Industry
Real Estate & Construction
Integrated legal, tax and corporate finance advisory for developers, builders and property investors.
Sector Overview
How we support real estate & construction clients.
Property development and construction are capital-intensive, long-cycle and risk-dense. The gap between projects that deliver and projects that fail is usually determined by decisions made long before the first sod is turned: structure, funding, contracts, approvals and builder selection. Getting those foundational decisions right requires advisers who understand both the legal architecture and the commercial realities of the sector.
Corson Fiske advises developers, builders, investors and landowners on projects across residential, commercial and mixed-use segments. Our integrated capability spans legal, tax, corporate finance and — critically — restructuring and dispute resolution when projects encounter difficulty.
We are particularly active in NSW, where the Home Building Act and related legislation create a distinctive compliance and dispute environment for residential developers and builders.
Capabilities in this sector
- Development structuring and JV agreements
- Construction contracts (AS, bespoke, FIDIC)
- Home Building Act compliance (NSW)
- Development finance — senior, mezzanine and presale
- GST and property tax
- Disputes — payment, defects, security of payment
- Restructuring of troubled projects
- Land acquisition and disposal
Client Situations
When clients engage us.
The issues that bring clients through our door tend to fall into familiar patterns.
A development is being launched
Structure, funding and documentation all need to be put in place before commitments are made.
A construction dispute has escalated
A payment, defects or delay dispute is moving towards formal proceedings. We combine legal and commercial response.
Project viability is under pressure
Cost overruns, presale shortfalls or funding issues are threatening completion. We deliver a rapid options assessment.
A builder or developer is in financial distress
Restructuring or formal insolvency is under consideration. Our integrated restructuring practice steps in.
Outcomes
What you can expect.
- Project structures that protect both developer and investor
- Contracts that allocate risk appropriately and survive disputes
- Resolved disputes with minimal delay and cost
- Distressed project outcomes that preserve as much value as possible
Why Corson Fiske
Experience where it counts.
Clients engage Corson Fiske because they need advice they can act on — delivered by senior practitioners who understand both the technical detail and the commercial consequences. Every engagement is led by a partner with direct experience in this sector.
Our integrated structure means tax, legal, accounting and advisory questions are resolved within a single firm. For clients operating across Australia, Asia, New Zealand or Asia, our office network in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Singapore and Auckland provides consistent advice across jurisdictions.
Our Approach
A refined four-phase method for every engagement.
Corson Fiske applies the same disciplined framework to every matter, regardless of scale. The phases below are not a marketing device — they are the actual structure our partners use to move clients from uncertainty to resolution.
Phase One
01
Understand
A confidential partner-led briefing to establish the facts, commercial drivers, timing pressures and stakeholder dynamics.
- Confidential scoping conversation
- Document and data review
- Stakeholder mapping
- Initial risk identification
Phase Two
02
Analyse
Structured technical and commercial analysis of every realistic option, with a clear view of risks, costs and likely outcomes.
- Technical legal and tax analysis
- Commercial modelling
- Risk-weighted options assessment
- Precedent and market benchmarking
Phase Three
03
Recommend
A written partner recommendation in plain English — not a list of caveats. We stand behind our advice and explain our reasoning.
- Clear written recommendation
- Implementation sequencing
- Stakeholder communication plan
- Contingency and fallback positions
Phase Four
04
Execute
Hands-on delivery of the agreed plan with partner oversight, regular milestone reporting and clear handback at completion.
- Implementation leadership
- Stakeholder engagement
- Milestone tracking and reporting
- Completion review and handback
Get the right advice from Corson Fiske.
Confidential, no-obligation initial consultations with a partner who specialises in this sector.