Matthew R. Alter

Matthew Alter is a partner in the Construction and Infrastructure Groups at Cassels Brock. His practice focuses on representing public and private owners, general contractors and other construction industry participants in all aspects of construction and procurement.  He advises clients on project delivery methods and procurement processes, and drafts and negotiates various agreements for construction and infrastructure projects and related acquisitions, including Private Public Partnership arrangements.  Matthew also represents participants in all types of contract and project disputes and litigation, including: tendering claims and defences, contractor defaults, interference and delay claims, liens, trust claims, insolvency claims and surety bond claims.

Matthew is the Chair of the International Construction Division of the American Bar Association’s Forum on the Construction Industry - the only non-U.S. lawyer currently serving in such a leadership position. In May 2012, he was named a Governor of the Canadian College of Construction Lawyers for 2012-2013. Matthew is also a past Chair of both the Ontario Bar Association’s Construction Law Section and the Law Society of Upper Canada’s Construction Law Specialty Committee, and was also among the first lawyers in Ontario to be certified as a Specialist in Construction Law.

Publications, Conferences and Speaking Engagements

Select Recent Publications

•  Journal of the Canadian College of Construction Lawyers 2013, Editor (May 2013)
• "Ontario's BPS Procurement Directive", Summit, co-authored (December/January 2011-12)
• Kirsh and Alter: A Guide to Construction Liens in Ontario, 3rd Edition, (LexisNexis, September 2011)
• "The Evolution of Construction Lien Legislation in Ontario from 1873-2011", The Advocates' Quarterly, co-authored (May 2011)
• "Problem with Liens", article in The Journal of the Canadian College of Construction Lawyers, co-authored (May 2011)
• "Securing Payment and Performance on International Projects", Chapter 9 of American Bar Association book, International Construction Law – A Guide for Cross-Border Transactions and Legal Disputes, co-authored (October 2009)
• "Late Bid Not Compliant with Electronic Tender Call, Coco Paving (1990) v. Ontario (Transportation)", Legal Update, The Canadian College of Construction Lawyers (September 2009)
• "International Arbitration Rules and Procedures", Chapter No. 61 of American Bar Association book, Construction Checklists – A Guide to Frequently Encountered Construction Issues, co-authored (2008)

Select Recent Seminars and Presentations

• Lecturer/Faculty: A-Z Guide to EPCM Contract Management: Exploring Critical Issues Throughout the Project Management Lifecycle, EPCM for Mining Energy and Infrastructure presented by The Canadian Institute  (June 2013)
• Speaker: Strategies Used for Construction Tender/Procurement Claims, The 10-Minute Construction Lawyer program presented by The Advocates' Society (May 2013)
• Lecturer/Faculty: P3s/Contracts/Bidding & Tendering, Osgoode Certificate in Construction Law program (November 2012)
• Lecturer/Faculty:  "Construction Liens", lecture to 4th year Students of George Brown College’s Schools of Construction Management and Trades and Architectural Studies (November 2012)
• Speaker: Hospital Projects and the Ontario Construction Lien Act, Ontario Hospital Association sponsored conference on Health Care Capital Planning and Implementation: Enabling Excellent Care for All (June 2012)
• Speaker: Recent Amendments to the Ontario Construction Lien Act and Ontario’s BPS Procurement Directive, The Property Management Exposition & Conference, “Legal Roundtable For Building Owners & Property Managers: Eight Issues in Sixty-Five Minutes” (November 2011)
• Speaker: Bidding and Tendering: Advanced Issues, Osgoode Certificate in Construction Law program (November 2011)
• Moderator: Construction Project Opportunities Abroad: The Things You Don't Know You Don't Know, ABA Forum on the Construction Industry Fall Conference (October 2011, Atlanta)
• Course Leader and Speaker: Case Law Update”, Tendering and Procurement: Navigating the Maze, Lexpert Program (June 2011, Calgary)
• Chair: Module 2: Following the Project Funds, Canadian College of Construction Lawyers 2011 Conference, "Emerging Legal Issues – Moving the Yardsticks" (June 2011, Ottawa)
• Speaker: The Proposed New Amendments to the Construction Lien Act and the Lienability of Equipment Supply, Law Society of Upper Canada CLE Program, “Practice Gems: Construction Lien Essentials 2011”(March 2011, Toronto)
• Speaker: Hospital Procurement and Ontario 's Supply Chain Guideline, Conference for Board Finance Committee Members, Ontario Hospital Association (April 2010, Toronto)
• Speaker: Making a Strong Start with an Effective Tendering Process, Canadian Institute Conference "Essential Elements and Critical Updates of Key Business Agreements" (February 2010, Toronto)
• Speaker: Recent Developments in Liens and Trusts, LSUC CLE Program "Advanced Roundtable in Construction Law 2009" (September 2009, Toronto)
• Speaker: Risk Management for International Construction Projects: What You Need to Know Before Contracting Across National Borders, ABA Forum on the Construction Industry and the Construction Litigation Committee of the ABA Section of Litigation, Midwinter Meeting, "Coverages, Disputes and Tactics for Survival: Critical Insurance and Litigation Issues and Insights" (January 2009, Florida)

ACHIEVEMENTS

ASSOCIATIONS

Conferences, Speaking Engagements, Events