Profile of Leighton O'Brien

Leighton O'Brien

Partner, LLB (Hons), LLM, PC Arb

About Leighton O'Brien

Leighton is a leading projects lawyer who practises in the areas of construction, infrastructure and dispute resolution with a particular emphasis on roads, rail and PPPs.

Leighton acts for financiers, government and private owners, concessionaries and contractors. Leighton's recent roles include:

  • Energy – Snowy 2.0, Pluto train 2, Abadi gas field FLNG, QCLNG pipeline, Vung Ang II and VinhTan 3 power stations;
  • PPPs – Northern Beaches Hospital, Sydney Convention Centre, Single LEAP 1 & 2, Sunshine Coast hospital, Victorian Desalination Plant, Thailand's PPP guidelines, NSW Rolling Stock, Victorian Prisons, Royal North Shore Hospital;
  • Rail – Wickham Transport Interchange, Sydney Light Rail, South West Rail Link, North Sydney Freight Corridor, Dynon Port Rail Link, Perth to Mandurah, Spencer Street Station, Alice Springs to Darwin rail link;
  • Roads – WestConnex, CALAX, Clem 7, M5, Cross City Tunnel; and
  • Buildings – NSW Data Centres,163 Castlereagh St, 1 Bligh St Sydney, NSW's BER program, Deutsche Bank Place, 123 Albert St Brisbane.

Leighton's practice also covers dispute resolution from security of payment to expert determination, arbitration and litigation. Leighton has advised on disputes concerning:

  • Transport – Westconnex and other east coast toll roads, Eastern Distributor, Epping to Chatswood Rail Link, Great Western, Pacific and Golden Highways;
  • Resources – Mount Todd, Beaconsfield and Century Zinc mines;
  • Energy – Wallerawang, Tallawarra, Burrinjuck and Pindari power stations, Victorian oil and gas platform, Victorian wind farm; and
  • Buildings – Millers Point Tower, Alexander Maconochie Centre, Henry Deane Building, Sydney Opera House, Sydney Eye Hospital.

Leighton is a member of leading industry bodies and a regular university lecturer and conference speaker.

Leighton was named as a leading lawyer by Chambers Asia-Pacific from 2009-2022 in the area of construction and was described as a 'particularly impressive, very measured and considered lawyer.'