“Construction Legal stepped into what seemed an impossible task when the Owners first engaged them. It was almost Christmas shutdown, and we were unhappy with how our previous law firm had managed our complex Supreme Court litigation. Despite most of the construction industry slowing down for a year-end break, Jessica made herself immediately available and gave no nonsense, strategic advice to get the case back on track with a clear plan. Her team worked tirelessly with four experts and managed to meet the Court’s deadline and file the evidence we needed to protect us. The Owners are truly grateful for the team’s passion and determination in making this happen. Their in-depth knowledge of construction law, coupled with clear, practical, and commercial advice meant we for the first time in our legal claim felt confident in the advice and level of support we were given. I would have no hesitation in recommending Construction Legal to other owners corporations.”
NIKKI BRITT
STRATA COMMITTEE MEMBER OF LUXE APARTMENTS
Building defects need construction lawyers, not strata lawyers
Serious building defects, concrete spalling, waterproofing failures, façade delamination, structural movement, fire safety non-compliance, are technical construction problems, not administrative strata issues. Owners Corporations navigating them need lawyers whose core discipline is construction law, not general strata practitioners.
Construction Legal has been that firm for a decade, with more than 100 remedial projects across NSW under our belt.
Founding the industry conversation on remediation
The team at Construction Legal has a strong reputation in residential building and strata law, with a particular focus on building defects and the impact of ongoing reforms on Owners Corporations, and is regularly involved in policy and industry discussions on remedial work and consumer protection.
Our Principal, Jessica Rippon, is also a founding member of the Strata Remediation Forum, the industry gathering that brings together lawyers, engineers, insurance brokers, strata finance specialists and project managers with the owners and committees actually living through these projects.
A regulatory landscape that keeps moving
NSW has been through the biggest overhaul of strata and defect law in over a decade, and it isn’t finished. Owners Corporations now carry direct compliance obligations: NSW Fair Trading can investigate and enforce without a complaint, capital works plans must itemise known defects with cost and timeline from April 2026, and the limitation period for lot owners to sue an Owners Corporation for failing to repair common property has extended from two to six years. The DBP Act’s duty of care and compliance regime expanded to Class 3 and 9c buildings from July 2026, and Decennial Liability Insurance is now available as a strata bond alternative from 20 August 2026. Getting this right requires advice that sits inside construction law, not alongside it.
Scope of services
- Advising on building defects affecting common property and lot property, including waterproofing, façade, structural, fire safety and cladding issues
- Assisting with defect investigations, expert briefing and interpreting reports and remedial scopes
- Advising on statutory warranties, duty of care, limitation periods and recovery rights against builders, developers, consultants and insurers
- Advising on the DBP Act and remedial building work framework, including design, declaration and compliance requirements
- Preparing, reviewing and negotiating remedial building contracts and consultancy agreements
- Advising on access, by-laws, contributions and repair responsibility between Owners Corporations and lot owners
- Assisting with strata building bond, DLI and inspection issues
- Representing Owners Corporations in negotiations, NCAT proceedings and Court litigation
