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
Featured articles and news
Costs and insolvencies mount for SMEs, despite growth
Construction sector under insolvency and wage bill pressure in part linked to National Insurance, says report.
The place for vitrified clay pipes in modern infrastructure
Why vitrified clay pipes are reclaiming their role in built projects.
Research by construction PR consultancy LMC published.
Roles and responsibilities of domestic clients
ACA Safety in Construction guide for domestic clients.
Fire door compliance in UK commercial buildings
Architect and manufacturer gives their low down.
Plumbing and heating for sustainability in new properties
Technical Engineer runs through changes in regulations, innovations in materials, and product systems.
Awareness of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism
What CBAM is and what to do about it.
The new towns and strategic environmental assessments
12 locations of the New Towns Taskforce reduced to 7 within the new towns draft programme and open consultation.
Buildings that changed the future of architecture. Book review.
The Sustainability Pathfinder© Handbook
Built environment agency launches free Pathfinder© tool to help businesses progress sustainability strategies.
Government outcome to the late payment consultation, ECA reacts.
IHBC 2025 Gus Astley Student Award winners
Work on the role of hewing in UK historic conservation a win for Jack Parker of Oxford Brookes University.
Future Homes Building Standards and plug-in solar
Parts F and L amendments, the availability of solar panels and industry responses.
How later living housing can help solve the housing crisis
Unlocking homes, unlocking lives.
Preparing safety case reports for HRBs under the BSA
A new practical guide to preparing structural inputs for safety cases and safety case reports published by IStructE.
Male construction workers and prostate cancer
CIOB and Prostate Cancer UK encourage awareness of prostate cancer risks, and what to do about it.





















