Joel Heard - Construction Lawyer

Joel Heard

Partner, Commercial

Contact Information

jheard@osler.com

tel: 416.862.6847

Office

Toronto

Bar Admission

Ontario, 1994

Education

  • University of Toronto, J.D.
  • Queen’s University, B.Comm. (with Honours)

Language(s)

English

Joel is a partner in Osler’s Toronto office, practising in the area of construction law. He has significant experience advising on domestic and international projects of all sizes and across a variety of industries including energy (including electrical power generation and transmission projects, and natural gas transmission and distribution pipeline construction), infrastructure, mining, manufacturing, transportation, education and healthcare.

Joel’s practice includes advising and assisting clients with respect to such matters as risk identification, allocation and mitigation, project structuring and teaming arrangements (including traditional, design-build, EPC, construction management, public-private partnerships, alternative financing and procurements, joint ventures, consortia and subcontracts), procurement, contract negotiation and documentation, project execution issues, and claims analysis and avoidance.

Prior to joining Osler, Joel was a partner at a major Canadian law firm, and worked as in-house counsel for several years at one of the world’s largest engineering and construction companies before establishing his own boutique firm focused on construction and commercial projects. 

  • Chambers Canada: Canada’s Leading Lawyers for Business: Recognized in Construction (Nationwide - Canada)
  • The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory: Recognized in Construction Law; Infrastructure Law
  • Best Lawyers In Canada: Recognized in Construction Law
  • Construction Law Society of America: Fellow

  • Ontario Bar Association, Construction and Infrastructure Section; former Executive Member.
  • American Bar Association, Forum on Construction Law.

  • Practice Gems: Construction Contracts for Real Estate Lawyers, Law Society of Upper Canada CPD, January 2015.
  • Practice Gems: Construction Contracts for Real Estate Lawyers, Law Society of Upper Canada CPD, January 2014.
  • Construction Law Best Practices, Informa Canada, Fall 2013.
  • Deconstructing the Construction Pyramid: An Introduction to Construction Law, The Advocates Society, 2013.
  • Construction Law: Don’t Let a Good Construction Contract Go to Waste, Ontario Bar Association, 2012.
  • The Intensive Course in Construction Law, Osgoode Professional Development, 2009-2011.