Infrastructure &Major Projects

Major projects typically involve multiple stakeholders whose rights and responsibilities must remain aligned from development through delivery and operation.

We support the corporate and commercial workstreams involved in project structuring, including project companies, shareholder and investment arrangements, development agreements, stakeholder interfaces, procurement strategy, key project contracts and implementation planning.

We focus on identifying dependencies early: authority and approvals, land or site access, financing, procurement, contractor scope, equipment and technology, utilities, interfaces, completion conditions and operational requirements.

Public-private partnerships can combine public-sector objectives with private capital, expertise, technology and long-term performance obligations.

For Federal Government PPPs, the ICRC framework addresses project development, procurement, approvals, contract implementation and monitoring. The current model PPP agreement is expressly intended to be adapted to the project's sector, structure, scope, revenue model, risk allocation and financing arrangements.

We support the legal and commercial workstreams for PPP and concession-type projects, including project structuring, procurement, risk allocation, project agreements, performance standards, payment or revenue mechanisms, change, termination, handback and dispute provisions.

Federal PPP requirements should not be assumed to govern state or local projects. The enabling authority, applicable procurement and PPP framework, sector regulation and approval path should be confirmed for each project.

Major projects are often delivered through a network of agreements rather than a single contract.

The legal architecture may include development arrangements, construction contracts, equipment supply, technology, installation, professional services, operations and maintenance, financing and other packages.

Working with our Projects, Infrastructure & Construction practice, we help clients identify the key contractual interfaces and align scope, milestones, dependencies, relief events, change, testing, acceptance, payment, warranty, liability and termination across the relevant agreements.

Construction and installation risk frequently turns on scope clarity, programme responsibility and the conditions that trigger completion, acceptance and payment.

We advise on the commercial and legal dimensions of construction and installation arrangements, including scope, milestones, site responsibilities, contractor interfaces, change, delay, testing, commissioning, acceptance, handover, defects, warranties, liability and termination.

Paraphoenix does not provide engineering, quantity-surveying, architectural, technical-certification or project-management services. We work alongside appropriately qualified technical professionals where those disciplines are required.

Modern infrastructure increasingly combines physical equipment with software, connectivity, data, cybersecurity and long-term service obligations.

We support projects involving complex equipment and technology packages, including supply, delivery, installation, integration, testing, acceptance, software and licensing, service levels, maintenance, updates, data, cybersecurity, warranties and lifecycle support.

Working with our Technology, Data & Digital practice, we can help align technology and data obligations with the wider project and operational framework.

Infrastructure investment depends on the relationship between capital, project risk and predictable payment or revenue mechanisms.

Working with our Banking, Finance & Capital practice, we support commercial financing interfaces, equipment and asset finance, receivables and other funding structures connected with projects.

We also consider how project documents may affect financing requirements, including payment triggers, completion and acceptance, change, termination, assignment, step-in or cure interfaces and the continuity of critical project arrangements.

Where specialist project-finance, security, tax, financial-model or lender-side advice is required, that workstream can be coordinated with carefully selected independent local counsel and professional advisers.

The commercial value of infrastructure depends on how it performs throughout its operational life.

We advise on operations and maintenance, managed services, availability and performance regimes, service levels, maintenance obligations, change, lifecycle support, technology updates, audit, business continuity, termination, transition and handback.

For long-term arrangements, governance and change mechanisms are particularly important because the asset, technology, regulation and service requirements may evolve materially over time.

Infrastructure projects may involve public procurement, sector-specific regulation, permits and approvals, anti-bribery controls, sanctions, third-party risk, land and community interfaces, environmental requirements and government counterparties.

Working with our Regulatory, Compliance & Investigations practice, we support the legal and contractual dimensions of compliance, due diligence, third-party controls, governance, investigations and regulatory coordination.

The applicable public-procurement, PPP, sector, environmental, land and approval requirements depend on the project and procuring authority and should be verified against the current legal framework.

Project disputes can arise from delay, change, performance, interfaces, testing, acceptance, defects, payment, force majeure, termination and the allocation of responsibility between multiple contractors.

Working with our Dispute Resolution, Arbitration & Litigation practice, we support early dispute strategy, contractual notices, preservation of rights, negotiation, mediation, arbitration and litigation where appropriate.

Our focus is commercial as well as procedural: understanding what the client needs from the project, the relationship and the dispute before determining the appropriate legal response.