Howard Krupat

Partner

Howard Krupat is a tireless advocate. He is good to work with, pragmatic and understands the business context of disputes.

— client quote, Chambers Canada

Emailhoward.krupat@dlapiper.com

Call+1 416 365 3510

Toronto

About

Howard leads the firm's Canadian Construction Practice. Howard focuses on all aspects of construction and infrastructure law and his practice encompasses all sectors of that industry.

Howard has extensive experience as lead counsel on complex construction disputes involving both major infrastructure projects and private sector projects. He also routinely provides strategic project and contract administration advice with the objective of achieving the early resolution of disputes.

Howard represents a broad range of clients including public and private owners, general contractors, design-build consortia, lenders, subcontractors, suppliers and design professionals. Howard’s dispute resolution practice entails the negotiation, mediation, arbitration and litigation of claims relating to all facets of construction law including contract disputes, tendering, delay, professional negligence, surety bonds and construction liens and trusts. Howard also routinely advises clients on the preparation and structuring of construction and project agreements.

Howard’s experience spans a wide range of projects, including transit, energy, infrastructure, commercial, condominium developments and manufacturing.

Howard devotes a substantial amount of time to industry and professional associations. Howard served as an appointed member of the Advisory Panel for the Province of Ontario’s Construction Lien Act Review. Howard is also a Fellow of the Canadian College of Construction Lawyers and the former Chair of the Ontario Bar Association’s Construction and Infrastructure Section Executive, on which he served for many years. He is also Chair of the Allied Professions Committee of the Toronto Construction Association. Howard regularly chairs and speaks at industry and client seminars on a variety of construction law issues and has also published many articles in the area. Howard is the Contributing Editor of the Construction Law Letter, a bi-monthly national publication of LexisNexis. Howard is recognized by his peers as a leading construction lawyer in a wide variety of publications.

Areas of FocusLitigation, Arbitration and Investigations Infrastructure, Construction and Transport Construction and Engineering

