KHQ bolsters construction practice with new principal solicitor

Before joining the Melbourne-based boutique firm, Kehoe held senior roles at several national law firms, including Macpherson Kelley as a principal, and both Sparke Helmore and HWL Ebsworth as a partner.

With more than 25 years in the field, Kehoe brings deep expertise advising on complex construction and infrastructure projects across Australia, enhancing the practice’s established middle- and back-end capabilities.

Since its launch in 2024 under David Hastie’s leadership, KHQ Lawyers’ practice has grown to a team of six, reflecting its expanding “national profile and reputation” for delivering high-quality advice.

Hastie described Kehoe as an exceptional construction lawyer whose arrival not only bolsters the team’s capabilities but also highlights the practice’s impressive growth and ambition over the past two years.

“John is an outstanding construction lawyer with a strong market reputation. His arrival significantly strengthens what we can offer clients and reflects the growth of the team since we established the practice only two years ago,” Hastie said.

“We are building something special, and John’s decision to join us is a strong endorsement of that.”

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Speaking about his new role, Kehoe expressed his excitement at joining the firm during a period of strong momentum and the opportunity to work with a construction team of high-calibre lawyers.

“I’m excited to be joining KHQ at a time of strong momentum for the firm and the team,” Kehoe said.

“The opportunity to work alongside David and a growing group of high-calibre lawyers, in a firm that values technical excellence and commercial pragmatism, was a compelling one.”

Chris Gianatti, the director of KHQ Lawyers, expressed how Kehoe’s appointment underscores his expertise and the team’s strength, adding front-end infrastructure and energy know-how that boosts support across every stage of major projects.

“John’s appointment speaks to both his individual standing and the capability of the construction, infrastructure and energy team David has built in a short period of time,” Gianatii said.

“John’s front-end infrastructure and energy expertise strengthen our ability to support clients across the full project life cycle, from procurement and structuring through to delivery and dispute resolution.”

Gianatti also noted that rising client demand in renewables and legacy energy makes Kehoe’s arrival a key boost for the team, further enhancing the firm’s ability to deliver integrated, commercially focused support across major projects.

“We are seeing increasing demand from clients for coordinated, sector-focused advice, particularly across the renewables and legacy energy markets,” Gianatti said.

“Our construction, infrastructure and energy team works closely with our corporate and commercial, workplace relations and safety, and commercial property and development practices to provide integrated support across major projects.

“This appointment further enhances our ability to deliver technically excellent, commercially grounded advice across the firm’s broader construction, energy and infrastructure platform.”