Lewis Napa
Director/Principal
Lewis has over 10 years’ experience working for clients in the resources and infrastructure industry and has used this knowledge to manage our team of lawyers working on secondments on major infrastructure projects.
Lewis oversees the team currently providing exclusive in-house legal services on a range of projects, including:
Development of a $3B greenfield rail and coal mine project in Central Queensland, with related supporting infrastructure including the construction of a new aerodome. This included:
providing strategic legal advice across the business on varying issues, assisting the client in mitigating the business risk;
preparing, interpreting, negotiating and drafting complex construction and supply contracts;
providing timely reporting on material issues and risk exposures to the Group General Counsel, including advice and proposed solution for addressing those issues;
reviewing and updating legal department tools, including client suite of precedent contracts;
maintaining appropriate awareness of the legislative and regulatory environment relating to key business areas;
preparation of submission on draft legislation or parliamentary enquiries;
assist in formulation of dispute strategy and management, with support from external counsel; and
advise public relations and government affairs team on stakeholder management, including advising on legal rights and remedies for disruptive activism, community concerns, media enquiries and political issues.
Operating and developing solar farm assets across Australia, including:
preparing, interpreting, negotiating and drafting complex construction and supply contracts;
contract management through project lifecycle, including payment, performance and disputes; and
managing regulatory interface, including application of complex energy market rules and connection to grid issues.
Construction of a 200km narrow gauge rail line in Queensland;
Operation of a 50mta coal port in North Queensland;
Operation of a mineral rail haulage business in Queensland.
Given this expertise, Lewis has consistently been engaged on various high profile projects that attract strong local and national interest. Having previously worked in a parliamentary role, Lewis is uniquely positioned to advise clients on legal strategy, rights and remedies when there are matters of media, political or community concern about a project.
Lewis’ previous experience as an Associate to His Honour Judge Noud of the District Court of Queensland enables him to be acutely aware of the importance of negotiating positive outcomes to disputes before they can reach the courtroom.