Bruce Reynolds has earned a stellar reputation in the construction industry for settling disputes and drafting and negotiating contracts. Who’s Who Legal has recognized him as “one of the foremost construction practitioners in the world,” while his clients have praised him for his legal skills, integrity and clarity of insight.
Bruce is Partner and Co-Chair of the firm’s International Construction Projects and Surety Groups. He specializes in the resolution of construction and insurance claims, liens, surety bond claims, product liability issues, and architects’ and engineers’ errors and omissions issues. He advises clients on construction projects in Canada, the United States and overseas. In addition to his practice, he also acts as a mediator, arbitrator and facilitator helping to resolve construction industry disputes.
Together with his colleague Sharon Vogel, he played a significant role in helping the Ontario government modernize the province’s construction law and helped to shape the Construction Act. Among the changes to the legislation are the creation of a prompt payment regime and the introduction of a mandatory interim binding dispute resolution system. He was also retained as Counsel by the federal government of Canada to assist in the introduction of new legislation on prompt payment and adjudication, co-authoring the independent expert report Building a Federal Framework for Prompt Payment and Adjudication.
He has been certified as a specialist in construction law by the Law Society of Upper Canada. He is a Fellow of both the Canadian and American Colleges of Construction Lawyers, and past Co-Chair of the International Construction Projects Committee of the International Bar Association. He is also immediate past president of the International Academy of Construction Lawyers.
Bruce has been recognized twice as Global Construction Lawyer of the Year by Who’s Who Legal and as Toronto Construction Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers. He is listed in Chambers Global (Band 1) and Martindale-Hubbell (AV), and he is also recognized in the Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada (construction law) and the Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory.
Rankings:
- Recognized as a Stand-out lawyer by Thomson Reuters.
- Recognized in the Hall of Fame as a top lawyer in Canadian construction by The Legal 500.
- Recognized in Who’s Who Legal – Construction Law, Arbitration, Mediation.
- Recognized in Who’s Who Legal global analysis of Construction Law.
- Recognized as a leading lawyer in the Lexpert® Special Edition on Litigation.
- Recognized as Construction Lawyer of the Year (Toronto) by Best Lawyers Canada®.
- Ranked in the areas of Alternative Dispute Resolution, Construction Law, Insurance Law, and International Arbitration by Best Lawyers Canada®.
- Recognized twice as Construction Lawyer of the Year by Benchmark Canada.
- Recognized in Benchmark Canada — The Definitive Guide to Canada’s Leading Litigation Firms & Attorneys as a “Local Litigation Star: Ontario” and a “Litigation Star: Construction”.
- Named as most highly regarded Construction Lawyer in Canada by Who’s Who Legal.
- Recognized in Who’s Who Legal as one of North America’s Best Construction Law Global Thought Leaders.
- Recognized in Chambers Canada — Canada’s Leading Lawyers for Business (Construction) as a Band 1 practitioner in the area of Construction Law; and for Dispute Resolution: Arbitration.
- Recognized as a Leading Lawyer in Construction and Infrastructure in the Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory (Most frequently recommended).
- Recognized as a leading Infrastructure lawyer in the Lexpert® Globe and Mail Report on Business Special Edition on Infrastructure and Litigation.
- Recognized as a Leading Lawyer for Arbitration and Energy Law in the Canadian Legal Lexpert® Globe and Mail Special Editions.
- Recognized as a Leading Litigator in The Globe and Mail/Report on Business Special Litigation issue.
- Recognized in The Lexpert®/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada (Construction Law).
- Recognized in the Client Choice Awards in the area of Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution.
- Recognized as an Acritas Star.
- Martindale-Hubbell AV Ranked.
Recognitions:
- Recipient of the Ontario Bar Association’s 2023 Award of Excellence in Construction and Infrastructure Law.
- Hall of Fame Award Winner, 2023 Benchmark Canada Awards Gala.
- Exclusive Winner, 2022 Lexology Client Choice Construction Award, Canada.
- Construction Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers in Canada.
- Toronto Construction Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers in Canada.
- Award of Excellence, The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
- Lexpert® Zenith Award (Change Agent in Law).
- Jock Tindale Memorial Award, Ontario General Contractors Association.
- Global Construction Lawyer of the Year (twice), Who’s Who Legal.
- Construction Litigator of the Year (twice), Benchmark Canada.
- Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in Canada, Canadian Lawyer.
- Donald P. Giffin, Sr. Construction Industry Achievement Award, Toronto Construction Association.
- Recipient of a 2017 award from the Council of Ontario Construction Associations for outstanding contributions to the construction industry.
Education:
- Called to the Manitoba Bar, 2019
- Certificate in Mediation, Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Caruso School of Law, Pepperdine University, 2017
- Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, 2012
- Bachelor of Laws, University of Toronto, 1981
- Bachelor of Arts, University of Toronto (Victoria College), 1978
- Immediate Past President, International Academy of Construction Lawyers.
- Past Co-chair, International Construction Projects Committee, International Bar Association.
- Past Governor, American College of Construction Lawyers.
- Co-chair, International Committee, American College of Construction Lawyers.
- Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
- Founding Governor and Past President, Canadian College of Construction Lawyers.
- Member, Canadian Bar Association, Construction Law Section.
- Member, Ontario Bar Association, Construction & Infrastructure Law Section.
- Associate Member, American Bar Association, Torts and Insurance Section, Fidelity and Surety Law Committee (FSLC); Vice-chair, FSLC (1998-2001); Member, Forum on the Construction Industry.
- Member, Canadian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Arbitration Committee.
- Certified Specialist in Construction Law, Law Society of Ontario.
- Member, International Council for Commercial Arbitration.