Joel Andrew Heard

Joel helps clients plan, procure and deliver major construction and infrastructure projects with a practical focus on risk allocation, commercial clarity and project execution.

With more than 30 years of experience, he advises public- and private-sector owners, operators, lenders, engineers, contractors, subcontractors and suppliers on capital projects across energy, infrastructure, mining, manufacturing, defence, housing and healthcare.

His “front-end” practice is designed to help clients make critical project decisions early, before issues become claims or disputes. He advises on project and commercial structures, procurement strategy, contract drafting and negotiation, and project execution across design-build (including progressive design-build), EPC, construction management (services and at-risk), public-private partnerships and joint ventures.

Clients benefit from a practical, project-tested perspective shaped by his experience in private practice and as in-house counsel at one of the world’s largest engineering and construction companies. Before joining Osler, he was a partner at a major Canadian law firm and founded a boutique practice focused on construction and commercial projects.

Clients also benefit from Joel’s leadership in the construction law community. He is a Fellow of the Canadian College of Construction Lawyers and a Fellow of the Construction Lawyers Society of America, both invitation-only honorary associations of preeminent construction lawyers dedicated to promoting advocacy and ethical standards in construction law. From 2020 to 2023, he was Chair of the Project Delivery and Construction Technology Division of the American Bar Association Forum on Construction Law.

Building a solid foundation for project success In this session, Osler's partners Andrew Wong and Joel Heard discussed...