- Overview
- Experience
Introduction
Ben is a senior construction and infrastructure disputes lawyer helping government, developer and contractor clients avoid and resolve complex contract issues.
Ben Judge provides strategic dispute avoidance and resolution advice to clients in the transport infrastructure, renewable energy and built environment sectors.
Ben's practice spans the full lifecycle of major project disputes from contract drafting and risk allocation through to adjudication, expert determination, arbitration and Supreme Court litigation. He acts for state and federal government agencies, institutional investors, developers and tier 1 contractors on some of Australia’s most complex and high-value construction matters. Ben has particularly deep experience advising in relation to public private partnership (PPP) contracting models.
Ben is recognized as a Rising Star in Construction Law in New South Wales by Doyle’s Guide (2025 and 2026) and is admitted to practice in New South Wales and Scotland.
Areas of focus
- Transport for NSW | Counsel / Senior Associate | 2021 - 2026 | acting for TfNSW across multiple disputes arising out of the Pacific Highway upgrade program, including:
- defending NSW Supreme Court litigation principally concerning complex delay and disruption claims brought by CPB Contractors Pty Ltd in connection with the Woolgoolga to Ballina project, in which c. $200 million in damages is sought by CPB and a cross-claim for $35 million is made by TfNSW;
- successfully obtaining the strike-out of c. $63 million of GC21 contractual delay costs claims brought by CPB Contractors in the same proceedings: Transport for NSW v CPB Contractors Pty Ltd [2025] NSWSC 1005;
- successfully defending claims brought in expert determination in relation to the same subject matter;
- successfully defending expert determination and associated NSW Supreme Court litigation arising out of the Tuggerah to Doyalson upgrade concerning alleged contractual entitlements to payment and the interpretation of GC21 expert determination provisions as to when an expert's decision is final and binding: CPB Contractors Pty Ltd v Transport for NSW [2021] NSWSC 537; and
- responding to a $40 million multi-strand head contractor claim referred to a GC21 dispute avoidance board concerning alleged variations and associated delay and disruption claims.
- Australian Tier 1 Contractor | Counsel / Senior Associate | 2024 – 2026 | acting for client in connection with arbitration and related litigation proceedings relating to a NSW hospital PPP, including:
- defending tripartite arbitration proceedings commenced by facilities manager pursuing claims for $45 million in relation to allegations of historic design and construction defects; and
- defending related NSW Supreme Court proceedings brought by the PPP SPV in connection with the same subject matter.
- Global landmark building owner | Counsel / Senior Associate | 2022 – 2026 | advising on resolution and rectification of concrete cracking and water ingress defects affecting underground basement structure.
- Tianlong Ribbon Pty Ltd | Senior Associate | 2019 – 2024 | advising in connection with the full life-cycle delivery of the c. $1 billion Ribbon "W" Hotel project in Darling Harbour, Sydney, including navigating client through the insolvency of two head-contractors and a major project subcontractor and associated disputes.
- Transport for NSW | Counsel / Senior Associate | 2017 to 2026 | advising TfNSW across construction delivery and PPP contract dispute issues in relation to the Sydney Light Rail project.