Profile Overview
Arbitrator, Mediator, Neutral
Russell Thirgood is an independent international arbitrator who specialises in complex and high value construction & infrastructure, energy, renewables, natural resources and commercial disputes.
Prior to becoming a fulltime arbitrator, Russell spent over 23 years at McCullough Robertson Lawyers, where he was head of arbitration and a senior construction law and infrastructure partner.
Russell is experienced in resolving complex and high value commercial disputes. He has conducted cases throughout Australia, the Pacific, Asia, US, UK, Middle-East and Europe, under some of the key international and domestic arbitral institutional rules. He has been appointed by parties jointly and arbitral institutions, including the ICC and ACICA.
As arbitrator, he applies a modern, robust and dynamic approach to all proceedings. He is responsive to the needs of parties and their counsel to ensure all cases are conducted swiftly, effectively and efficiently. Counsel appearing before him often comment that he is considered, collaborative and concise.
Russell is the current Chair of The Resolution Institute (the pre-eminent dispute resolution organisation in Australia and New Zealand) and is a director of the Australian Centre for International Commercial Arbitration.
He is regularly recognised by the directories including Who’s Who Legal, Best Lawyers, Doyle’s Guide and Legal 500 Asia Pacific.
“Russell Thirgood is one of Australia’s pre-eminent Grade 1 arbitrators with extensive experience in high-value and complex construction related arbitrations”.
Russel was recently awarded ‘International Arbitration Lawyer of the Year’ by Best Lawyers Australia.
He is a Fellow and Chartered Arbitrator of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
Russell authors and updates the Arbitration Rules of the Resolution Institute (the most regularly used rules for arbitrations in Australia), the Alternative Dispute Resolution Chapter for the Australian Encyclopaedia of Forms and Precedents, and edits Australia’s pre-eminent alternative dispute resolution journal, The Arbitrator & Mediator. He is also an Adjunct Lecturer in Advanced Construction Law at The University of Melbourne and an Adjunct Lecturer in Alternative Dispute Resolution at The University of Queensland.
Experience
Arbitration
Arbitrator of commercial disputes involving millions of dollars in claims, including matters relating to infrastructure and resource projects.
Expert determination
Expert determiner of commercial disputes, including real estate, commercial leasing and partnership matters.
Negotiation
Negotiator of resolutions to commercial conflict in resources, infrastructure and technology industries.
Mediation
Mediator of sensitive and confidential claims.
Trusted adviser
Trusted adviser in relation to the supervision and management of international litigation including in the US Supreme Court and Supreme Court of Indonesia.
