Kate Corby

Kate acts for employers, main contractors, sub-contractors and joint venture partners from across the world on disputes concerning issues such as project delays, cost overruns and defective work. She has been involved in disputes arising out of projects from Kazakhstan in the East to Panama in the West, but in recent years has had a particular focus on projects in the Middle East. Kate is also active in advising clients on project and contract management and dispute avoidance.

In addition, Kate has particular experience in advising on and coordinating large multijurisdictional product recalls as well as providing product liability, safety and regulatory compliance advice across a wide variety of industries, including pharmaceuticals and healthcare, electronics and consumer goods. She is recognised as an expert in this field at governmental level, having been invited by the UK government to be part of a steering group making recommendations about consumer product recall processes and took a leading role in preparation of the BSI Code of Practice in this area.

Construction & Engineering/International Arbitration

• Acting for a major Saudi company in relation to the construction of a process plant and advising on disputes with third parties, in particular the EPC contractor relating to the construction and operation of the plant, insurers and third party suppliers, as well as acting in defence of an UNCITRAL arbitration seeking payment of disputed invoices for project management and engineering services on the same project.
• Acting for a major Saudi Arabian construction company in several disputes regarding major construction projects in the Middle East.
• Acting as project counsel for a Turkish contractor in relation to a very high profile construction project in Russia, assisting it reach partial resolutions of various claims against the employer and helping deal with the fallout from the bankruptcy of a major sub-contractor.
• Acting for a Chinese state owned company in two ICC arbitrations brought against it in connection with termination of several commercial contracts.
• Acting for a real estate development management company in an arbitration under the ICC Rules in a dispute concerning unlawful termination and related issues, worth over USD150 million
• Acting as project counsel for a French energy giant on a power plant project in South America, helping to prevent, or resolve at a very early stage, disputes with its contractor under an English law governed EPC agreement.
• Acting for a main contractor in an ICC arbitration commenced by one of its joint venture partners relating to responsibility for delays and increased costs of construction of a sewage treatment plant in the Middle East, having previously acted for the same contractor in another ICC arbitration raising similar issues.

Product liability, safety and regulatory compliance

• Regularly advising a manufacturer of engines and power generation products on product regulatory issues, including legal, regulatory and strategic issues arising out of multi-jurisdictional recalls.
• Over more than 10 years advising a major worldwide manufacturer of children’s toys in connection with a number of multi-jurisdictional recalls of certain of its products.
• Advising two separate household name technology companies on legal obligations and risks connected with safety issues.

• Society for Construction Law - Member
• International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) - Member
• London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) - Member
• Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors - Honorary Solicitor and Affiliate Member

• Sydney