Michael Lake
Michael Lake is a Partner at HSF Kramer with a practice focused on construction and infrastructure disputes.
He is recognised in the 2026 Doyles Guide as a recommended construction and infrastructure disputes lawyer in New South Wales.
Michael supports clients — including project owners and developers, contractors and financiers — involved in the delivery of major projects in Australia and across the Asia-Pacific region. He has experience across a broad range of sectors, including infrastructure (rail, road, hospital, school and prison projects), energy and energy transition (including wind, solar, battery, energy terminal, water treatment and mining projects), large-scale commercial and residential developments, and property (acting for owners and lessees on contentious lease issues and other property disputes arising out of land transactions).
Michael is a construction law practitioner, having practised in this area since he started his career. As a go-to strategic adviser, he often gets involved early during project delivery to support managing complex claims and issues before disputes emerge and to build a strategy based on the client's objectives. He regularly advises on issues around defects and performance, variations, extensions of time and liquidated damages, and performance security under various delivery models. He has particular expertise managing issues and disputes on PPPs and under EPC arrangements.
With significant experience resolving large and complex disputes by litigation and arbitration, and by alternative dispute resolution processes such as expert determination, mediation and negotiation, Michael has a particular focus on considering the most efficient and effective means for resolving a dispute. Michael also has experience acting on statutory security of payment adjudication, including responding to large adjudication applications in NSW and other States and Territories.
Experience & capabilities
Selected matters
- Asset owners and financiers on project delivery issues and disputes on energy transition projects in Australia and Asia.
- Asset owner in relation to disputes and issues arising with contractors involved in the construction of an LNG/energy terminal, including in relation to a dispute about a significant defect which resulted in substantial delay to the project.
- Project Co in relation to a rail PPP project in NSW impacted by design and delay issues.
- Project Co and project financiers during the construction and operation phases of a prison PPP project in Victoria, and acting in litigation and separate arbitrations on this project.
- Developers and contractors in litigation in relation to alleged defects on high-value developments in NSW.
- An Australian joint venture D&C contractor in an arbitration against its design consultant in relation to the design and construction of a brownfield road and tunnel project in Queensland.
- A clean energy fund and its wholly owned subsidiary in a Singapore-seated arbitration commenced regarding the development of a wind energy project in Vietnam.
- A leading Australian developer in an expert determination with a local authority regarding liability for construction costs under a Project Development Agreement for the completion of a significant development in Sydney.
- Owners and lessees on contentious lease issues and disputes arising out of leases and other land transactions across a range of commercial sectors.
- A major energy company in Supreme Court and Court of Appeal proceedings in NSW in relation to a property dispute.
Sectors
Background
Michael has completed a Master of Construction Law (University of Melbourne). Before that, he completed a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts (both at the University of Auckland).
He is admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales and the High Court of Australia.
Michael is a member of the Society of Construction Law Australia.
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