NZHC 2486
Presented by Christine Gordon, Senior Associate, Simpson Grierson
Presenters
Mark Gillard, Special Counsel, Simpson Grierson
Mark is a Special Counsel in Simpson Grierson’s construction group, specialising in construction, infrastructure and procurement. Mark joined the Simpson Grierson in 2018 after spending 15 years in Australia where he worked both in top tier law firms (Clayton Utz and Herbert Smith Freehills) and in-house roles assisting with the successful delivery of major infrastructure projects across Australia, including several significant public transport projects in Sydney. His experience covers projects across the rail, roads, telecommunications, water, energy, property development and defence sectors. These projects have been delivered using a wide variety of documentation, from short form minor works contracts to suites of complex PPP documents for the financing and construction of major infrastructure. Mark has advised on resolving complex, high value disputes, including the renegotiation and amendment of project documents for PPP, joint venture and alliance arrangements. Where a dispute cannot be avoided, Mark is experienced in developing and implementing strategies which resolve disputes efficiently and minimise their impact on project delivery.
Christine Gordon, Senior Associate, Simpson Grierson
Christine is a senior associate in Simpson Grierson’s construction group. She is a specialist construction lawyer having developed her skills in London and top tier firms in New Zealand. Christine advises a broad range of construction parties from principals, contractors and sub-contractors to engineers, architects and insurers on issues arising both during and after construction. She has experience with New Zealand and international forms of construction contracts and consultancy services agreements. Christine’s experience extends to acting for parties in resolving complex and high value disputes through court, arbitration, mediation, adjudication, expert determination and other dispute resolution forums.
