Michelle Porter-Wright

Michelle advises owners, contractors and consultants in the administration of contracts and the resolution of disputes on major infrastructure projects. She focuses her practice on the resolution of complex disputes, both through adjudication and arbitration.

Michelle has experience in the civil, mechanical, electrical and process engineering disciplines across EPC, EPCM, remeasurable, turnkey, and consultancy agreements, both standard form and bespoke. Her practice has a strong international focus, having worked on projects in Chile, Australia, Russia, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, the UK and Nigeria.

Michelle has worked on some of the world’s largest projects and disputes and is widely recognized as a leader in her field by both South African and international directories and publications. She is published in several peer reviewed academic journals, including the South African Law Journal and the Stellenbosch Law Review.

• Represented a sovereign on a large hospital project against its PPP operator, valued at ZAR 3 billion. *

• Represented a South African Independent Power Producer (IPP) on a ZAR 500 million claim against a power utility. *

• Represented a South African EPC Contractor on a ZAR 350 million final accounting dispute with its joint venture partner, relating to the construction of a mining processing plant in South Africa. *

• Represented a South African EPC Contractor on a USD 60 million dispute with its design partner on a power plant project in Ghana. *

• Represented a listed Saudi Arabian development company on infrastructure regulatory frameworks. *

• Represented an Australian-based oil and gas major on a USD 180 million EPC dispute in a Singapore-seated ICC arbitration. The project involved the whole chain of LNG development and production: subsea, offshore, pipeline and onshore. *

• Represented a listed South African EPC contractor on a ZAR 1.7 billion dispute in an ICC arbitration before a three member London seated tribunal. *

* Experience obtained prior to joining Baker McKenzie

• Client Choice for Construction in South Africa, Lexology 2024
• One of Africa’s Top 50 Young Arbitration Lawyers, Association of Young Arbitrators 2020
• 2020 Acritas Legal Star

• Law Society of South Africa