Construction Law
Jesse Gardner
Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2025 Awarded Practice Areas
Biography
Jesse Gardner is a Partner in the Construction and Infrastructure Practice Group at Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP. He was recently featured in On-Site Magazine’s Top 40 under 40 List as one of the brightest minds in the construction industry in Canada. For his outstanding reputation in construction law, he has also been ranked by Chambers Global, Who’s Who Legal, Legal 500, Best Lawyers and Benchmark Litigation. Who’s Who Legal has recognized him as “one of the best-known construction practitioners who is praised for his depth of understanding of subject matter and his articulate, efficient and hardworking approach to complex construction disputes.”
He advises a wide range of construction industry clients, including owners, general contractors, engineers and sureties in relation to major construction and infrastructure projects on issues such as delay and deficiency claims, fee disputes, and insurance matters. His practice focuses on effective dispute resolution, advisory work and strong written and oral advocacy. He has managed complex disputes on large-scale infrastructure projects including light rail train systems, waste-water treatment and power plants, wind farms, highway construction and mining projects. He has experience managing delay and subject matter experts through the litigation process and has assisted clients through arbitration and litigation proceedings. He has worked on many multi-billion-dollar infrastructure projects and has managed dispute resolution processes for multi-billion-dollar claims.
Jesse assists clients in resolving disputes efficiently and cost-effectively, although he is an aggressive advocate when attending court to secure results for his clients. He has been successful before both the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and the Ontario Court of Appeal as well as before various administrative boards and tribunals on a number of high stakes disputes.
He is an active industry leader, an author with respect to issues of importance to construction, and a frequent speaker on construction law-related topics at industry, legal and educational events. He has also been involved with a number of children’s community organizations, including Covenant House Toronto and Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Canada for over a decade.
Overview
- University of Windsor, J.D., graduated 2013
- Ontario, Law Society of Ontario, 2014
- Manitoba, Law Society of Manitoba, 2019
- Advocates’ Society - Member
- Ontario Bar Association - Member
- Canadian Bar Association - Member
- Toronto Construction Association - Member
- Toronto Lawyers Association - Member
- Society of Construction Law North America - Member
- American Bar Association - Member
- Construction Lawyers Society of America (CLSA) - Associate Fellow
- Ontario, Law Society of Ontario, 2014
- Manitoba, Law Society of Manitoba, 2019
- Advocates’ Society - Member
- Ontario Bar Association - Member
- Canadian Bar Association - Member
- Toronto Construction Association - Member
- Toronto Lawyers Association - Member
- Society of Construction Law North America - Member
- American Bar Association - Member
- Construction Lawyers Society of America (CLSA) - Associate Fellow
- University of Windsor, J.D., graduated 2013
Client Testimonials
Awards & Focus
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in Canada™ 2026 for work in:
- Construction Law
Additional Areas of Practice:
- Environmental Law
- International Arbitration
- Corporate and Commercial Litigation
Awards:
- Top 40 Under 40 (Canadian Construction) Award Winner, On-Site Magazine.
- Emerging Talent Litigator of the Year Award Winner, Benchmark Canada.
News & Media
Additional Information
- Experience
Served as counsel to:
- A general contractor and surety in relation to claims arising from the construction of a 300MW windfarm and transmission line project valued at over CDN$1-billion.
- Public infrastructure owners in relation to a number of large disputes with a contractor partnership for a major LRT Project in Toronto valued at over CDN$5-billion.
- A large municipality in relation to project management and disputes on a number of light rail transit projects valued at over CDN$4-billion.
- A crown agency in relation to a CDN$350-million contract with a signaling provider for the provision of construction and related services for a major rail corridor.
- A general contractor regarding a complex mine remediation in Manitoba with technical and contractual claims valued at CDN$35-million.
- A surety in relation to the insolvency of a major developer in Ontario. Also managed the completion contract and insolvency and priority issues under the Construction Act in relation to a CDN$300-million dollar luxury condo project.
- An international mining company regarding a mine expansion project valued at CDN$1.7-billion.
