Kathryn Te’o
Special Counsel
Kathryn Te’o is a senior construction, infrastructure and resources disputes lawyer with over 22 years’ experience in private practice and 15 years post‑admission experience, recognised for leading complex, high-value disputes across the mining, energy and major infrastructure sectors.
Kathryn is a Special Counsel at Ellem Warren Napa Lawyers and is currently seconded full-time as Senior Legal Counsel within Bravus Group, where she has primary responsibility for the management and strategic direction of the organisation’s major disputes portfolio across mining, rail and port operations.
She is a trusted adviser to executive and board-level stakeholders, regularly developing and leading dispute strategy in high-stakes litigation, adjudication (security of payment regimes), mediation, expert determination and domestic and international arbitration. Kathryn is known for her ability to navigate technically complex and commercially sensitive matters, while maintaining a clear focus on achieving decisive, outcome driven results.
Kathryn’s practice spans acting for principals, contractors, subcontractors and government clients at all levels, with significant experience across the full lifecycle of major projects. Her combined top-tier private practice background and in-house leadership role provides a distinct, end-to-end perspective on project risk, contract performance and dispute resolution, enabling her to anticipate issues early and respond with precision.
She is recognised for her commercial judgement, strategic clarity and leadership of multidisciplinary legal and project teams, including the management of external counsel and experts in complex, multi-party disputes.
Prior to her current role, Kathryn practised in leading firms in Brisbane and Sydney and has also held an in-house secondment within a New South Wales State Government department.
Kathryn is the Co‑Founder of Ladies & Law, a professional network she has led for over five years, dedicated to supporting and advancing women in the legal industry.
She is currently completing a Masters of Construction Law at the University of Melbourne, and is a member of the Society of Construction Law Australia, the National Association for Women in Construction (Queensland Chapter), and Women in Insolvency and Restructuring Queensland Inc.