Bar admissionsOntario, 2001

Languages

Education

LL.B., University of Western Ontario, 1999

B.Sc. (Honours), York University, 1996

Awards

Publications

Seminars

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

Moderator, Panel Discussion on Adjudication under the Construction Act, 16th National Conference on ‎Navigating Risk in Construction Contracts & Projects, February 22-23, 2024‎
Speaker, "Cracks in the Foundation: When Insolvency and Construction Law Collide", Ontario Bar Association Insolvency Law / Construction and Infrastructure Law Program, January 29, 2024
Speaker, "Effective Presentation of Delay Claims", The Buildings Show, November 29, 2023‎
Program Director and Speaker, "Construction Claims – Legal (Extras, Change of Scope, Productivity, ‎Delay & Impact)"; The Osgoode Certificate in Construction Law, November, 2023
Speaker, "“Green” Construction, ESG and Sustainability", The Osgoode Certificate in Construction Law, March 3, 2023
Co-Chair, "Managing Risk in Construction Contracts & Projects – Eastern Canada Edition", The Canadian Institute, February 23-24, 2023
Instructor, “Avoiding and Preparing for Construction Disputes”, Case Studies in Construction Management, George Brown Centre for Construction and Engineering Technologies, February 1, 2023
Speaker, Construction Insolvencies, Canadian College of Construction Lawyers Mid-Winter Session, January 28, 2023
Panelist, “Discovering and Defusing the Inevitable Land Mines of Delay Claims During the Project Or At Least ...Allowing Controlled Detonation in Arbitration”, Construction Super Conference, December 7, 2022
Speaker, "Construction Law Update: Legal Realities for Today and Tomorrow", The Buildings Show, November 30, 2022
Co-Chair, "Managing Risk in Construction Contracts & Projects – Eastern Canada Edition", The Canadian Institute, February 24-25, 2022
Program Director and Speaker, "Alternative Project Delivery Models: Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) & Alliance Agreements"; "Construction Liens"; The Osgoode Certificate in Construction Law, October 1-15, 2021
Panelist, "Disputes," Construction Dispute Symposium 2021, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), July 6, 2021
Panelist, "Managing the COVID-19 Related Claims Process", Toronto Construction Association’s Annual Members’ Day, May 5-6, 2021
Speaker, “Deconstructing Construction Law Reforms Across Canada: Lessons Learned from the Ontario Experience”, 13th Annual National Symposium on Managing Risk in Construction Contracts & Projects, February 25-26, 2021
Program Director and Speaker, The Osgoode Certificate in Construction Law, October 16, 2020
Moderator, "Anticipating “Shovel-Ready” Construction Projects in an Economic Recovery", Osgoode Professional Development, May 26, 2020
Speaker, "Managing Financial Uncertainty in Construction Projects During Extraordinary Times", Osgoode Professional Development, May 19, 2020
Speaker, "Legal, jurisdictional and procedural issues likely to challenge adjudicators in year 1," Construction Adjudication Section Meeting, ADR Institute of Ontario, March 3, 2020
Speaker, "Construction Law Update: Legal Aspects of Construction Innovations," The Building Show, December 4, 2019
Program Director and Speaker, The Osgoode Certificate in Construction Law, Nov 11-15, 2019
Speaker, 2019 Construction Adjudication Symposium Significant Change — Time for Alignment, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), May 29, 2019
Speaker, "The New Prompt Payment Regime," Ontario's New Construction Act: Adapting to the New Prompt Payment & Adjudication Regimes, Apr 29, 2019
Speaker, "Exploring the New Era of Construction Law," Ontario Bar Association, Feb 8, 2019
Speaker, "2019 OWWA Construction Seminar — Constructing a Better Future," Ontario Water Works Association, Feb 7, 2019
Speaker, "4th Annual Managing Risk in Construction Contracts and Projects," The Canadian Institute, Feb 5-6, 2019
Speaker, "Ontario's New Construction Act: Transitioning & Applying the Modernization Provisions", Osgoode Professional Development, Dec 7, 2018
Program Director and Moderator, "Prompt Payment & Adjudication in Canada" and "Construction Project Perspectives 360º", The Osgoode Certificate in Construction Law, Oct 29 - Nov 2, 2018
Speaker, "Arbitration of Disputes in P3 Projects," CBA Construction and Infrastructure Law Conference, Oct 12, 2018
Panelist, "Global Advisory on Capital Projects - How to Help Your Clients Mitigate Risk for a Competitive Advantage", the 8^th International Society of Construction Law Conference - Construction Law: Local Issues - Global Perspectives, Chicago, Sep 26, 2018
Speaker, "Ontario's New Construction Act: Managing the Change", Osgoode Hall Law School Professional Development, Apr 30, 2018
Speaker, "Construction Lien Act Updates", Ontario Water Works Association Construction Seminar, Feb 8, 2018
Speaker, "Effective Risk Management in Public-Private Partnerships", 3rd Annual Managing Risk in Construction Contracts and Projects, The Canadian Institute, Feb 6, 2018
Program Director and Speaker, “Project Delivery and the Construction Contract”, The Osgoode Certificate in Construction Law, Nov 27- Dec 1, 2017
Speaker, "Bill 142, An Act to Amend the Construction Lien Act", Superconférence sur la construction, The Canadian Institute, Nov 2017
Moderator, “A Comparative Discussion of Dispute Resolution in Canada and the USA in 2017 and Recent Trends”, 2017 International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution Canada Regional Meeting, Sep 2017
Speaker, “Construction Lien Act Reform: The Proposed System for Mandatory Adjudication of Disputes”, Practice Gems: Construction Lien Essentials 2017, Law Society of Upper Canada, Mar 2017
Program Director and Speaker, The Osgoode Certificate in Construction Law, presenter on “Project Delivery and the Construction Contract”, Nov 21-25, 2016
Panelist, "Industry Forum: Expert Review of Ontario Construction Lien Act," Toronto Construction Association 22nd Members' Day, May 2016
Speaker, “IONA and Related Case Law Update - Builders’ Lien Act Trust Challenges,” CBA Construction and Infrastructure Law Conference - Building Canada in Today’s Economy, Canadian Bar Association, Apr 2016
Speaker, “How to Maintain Civility in Construction Law Cases to the Benefit of Your Client and Yourself”, Practice Gems: Construction Lien Essentials 2016, Law Society of Upper Canada, Mar 2016
Speaker, “Good Faith in Construction: Where We Are Post Bhasin,” Ontario Bar Association’s Institute, Feb 2016
Speaker, "Construction Lien and Trust Rights in Insolvency," 10th Construction Claims Course, Federated Press, Dec 2015
Speaker, Construction Law Update: Panel on the Lien Act, Procurement and ADR, Construct Canada, Dec 2015
Presenter, Mediation and Arbitration of Canadian Construction Disputes, Canadian Bar Association, Sep 2015
Speaker, "Deconstructing Your Contract: Common Sources of Disputes in Construction Contracts," Informa Canada - Strategies for Legal Preparedness, May 2015
Speaker, "Calculating Your Costs: How to Avoid Needless Issues and Liens with Your Consultants and Contractors," Informa Canada - 2014 Construction Law Conference, May 2014
Panelist, "Construction: A Wide Playing Field for Lawyers," IBA’s Asia Pacific Regional Forum, International Construction Projects Committee and Young Lawyers' Committee, Oct 2013