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This year, a rather sobering thought occurred to me.

In 2026, I completed forty years in the law.

Thirty-nine of those years have been devoted to construction law.

The realisation prompted me to pause and reflect upon a journey that has been richer, more varied and more rewarding than I could ever have imagined when I first entered legal practice in Melbourne in the mid-1980s.

My legal career commenced in a Melbourne law firm practising in workers’ compensation. Shortly thereafter, in 1987, I joined the Master Builders Association of Victoria as a Legal and Contracts Officer. At the time, I was focused on advising builders on contracts, disputes and regulatory matters. I had no inkling that construction law would become a lifelong vocation.

Nor could I have foreseen where that vocation would lead.

The construction industry that I entered in 1987 was markedly different from the one that exists today. Building permits were issued exclusively by municipal councils. Private certification did not exist. VCAT had not yet been established. Residential building disputes were largely resolved through arbitration. Proportionate liability was unknown and many of the regulatory settings that practitioners now regard as fundamental had yet to emerge.

Over the ensuing decades, I had the privilege not merely of observing profound regulatory change but, in some instances, of participating in it. Indeed, one of the great privileges of my career has been the opportunity to contribute not only to the practice of construction law, but also to the development of the laws and regulatory frameworks that govern the built environment.

One of the defining chapters of my professional life was my involvement in the development of the Building Act 1993 (Vic), serving as an instructing officer to Parliamentary Counsel and Assistant Director of Building Control Victoria. That legislation fundamentally reshaped Victoria’s building control system and introduced reforms that continue to influence the regulatory landscape today.

Later, as Deputy Executive Director and Head of Policy and Legal at the Australian Building Codes Board, I was involved in the transition to performance-based regulation through the Building Code of Australia 1996. Looking back, it was a remarkable period of reform and innovation in building regulation.

What I did not appreciate at the time was that these experiences would eventually lead to opportunities far beyond Australia.

Over the years I have been fortunate to contribute to building regulatory reform discussions, policy initiatives and law reform projects in a number of jurisdictions. That journey led to engagements with governments, international institutions, academics, regulators and industry leaders from different parts of the world. Assignments associated with international development agencies, including World Bank-related initiatives, provided valuable opportunities to examine how different countries confront common challenges in building regulation, consumer protection and risk allocation.

These experiences reinforced a simple lesson: while legal systems may differ, the objectives remain remarkably consistent. Every jurisdiction seeks safer buildings, better consumer protection, competent practitioners, fair allocation of responsibility and effective dispute resolution mechanisms.

Perhaps the most unexpected chapter of all has been the opportunity to contribute to the establishment and development of the International Building Quality Centre (IBQC), and to serve as its Chair.

Working alongside distinguished colleagues from across the globe, I have had the privilege of contributing to the development of international good practice guidance and, more recently, the International Model Building Act. Looking back to my days advising builders at the Master Builders Association in 1987, it would never have occurred to me that decades later I would be collaborating with international experts on model legislation intended to assist governments seeking to strengthen building regulatory systems.

The journey also led me into roles and experiences that extended beyond legal practice, including serving as Ethiopia’s Honorary Consul to Victoria. Those experiences broadened my perspective and reinforced the importance of public service, diplomacy and international collaboration.

Yet as I reflect upon four decades in the law, I find myself thinking less about positions held and more about institutions built, relationships forged and people encountered along the way.

One source of particular satisfaction is the evolution of the firm that I founded in 1993. What began as a small dedicated construction law practice has grown into an established trans-Tasman practice with offices in Australia and New Zealand.

Perhaps more importantly, the firm is no longer dependent upon its founder.

No professional journey spanning four decades is travelled alone. I have been extraordinarily fortunate to work alongside talented colleagues, trusted advisers, loyal clients and dedicated team members throughout my career. Any success that I have enjoyed has invariably been the product of collective endeavour rather than individual accomplishment.

In more recent years, it has been particularly rewarding to witness the emergence of the next generation of leadership within Lovegrove & Cotton. My wife, Tsigereda Lovegrove, joined the practice many years ago and has undertaken an extraordinary professional journey of her own. From her early involvement in the administration and management of the practice, she went on to qualify as a lawyer and establish herself as a respected construction and planning lawyer. Today, she serves as Practice Manager while maintaining a busy construction legal practice and making significant contributions to the firm’s strategic direction and leadership.

Likewise, Justin Cotton has dedicated more than two decades of service to the firm and has become an integral part of its identity and success. His professionalism, commitment to clients, technical expertise and leadership have played a pivotal role in the growth and reputation of the practice. His contribution to the firm’s expansion into New Zealand represents an important chapter in its continuing evolution.

Together with the broader Lovegrove & Cotton team, they have helped create something that every founder hopes to achieve but few are fortunate enough to witness: an institution that is capable of enduring beyond its founder and continuing to evolve through the stewardship of talented successors.

For many founders, the ultimate measure of success is not what they personally achieve but whether the institutions they create are capable of standing on their own foundations. Seeing Lovegrove & Cotton well positioned for long-term continuity and future stewardship provides immense satisfaction and gives me great confidence that its best years may still lie ahead.

Today, I continue to practise construction law with Lovegrove & Cotton. I also practise as a barrister from FortyEight Shortland Chambers in Auckland, New Zealand. I remain deeply engaged in law reform, dispute resolution and writing.

People occasionally ask whether I have plans to retire.

The truth is that I have never viewed retirement as an objective in itself.

As long as good health, energy and enthusiasm remain, there is still useful work to be done. There are reforms yet to be considered, articles yet to be written, younger practitioners to encourage and clients who continue to place their trust in us.

Forty years has passed remarkably quickly.

If the journey has taught me anything, it is that professional fulfilment is rarely found in titles, positions or accolades. Rather, it is found in remaining engaged with a vocation that continues to challenge, educate and inspire; in contributing to institutions that endure; and in working alongside people whose friendship, support and encouragement enrich the journey.

For those opportunities, and for the many people who have shared this path with me, I remain profoundly grateful.

Image Acknowledgements:

The digital renders used in this article were developed collaboratively by Lovegrove & Cotton and ChatGPT.