Minters scoops up senior legal counsel for construction team
National firm MinterEllison has appointed a senior legal counsel from the Roads and Maritime Services in New South Wales to be a legal consultant in its South Australia-based construction team.
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Joanne Staugas (pictured), whom Minters described as a “pre-eminent front and back-end construction, engineering and infrastructure expert”, is returning to South Australia to work with the firm’s infrastructure, construction and property practice.
“The addition of Joanne as a legal consultant in our South Australian practice not only adds specialist construction expertise, but also brings together a wealth of experience in procurement and major projects,” said Minters’ infrastructure, construction and property managing partner, Virginia Briggs.
“Joanne’s deep construction and project expertise has seen her advise and work on some of Australia’s largest projects, including the WestConnex and NorthConnex Motorways, the Air Warfare Destroyer Program and the Collins Class Submarines, and numerous capital works projects for universities, stadia, ports and motorways,” added the firm’s South Australian practice team leader, Adrian Swale.
“Joanne’s understanding of this sector will enable her to deliver seamless advice to our clients.”
In joining MinterEllison, Ms Staugas said she was excited by the opportunity to help clients successfully navigate and deliver complex construction projects.
“MinterEllison has a growing practice in the infrastructure and construction space, which is backed up by great teams in the firm’s various practice areas, both here in South Australia and nationally,” she said.
“The depth and breadth of work MinterEllison is entrusted with throughout Australia was a real attraction in making my decision to return to South Australia.”
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Jerome Doraisamy
Jerome Doraisamy is the editor of Lawyers Weekly and HR Leader. He has worked at Momentum Media as a journalist on Lawyers Weekly since February 2018, and has served as editor since March 2022. In June 2024, he also assumed the editorship of HR Leader. Jerome is also the author of The Wellness Doctrines book series, an admitted solicitor in NSW, and a board director of the Minds Count Foundation.
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