Rebecca Cook

Senior Associate

Rebecca is a specialist construction lawyer with experience across all stages of the project life cycle. Her expertise is in resolving large scale commercial construction, infrastructure and energy disputes, primarily through domestic and international arbitration.

Prior to returning to Auckland in January 2025 and rejoining MinterEllisonRuddWatts, she spent two years in London working for the United Kingdom’s leading construction and energy practice acting on several projects across the United Kingdom, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

She is highly experienced in all forms of construction dispute resolution, having represented clients in negotiation, mediation, adjudication, numerous domestic and international arbitrations, and court proceedings (NZ, Singapore and UK). Rebecca regularly advises clients on dispute avoidance and mitigation, payment claims/schedules, defective/incomplete works, variations, delay/extensions of time, practical completion, final accounts, termination/cancellation, and other construction specific matters.

Acting for the full suite of construction clients, Rebecca advises principals/employers, Crown/Government departments, developers, investors, commercial property owners, main contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, and consultants. She has been described by clients as “approachable, accessible and a valuable part of our professional support team when needed” – The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2022.

Passionate about her clients and the sectors in which they operate, Rebecca contributes regularly to thought leadership and presentations for the construction sector. She was elected to the Committee of the Society of Construction Law New Zealand in June 2026.

Career highlights

Acting for a global consultant on a major domestic arbitration relating to a renewable energy project.

Acting for an overseas investor on several international arbitrations relating to a development in New Zealand.

Acting for contractors on several international energy project disputes, including an arbitration (SIAC rules) relating to an offshore wind farm in Taiwan, an arbitration (ICC rules) relating to a natural gas power station in Mozambique, an arbitration (ICC rules) in relation to an airport in Kuwait, and domestic adjudications and an arbitration (ICC rules) in relation to an offshore wind farm in the United Kingdom.

Advising Metlifecare, one of New Zealand’s largest retirement village operators, in complex High Court proceedings relating to product liability, involving claims of negligence and breaches of the Fair Trading Act 1986 and Consumer Guarantees Act 1993. Ultimately resulted in a confidential settlement on the doorstep of a 29-week trial. Had it proceeded to trial it would have been the second longest trial in New Zealand’s history.

Advising a major government developer on an arbitration relating to a landmark sports complex development. The arbitration involved significant technical disputes regarding ground conditions, ground improvement works, and remedial solutions with claims in the value of approximately NZD200 million.

Assisting Mercury with project delivery and resolving all disputes under two major contracts during construction of New Zealand’s largest wind farm.

Acting for the developer in relation to disputes arising during the construction of a multi-staged development, involving three commercial buildings. This resulted in one of New Zealand’s longest construction arbitral hearings, two adjudications and a mediation.

Affiliations
  • Committee, Society of Construction Law New Zealand
  • Member, Society of Construction Law New Zealand
  • Member, Infrastructure New Zealand
  • Member, New Zealand Wind Energy Association
Achievements and recognition
  • Band 1 team, Construction, Chambers Asia-Pacific
  • Band 1 team, Energy & Natural Resources, Chambers Asia-Pacific
  • Tier 1 team, Construction, The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific