Kelly Coulston
Kelly is an experienced commercial litigator, known for seeking to resolve disputes in the earliest time frame and avoiding litigation where possible.
Kelly has acted in major litigation proceedings in the Supreme Courts of Queensland, New South Wales and the Federal Court of Australia. Kelly also has experience in alternative methods of dispute resolution, including arbitration, adjudication, mediation and expert determination.
Kelly has advised clients across a range of sectors including mining and resources, construction and infrastructure, professional support and business services, consumer products, banking, retail and real estate.
Since 2015, Kelly has worked between Herbert Smith Freehills’ Brisbane and Sydney offices, assisting the firm's major clients defend class action litigation and resolve commercial and construction disputes. Kelly has also spent a significant period of time on secondment with an ASX listed client, managing a range of disputes and working closely with the Group General Counsel and executive management.
Kelly enjoys working collaboratively with in-house legal teams and businesses on complex disputes, providing transparent, effective and nuanced solutions. She is client focused, understanding their drivers and the need for strategic, commercial advice for dispute management.
Background
Kelly holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from Queensland University of Technology; a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice of Law from the College of Law; and an Advanced Certificate in Insolvency from the Australia Restructuring Insolvency & Turnaround Association.
Kelly is admitted in the Supreme Court of Queensland and the High Court of Australia.
Experience & expertise
Selected matters
- seconded Senior Legal Counsel to an ASX listed client, managing a range of disputes and working closely with the Group General Counsel and executive management
- defending a securities class action brought by multiple plaintiffs, which is presently before the Supreme Court of NSW
- acting for a major contractor on complex upstream and downstream disputes arising from a significant road infrastructure project in Queensland impacted by complex geotechnical and design outputs
- acting for two contractors defending shareholder class action proceedings in the Federal Court of Australia concerning motorway traffic forecasts
- acting for an energy company in a major dispute with its EPC contractor, which involved responding to rolling claims under security for payments legislation and the development of a broader disputes strategy
