Lydia Sharpe

Lydia is an Associate in Kennedys’ Sydney office specialising in shipping and construction disputes. She has particular expertise in cross-border and cargo claims.  She also holds a postgraduate certificate from Auckland University of Technology, majoring in shipping and trade law.

Lydia began her career in a firm in New Zealand, where she worked in its highly regarded shipping team, acting on a range of matters including cargo claims, shipping arbitration, advice on the Maritime Labour Convention and enforcement of foreign judgments. Most notably, this includes the only successful application in New Zealand to date for an anti-suit injunction in support of an arbitration agreement. She also gained experience in construction and insolvency disputes. Subsequently, she transitioned to an international firm in New Zealand where she worked across the construction disputes and trade advisory teams, focusing on construction claims in litigation and arbitration (primarily public-private partnerships and leaky building claims) and issues relating to tariffs and regulatory matters.

Lydia was the Arbitrators’ and Mediators’ Institute of New Zealand Arbitration Scholar for 2025 and maintains a keen interest in maritime and trade arbitration.