Stephen's experience is in the area of major commercial transactions including construction and infrastructure, energy and resources, corporate and government advisory and project work, commercial property and banking and finance.

Stephen has been involved in a significant number of major energy and resources, banking, infrastructure, construction and corporate transactions including drafting project agreements and related documentation, project finance, privatisation and corporatisation, joint ventures and advising institutional and private clients, investors, contractors and the PNG Government.

Stephen has worked on various transactions including:

• advising on and drafting all project documents and required legislative amendments for a significant PPP in the agriculture sector
  
• negotiating and acting on the acquisition of a major redevelopment site for commercial and residential uses in Boroko, Port Moresby
  
• advising the PNG Government's oil and gas company in respect of the PNG LNG Project
  
• acting for IPBC (now known as Kumul Consolidated Holdings) and the PNG Government's oil and gas company on the supplemental financing of the PNG LNG Project
  
• advising the Papua New Guinea Department of Treasury on the Public Private Partnership Act
  
• acting for the PNG Government's oil and gas company on a major multicurrency financing in connection with the acquisition of shares in Oil Search Limited
  
• advising a prospective participant in the Gulf-LNG project
  
• acting on the sale of a major finance and leasing business in PNG and the Pacific
  
• advising a listed mining company on its exploration and farm-in arrangements in PNG
  
• negotiating and drafting transaction documents for development of an 800 apartment mixed use development in Port Moresby
  
• advising Curtain Bros (PNG) on a proposed PPP for a major infrastructure project in Port Moresby
  
• drafting numerous shareholder/joint venture agreements for various resource, transport, property and agricultural developments
  
• advising the Independent Consumer and Competition Commission on regulatory contracts
  
• acting for the major commercial banks in PNG on structured lending transactions including multi-currency and overseas secured lending
  
• drafting all documentation for the privatisation of a major timber plantation company
  
• acting for Highlands Pacific on the acquisition of the Ramu nickel project and the Frieda River copper project and the listing of Highlands Pacific on the Australian Securities Exchange
  
• acquisition, due diligence, review of hotel management agreements and drafting of major contracts (including a long term lease) of the Hilton Hotel and the adjoining Wintergarden Shopping Centre in Brisbane, Queensland

Construction, Infrastructure and additional PPP Experience:

• advising National Airports Corporation on the construction contracts and financing documents for the international terminal at Port Moresby International Airport
  
• drafting tender documents and negotiating design, construct and finance contracts for National Airports Corporation for a new domestic and international terminal at Port Moresby International Airport
  
• reviewing and amending construction contracts and associated documents for ANZ Bank in connection with the redevelopment of the Dream Inn Port Moresby
  
• acting as PNG counsel for a Chinese Government owned EPC contractor and operator of the Ramu II hydro power project
  
• advising Bank South Pacific in relation to financing a private hydro power project including reviewing and advising on a power purchase agreement with PNG Power
  
• drafting head consultants' and sub-consultants' agreements for the South Pacific Games
  
• drafting a design and construction contract for a major 2 tower residential mixed use project in Port Moresby
  
• advising a Chinese Government company on the PNG PPP legislation
  
• acting for a security subcontractor on construction contracts and sub-contracts in a PPP project for the development of 2 prisons in Victoria
  
• drafting PPP documents for the New South Wales Department of Housing PPP projects
  
• drafting design and construct building contracts and associated finance documents for the Breakfast Point staged development in Sydney
  
• advising the New South Wales Government's Land and Housing Corporation on the structuring of a major property trust to develop a portfolio of large scale residential housing projects around Australia
  
• acting for Mirvac Group on the construction and civil works contracts for a major shopping centre in Springfield, Queensland
  
• drafting a design and construct building contract for the construction of a multi-storey office building in Pacific Highway North Sydney for Industry Superannuation Property Trust
  
• drafting a standard form building contract for the New South Wales Department of Consumer Affairs for use by the public

Education
Bachelor of Laws (University of Sydney)
Bachelor of Arts (Hons) (Monash University, Melbourne)
Admitted to practice as a solicitor in NSW (1975) and as a lawyer in PNG (1984)

Professional Associations
Member, Law Society of Papua New Guinea
Member, Lawasia
Member, Australian Mining and Petroleum Lawyers Association
Member, Asia Pacific Loan Market Association


Professional Activities and Experience
Stephen has practised extensively in Australia and Papua New Guinea and various parts of South East Asia during his 45 years of legal practice.

Stephen was Managing Partner, Gadens PNG (1984-1989), Managing Partner, Gadens Sydney (1990-1992), Managing Partner, Gadens PNG (1993-1997) then returned to practice with another law firm in Australia until returning to PNG as a Partner of the firm in 2010.

Stephen also acts as PNG counsel for a number of major international law firms in relation to infrastructure, corporate advising, oil and gas and property developments in PNG.