Garry North is a Christchurch-based construction dispute resolution professional with over 25 years’ experience across construction delivery, project management, contract administration, and claims. His background combines hands-on construction leadership with formal training in construction law, project management, and dispute resolution.

Garry brings practical industry knowledge to construction disputes involving payment claims, variations, delay and disruption, defects, contract interpretation, risk allocation and project delivery issues. His approach is neutral, commercially focused and grounded in real construction experience.

Core Expertise

 

  • Construction dispute resolution
  • Adjudication, arbitration, mediation and expert determination
  • Contract interpretation and risk allocation
  • Claims preparation, assessment and responses
  • Payment claims and payment schedules
  • Variations, extensions of time, delay and disruption
  • Project management and construction delivery issues
  • Dispute avoidance and early resolution
  • Stakeholder facilitation and negotiation support

 

Qualifications

 

     

    • Master’s in Construction Law, Massey University
    • Graduate Diploma in Project Management, Southern Institute of Technology
    • New Zealand Diploma in Construction Management, Open Polytechnic
    • Carpenter/Joiner Trade Certificate, Ireland

     

    Professional Certification and Training

     

    • Project Management Professional, PMP, Project Management Institute
    • PMI Senior Construction Professional, PMI-SCP, Project Management Institute
    • Arbitration Skills Intensive, AMINZ
    • Leadership Development Programme
    • Health & Safety Certificate in Workplace Safety Practices

       

       

      Memberships and Affiliations

       

         

        • Associate Member, Arbitrators’ and Mediators’ Institute of New Zealand
        • Member, Society of Construction Law New Zealand
        • Member, Project Management Institute
        • Member, Adjudicators Association of New Zealand

         

        Construction Experience

         

          Garryl's construction background began as an apprentice carpenter, developing practical skills in residential renovations and architecturally designed homes. I later moved into self-employed contracting and building services, delivering residential and commercial projects and gaining direct experience in procurement, programming, subcontractor coordination, client communication and day-to-day project delivery.

          From there, Garry moved to site management and project management roles, working across a broad range of construction sectors including residential, architectural residential, commercial, industrial, factories, warehouses, offices, hotels, apartments, recreation facilities and cold storage projects.

          This pathway has given Garry a practical understanding of how construction projects are planned, priced, sequenced, managed, and delivered. It has also provided first-hand insight into the common issues that lead to disputes, including scope gaps, design coordination problems, programme delays, variation claims, payment issues, subcontractor disputes, quality concerns, contract administration, and competing commercial pressures.

          Garry's move into construction dispute resolution builds on that practical industry background, combining hands-on construction experience with formal training in construction law, project management and dispute resolution. This allows Garry to approach disputes with an understanding of both the contractual framework and the real-world pressures that arise on construction projects.

            Dispute Resolution Capability

              Garry’s dispute resolution capability is built on a combination of practical construction experience, construction law training, project management expertise and formal training in adjudication, arbitration and mediation processes.

              He is able to assist with construction disputes involving payment claims, variations, extensions of time, delay and disruption, defects, contract interpretation, contractual notices, claims, responses, project records and early dispute avoidance.

              Having worked across construction delivery, site management and project management roles, Garry understands how disputes commonly arise on live projects. These issues often involve unclear scope, design coordination problems, programme pressure, incomplete records, payment disagreements, variation entitlement, subcontractor claims, quality issues and competing commercial expectations.

              This practical background allows Garry to assess disputes from both a contractual and project delivery perspective. He understands the importance of identifying the real issues, reviewing the relevant contract terms, considering the project records, and separating genuine entitlement from commercial noise.

              Garry’s approach is structured, neutral and commercially focused. He aims to help parties understand the issues clearly, manage risk, and work towards fair, efficient and practical outcomes. His focus is on dispute resolution that is grounded in evidence, contract requirements and real construction industry experience.

                 

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