Herbert Smith Freehills and Clayton Utz have the lead roles on a $2.76 billion deal to construct tunnels to connect to motorways running past Sydney.

A consortium led by Queensland state government-owned investment fund QIC Ltd., Melbourne-based toll road operator Transurban Group and the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board has agreed to fund construction of the nine-kilometer NorthConnex Motorway in exchange for the grant of ownership rights from the state government of New South Wales.