About Us
A Legacy of Excellence in Construction Law
There are those within Lovegrove & Cotton that are internationally recognized for shaping modern building regulation in a number of jurisdictions. Founded in 1993, the Australian arm of the practice established a strong foundation, and the firm now has a presence in New Zealand.
What Sets Us Apart
There are those within our firm that have made significant contributions to building law reform in a number of jurisdictions. From advising governments to shaping policy frameworks, we bridge expertise with practical and holistic solutions.
Law Reform Leadership
Pioneering the Australian National Model Building Act (NMBA)
Our Founder was the project director of the NMBA, has become the foundation for modern building control across several jurisdictions. Key reforms include:
- Proportionate Liability: Introduced the first regime in the Southern Hemisphere.
- Ten-Year Liability Capping: Mitigating long-term legal risks.
- Practitioner Registration & Insurance: Centralized systems for accountability.
- Private Certification: Streamlined building permit processes.
- Enhanced and streamlined dispute resolution systems.
Global Influence in Building Regulation
Japanese Government: The founder was retained twice to participate in think tanks on reforms to their Building Standard Law.
World Bank: The founder provided law reform expertise as a senior law reform consultant to the WB in:
- Africa (Malawi): Establishing robust regulatory frameworks.
- India (Mumbai, New Delhi):
- China (Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Chongqing): on international best practices for building regulatory ecology.
Our Ongoing Commitment
Through the involvement with in the International Building Quality Centre (IBQC), Lovegrove & Cotton continues to drive innovation: Best practice guidelines for construction dispute resolution, codified risk classification systems for buildings are a couple of the guidelines that a co-authored by some of our people.
Recognized Expertise
- People in our practice have helped shape building law reforms for over three decades.
- Assisted governments with practical and sustainable solutions in the design of building regulation.
The law firm still maintains a strong commitment to international best practice law reform as the founder is the chair of the IBQC.
The law firm is providing a secretariat for number of IBQC committees and number of members of staff are heavily involved in the IBQC committees that are developing best practice approaches to building regulatory thought leadership.
Very few law firms would have people that have been involved in both the design of the law and the application and interpretation of the law. This firm does and has done so for three decades.
Meet Our Team
- Admitted to practice in both New Zealand and Australia.
- Over 20 years of construction law expertise.
- An expert in strata community disputes and cladding resolution.
- Chairperson of the HIA Industrial Relations and Legal Services Committee.
Adjunct Professor Kim Lovegrove – Founder & Chairman of IBQC
- Admitted to practice in New Zealand.
Past President of the NZIOB Northern Chapter. - An Adjunct Professor at multiple universities.
- A senior law reform consultant for the World Bank and various governments.
- Recognized international expert in building regulation design.
Tsigereda Lovegrove – Construction Lawyer & Practice Manager
- Bilingual in English and Amharic, with extensive experience in construction law.
- Key contributor to IBQC committees on dispute resolution systems.
Lovegrove & Cotton Construction and Planning Lawyers (Australia)
Established in 1993, Lovegrove and Cotton is one of the oldest dedicated construction law firms in Victoria. Our law firm is part of the DNA of construction law in Victoria as the firms’ founder was the principal legal adviser on the development of the Victorian Building Act 1993. The Building Act is the bedrock of building regulation in Melbourne and Victoria.
Three decades on, our construction and planning lawyers maintain a constant vigil in protecting the interests of builders, building practitioners, property owners and strata communities in the provision of the highest level of expertise with regards to all aspects of construction and planning law.
Our construction law heritage and our integral place in the development of building law in this country bears testimony to our resilience and the collective resolve of our lawyers to be consistently at the forefront of the very best of the Victorian and Australian building and planning law fraternity.