Sharon Vogel

Practice Areas

Construction and Infrastructure Law

Insurance

Public Policy

Alternative Dispute Resolution

Professional Liability

Domestic and International Arbitration

Career

Sharon is a named partner, co-chairs the firm’s construction and infrastructure practice group, and is a member of the Management Committee. Her expertise includes negotiation, mediation, arbitration and litigation of construction disputes, including construction liens, breach of contract, delays, surety bonds, construction insurance, and architects’ and engineers’ errors and omissions.

She has served as counsel to numerous government agencies, municipalities, private owners, and contractors to successfully manage delays and other legal issues on high-profile transportation, transit, energy, hospitals, mines, manufacturing facilities, water and wastewater, schools, and industrial, commercial, and institutional projects.

Together with her colleague Bruce Reynolds, she has played an important role in helping the Ontario government modernize the province’s construction law and helping to shape the Construction Act. Among the changes to the legislation are the creation of a prompt payment framework and the introduction of a mandatory dispute resolution system.

Sharon was also retained as co-counsel by the federal government to assist in the introduction of new legislation on prompt payment and adjudication. She co-authored the independent expert report Building a Federal Framework for Prompt Payment and Adjudication.

She is a Senior Fellow at the University of Melbourne, teaching International Construction Law. She is co-author of the text, A Guide to Canadian Construction Insurance Law, second edition.

Professional Memberships

- Member, Board of Governors, and Fellow, Canadian College of Construction Lawyers.

- Vice Chair, International Committee, and Fellow, American College of Construction Lawyers.

- Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

- Certified Specialist in Construction Law, Law Society of Ontario.

- Vice Chair, International Bar Association, International Construction Projects Group Dispute Resolution Committee.

- Member, The Advocates’ Society.

- Member, Canadian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Arbitration Committee.

Publications

Books and Reports

Author, Chapter: “Applying FIDIC Contracts in Canada,” FIDIC Contracts in the Americas: A Practical Guide to Application, Informa (London: Law from Routledge, 2023)

Co-author, “A Guide to Canadian Construction Insurance Law,” second edition, Thomson Reuters, 2023

Co-author, “Country Comparative Guides – Canada – Construction,” The Legal 500/Legalease, May, 2023

Co-author, “Country Comparative Guides – Canada – International Arbitration,” The Legal 500/Legalease, November, 2022

Co-author, “Getting the Deal Through Construction: Canada,” Lexology, June, 2022; June, 2023

Co-author, “Construction Canada Comparative Guide Chapter,” Mondaq, 2022

Co-author, “Construction Law (Canada) Chapter,” Chambers Global Construction Law Guide, 2021, 2022, 2023

Co-author, “Building a Federal Framework for Prompt Payment and Adjudication,” prepared for Public Services and Procurement Canada, 2018

Co-author, “Striking the Balance: Expert Review of Ontario’s Construction Lien Act,” Independent Report to the Ministry of the Attorney General, 2016

Co-author, “A Guide to Canadian Construction Insurance Law,” Carswell, 2013, 2023

Author, Chapter: “Construction Insurance,” Bullen, Leake & Jacob’s Canadian Precedents of Pleadings, Second Edition, 2013

Co-author, Chapter: “Canada,” Construction and Infrastructure Disputes (London: Globe Law and Business, 2013)

Author, Chapter: “Recent Developments in Construction Insurance,” Review of Construction Law: Recent Developments, Carswell, 2012

Co-author, “Getting the Deal Through: Construction 2017,” Law Business Research Ltd, 2008-17

Co-author, “Doing Business,” World Bank 2009-15 (with Bruce Reynolds)

Articles

Co-author, “Special Issue: Delay Experts,” Construction Law Letter, May/June, 2023

Co-author, “Getting the Deal Through – Arbitration,” Lexology, March, 2023

Co-author, “Ontario Appeal Decision Reaffirms Court’s Reluctance to Set Aside Private Arbitral Awards,” The Lawyer’s Daily, February, 2023

Co-author, “Tall Ships Development Inc. v. Brockville (City): The Ontario Court of Appeal Reaffirms the Court’s Narrow Basis for Setting Aside Arbitral Awards,” January, 2023

Co-author, “Getting the Deal Through – Arbitration,” Lexology, February, 2022

Co-author, “Pair of Ontario Decisions Demonstrate Importance of Adherence to Contractual Notice Requirements,” October, 2021

Co-author, “Getting the Deal Through – Arbitration,” Lexology, July, 2021

Co-author, “Concurrency Clarified: Ontario Superior Court of Justice Favours Flexible, Practical Approach to Assessing Concurrent Delays,” April, 2021

Co-author, “Wastech v Greater Vancouver Sewerage: Uncertainty Remains,” March, 2021

Co-author, “The Ontario Government Suspends Limitation Periods Effective March 16, 2020,” March, 2020

Co-author, “COVID-19 – Health and Safety Implications,” March, 2020

Co-author, “The Repercussions of COVID-19 on the Execution of Construction Contracts,” March 12, 2020

Co-author, “Case Comment: A Narrow Interpretation of the Coverage Available Under a Builder’s Risk Insurance Policy: Pre-Eng v. Intact,” (2009) 37:6 Can. J. Ins. L. 61, originally published in the Ontario Bar Association’s Construction and Infrastructure Section Newsletter, August 13, 2019

