Kate Corby

Kate acts for employers, main contractors, sub-contractors and joint venture partners from across the world in disputes concerning issues such as project delays, cost overruns and defective work, most of which involve arbitration. She has been involved in disputes arising out of projects from Kazakhstan in the East to Panama in the West, but in recent years has had a particular focus on projects in the Middle East. Kate is also active in advising clients on project and contract management and dispute avoidance.

In addition, Kate has particular experience in advising on and coordinating large multijurisdictional product recalls as well as providing product liability, safety and regulatory compliance advice across a wide variety of industries, including pharmaceuticals and healthcare, electronics and consumer goods. She is recognised as an expert in this field at governmental level, having been invited by the UK government to be part of a steering group making recommendations about consumer product recall processes and took a leading role in preparation of the BSI Code of Practice.

Construction & Engineering/International Arbitration

• Acting for the respondent member of an international joint venture in an ICC arbitration brought by one of its sub-contractors on a major pipeline project in Kuwait for additional monies.

• Representing a Middle Eastern construction company in a USD 500 million ICC arbitration brought by a major subcontractor on the construction of a flagship airport under a contract governed by KSA law. The claim related to project delays, variations, disruption and changes in law.

• Acting for a major Saudi company in relation to the construction of a process plant and advising on disputes with third parties, in particular the EPC contractor relating to the construction and operation of the plant, insurers and third party suppliers, as well as acting in defence of an UNCITRAL arbitration seeking payment of disputed invoices for project management and engineering services on the same project.

• Acting for a real estate development management company in an arbitration under the ICC Rules in a dispute concerning unlawful termination and related issues arising out of a property development in Qatar, worth over USD 150 million.

• Acting as project counsel for a Turkish contractor in relation to a very high profile construction project in Russia, assisting it reach partial resolutions of various claims against the employer and helping deal with the fallout from the bankruptcy of a major sub-contractor.

• Acting for a main contractor in an ICC arbitration commenced by one of its joint venture partners relating to responsibility for delays and increased costs of construction of a sewage treatment plant in the Middle East, having previously acted for the same contractor in another ICC arbitration raising similar issues.

Product liability, safety and regulatory compliance

• Regularly advising a manufacturer of engines and power generation products on product regulatory issues, including legal, regulatory and strategic issues arising out of multijurisdictional recalls.

• Over more than 10 years advising a major worldwide manufacturer of children’s toys in connection with a number of multi-jurisdictional recalls of certain of its products.

• Advising two separate household name technology companies on legal obligations and risks connected with safety issues arising with their products shortly after launch and then coordinating the global product recalls.

• Regularly advising a leading manufacturer of home security solutions on legal obligations and strategic and practical considerations arising out of concerns with products, some of which required carrying out of a global product recall.

• Helping a supercar manufacturer implement a new product recall procedure, including training its senior engineers and recall committee.

• Regularly advising several luxury fashion brands on regulatory compliance related concerns both before and after products are placed on the market.

• Leading the Baker McKenzie team providing legal and strategic advice to a leading consumer electronics manufacturer in relation to the worldwide recall of one of its home theatre products, which had been sold in 85 countries, about 75 percent of which required notifications to be made to the relevant government regulators. This involved instructing and coordinating the work carried out by 36 other Baker McKenzie offices and 46 external law firms.

• Society for Construction Law - Member
• International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) - Member
• London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) - Member
• Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors - Honorary Solicitor and Affiliate Member

• Sydney