- A global insurer and surety in relation to the insolvency of a contractor in Manitoba who was completing six significant projects, and also managed the completion of the insolvency-related issues as they related to the priority of construction funds.
- Presentations
- Speaker, “Emerging Claims,” Ontario General Contractors Association (OGCA) Construction Symposium, April, 2024
- Speaker, “The Life of a Construction Project Workshop,” Ontario General Contractors Association (OGCA) Annual General Meeting & Conference, September, 2023
- Speaker, “Contractual Dispute Resolution Procedures – Challenges and Alternatives,” Ontario General Contractors Association (OGCA), April, 2023
- Panelist, “The Importance of the Applicable Law. How Far Do Lawyers from Civil Law and Common Law Backgrounds View the Same Construction Law Issues Differently?,” Eighth Biennial International Bar Association Conference on Construction Projects from Conception to Completion, March, 2023
- Speaker, “Geotechnical Risk: Allocation of Contractual Risk and Managing Geotechnical Claims,” Ontario General Contractors’ Association 13th Construction Symposium, April, 2022
- Speaker, “Industry Impacts and Considerations Arising from the COVID-19 Pandemic,” 15th Annual Ontario Road Builders’ Association (ORBA) Road Building Academy, March, 2022
- Speaker, “Risk Management in the Context of Alternative Project Delivery Models,” 15th Annual Ontario Road Builders’ Association (ORBA) Road Building Academy, March, 2022
- Speaker, “Working with Consultants,” Educate Me, Ontario General Contractors Association (OGCA) Virtual Symposium, April, 2021
- Speaker, “Dispute Resolution for Construction Projects: Assessing Improvements to the Process, and Determining Which Method is Right for You,” The Canadian Institute’s 13th Annual National Symposium on Managing Risk in Construction Contracts and Projects, February, 2021
- Speaker, “The New Construction Act: Adjudication,” Brampton: What Municipalities Need To Know Seminar, 2019
- Speaker, “Adjudication Primer” and “Prompt Payment – Practical Considerations,” Ontario Road Builders’ Association Workshop, 2019
- Speaker, “Managing the Legalities of Risk in Geotechnical Engineering,” The Canadian Geotechnical Society – Southern Ontario Section Workshop, 2019
- Speaker, “The New Construction Act: What You Need to Know,” Lexpert® Conference, 2018
- Publications
- Co-author, “Supreme Surprise: Greater Sudbury decision reveals potential risks for project owners associated with different project delivery models,” ReNew Canada Magazine, May/June, 2024
- Co-author, “Eurobank Ergasias S.A. v. Bombardier Inc: Letters of Credit and the Fraud of Third Parties,” April, 2024
- Co-author, “Wastech v Greater Vancouver Sewerage: Uncertainty Remains,” March, 2021
- Co-author, “The Implications of Force Majeure and Frustration in the Time of COVID-19,” April, 2020
- Co-author, “Managing Utilities Risk in Urban Transit Infrastructure Projects,” ReNew Canada Magazine, June, 2019
- Co-author, “Duty to Notify Beneficiaries Under a Labour and Material Payment Bond,” July, 2018
- Rankings + Recognitions
- Emerging Talent Litigator of the Year Award Winner, Benchmark Canada.
- Top 40 Under 40 (Canadian Construction) Award Winner, On-Site Magazine.
- Recognized in Chambers Canada — Canada’s Leading Lawyers for Business (Construction) in the areas of Construction Law and Arbitration.
- Recognized as a Next Generation Partner in Canadian construction by The Legal 500.
- Recognized as a Leading Lawyer in the Lexpert® Globe and Mail Report on Business Special Edition on Infrastructure
- Recognized as a Leading Lawyer for Energy Law in the Canadian Legal Lexpert® Globe and Mail Special Edition.
- Recognized in Benchmark Canada – The Definitive Guide to Canada’s Leading Litigation Firms & Attorneys as a “Future Litigation Star” and featured in the 40 and Under Hot List.
- Recognized in Who’s Who Legal/Lexology – Construction.
- Recognized as a Lawyer to Watch in the Lexpert® Directory.
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