Co-author, “Managing Utilities Risk in Urban Transit Infrastructure Projects,” ReNew Canada Magazine

Co-author, “A Thousand Pounds a Word: Following Ledcor, Policy Wording Continues to Govern in Insurance Policy Disputes,” CCCL Legal Update, L.U. #151, March, 2019

Co-author, “A Report on the Introduction of Prompt Payment and Adjudication Legislation in The Province of Ontario,” ICLR, Volume 36, Part 1, January, 2019

Co-author, “Security of Payment in the Construction Industry: Does International Experience Provide a Crystal Ball for North America?,” Construction Law Journal, November 22, 2018

Co-author, “I Once Was Lost But Now I’m Found: Ontario Government to Amend the Construction Act via Bill 57, the Restoring Trust, Transparency and Accountability Act,” November 16, 2018

Co-author, “A New Construction Act – What Has Changed and How Will It Affect P3 Projects?,” Lexpert® Special Edition on Infrastructure, September, 2018

Co-author, “Still a Little Lost in Transition?: the Construction Act Transition Provisions and the Regulations,” August 2, 2018

Co-author, “Duty to Notify Bond Beneficiaries: Valard Construction v. Bird Construction 2018 SCC 8,” July 19, 2018

Co-author, “Somewhat Lost in Transition?: A Review of the Intent and Operation of the Transition Period in Ontario’s Construction Act,” May 30, 2018

Co-author, “Are Construction Defects Covered Property Damage in an Insurance Contract?,” Construction Law Letter, Volume 33 no. 5, 2017

Co-author, “Mind the Gap-Professional Liability Insurance and Possible Regulatory Changes to the Standard of Care,” Construction Law Letter, Volume 33 no. 3, 2017

Co-author, “Legal Aspects of Building Information Modelling: A World View (Part 1),” CLInt, December, 2016

Co-author, “Changing the Legal Landscape of the Interpretation of Builder’s Risk Insurance Policies in Canada: Life after Ledcor,” Construction Law Letter, November/December, 2016

Author, “Evolution of Builder’s Risk Insurance in Canada: A Brave New World for Resulting Damages,” Journal of Canadian College of Construction Lawyers, 2016

Co-author, “Renovating Construction Liens,” The Lawyers Weekly, November 18, 2016

Co-author, “No Satisfaction: Limitations of Liability in Condo Deficiency Case,” Online: Construction and Infrastructure Law Section, Ontario Bar Association, April, 2014

Author, “Condominium Construction Deficiencies — Buyer Beware,” Building.ca, February, 2014

Features

Featured, “One size does not fit all,” Lexpert Special Edition: Infrastructure, May, 2023

Featured, “Construction disputes trends: design-build P3 risk, dispute boards, settlement disclosure,” Lexpert Special Edition: Infrastructure, May, 2023

Featured, “Sharon Vogel at Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel on launching her firm and mentorship post-pandemic,” Canadian Lawyer Magazine, May, 2023

Featured, “Sharon Vogel: Titan and Teacher – A Tribute on International Women’s Day,” March 8, 2023

Featured in “A Report on the Introduction of Prompt Payment and Adjudication: Legislation in The Province of Ontario,” International Construction Law Review Journal, January 21, 2019

Interview, “Women in Construction and How They’re Paving the Way,” Osgoode PD Blog, November, 2018

Featured in “Adjudication justice analyzed at Osgoode Hall session,” Daily Commercial News, May 9, 2018

“CEO Power Breakfast, Striking a fine balance – The two masterminds behind the Lien Act Review discuss the challenges in balancing freedom of contract with the need for more regulation,” Builders’ Digest

Interview, “Meet the Women Rainmakers!,” Law Practice Today, September, 2017

Personal

- Construction Lawyer of the Year Award, Benchmark Canada. (3 consecutive years).

- Female Trailblazer Excellence Award, Canadian Law Awards.

- Award of Excellence, (The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors “RICS” and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators “CIArb.”).

- Recognized in Benchmark Canada — The Definitive Guide to Canada’s Leading Litigation Firms & Attorneys as a “Litigation Star” and one of the top 25, top 50, and top 100 women litigators in Canada.

- 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.

- Ranked in the areas of Administrative and Public Law, Construction Law, Corporate and Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law and Public Procurement Law by Best Lawyers Canada®.

- Recognized as a Leading Construction Lawyer (most frequently recommended) in the Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory.

- Recognized as a Leading Infrastructure Lawyer in the Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory.

- Recognized in the Lexpert® American Lawyer Guide as one of the leading 500 lawyers in Canada (Construction Law).

- Recognized in the Lexpert®/Report on Business Infrastructure Special Edition on Infrastructure Law.

- Recognized in Who’s Who Legal as one of North America’s Best Construction Law Global Thought Leaders.

- Recognized in Who’s Who Legal as one of the Top Three Construction Lawyers in Canada.

- Recognized in Who’s Who Legal as a Leading Lawyer in the area of Construction Law.

- Recognized in Legal Media Group’s Guide to the World’s Leading Women in Business Law.

- Martindale-Hubbell® AV® Preeminent™ 4.6 out of 5 peer review rated.

- Board Member, Habitat for Humanity

- Rider and Fundraiser, Ride for Heart 2011-2014

- Former Board Member, Youth Challenge International