Service

Construction

Our expert advice is provided to our clients throughout the life cycle of their projects.

Canadian, U.S. and international clients regularly turn to the lawyers in Osler’s National Construction and Infrastructure Group — which is ranked Band 1 in Chambers Canada, one of the leading legal directories in the world — for expert advice throughout the life cycle of their construction projects, whether they are large and complex projects or smaller projects where successful execution is critical.

In addition to leveraging Osler’s significant experience in the optimal structuring and effective completion of these projects, clients benefit from the innovative way the Group is organized. Our construction lawyers are divided into two groups: solicitors who focus on the negotiation and preparation of all of the documents related to a specific project and litigators who specialize in dispute resolution in the construction industry and are available to lend their expertise in the event that unexpected issues develop on a project. These specialized lawyers work together as an integrated team that ensures that clients’ needs are met from the launch of a construction project until its conclusion.

A broad range of industry participants rely on Osler’s construction expertise and advice, and in particular leverage the Construction and Infrastructure Group’s demonstrated:

  • Understanding of project risk: Identifying and minimizing potential risks is critical to the success of a project. Osler lawyers provide practical advice to mitigate risk based on their deep experience and insight into market conditions and the latest trends.
  • Technical and commercial knowledge: Many of our lawyers hold both law and engineering degrees and bring their hands-on project experience to bear on every file. As a result, clients benefit from the very best technical excellence and commercial skill on their most important matters.
  • Litigation and alternative dispute resolution expertise: In the event that a dispute arises during the course of a project, clients can count on our integrated team of construction litigators to work to get the project back on track and resolve the dispute. Our lawyers provide mediation, arbitration, litigation and other alternative dispute resolution advice, and are very familiar with construction legislations across Canada.
  • National and U.S. capabilities: Drawing on a full range of project development and litigation services across the firm, Osler can build a team and provide services tailored to each client’s specific needs.

Our National Construction and Infrastructure Group provides valuable insight and business acumen in the areas of project structuring, risk identification and allocation, financing, contract negotiation and documentation, and dispute resolution on a broad range of commercial, industrial and institutional construction projects and mega projects, including:

  • Energy (e.g., on-shore and off-shore wind, solar, natural gas, oil sands, nuclear and LNG)
  • Behind-the-meter power generation
  • Infrastructure developments
  • Public-private partnerships (P3) alternative financing and procurement
  • Health
  • Transportation
  • Mining
  • Other industrial processes

Osler’s team of lawyers is very active in the construction industry in Canada and closely monitors evolving trends and legislative changes that may affect clients. Our professionals are members of the Construction & Infrastructure Section of the Ontario Bar Association, the Canadian College of Construction Lawyers, the American Bar Association Forum on Construction Law, Professional Engineers Ontario and the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships.


Key Contacts

Co-Chair

Paula Olexiuk

Partner, Energy and Construction, Calgary

Co-Chair

Richard Wong

Partner, Commercial, Toronto, Montréal

Paul Ivanoff

Partner, Disputes, Toronto


Awards and Recognition

  • Chambers Canada: Canada’s Leading Lawyers for Business: Recognized in Construction Law (Band 1)
    • “I have been very impressed with their knowledge of Canadian law and precedents and their understanding of the business issues in transactions.”
  • The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory: Recognized in Construction Law (Toronto, Ontario)