Matthew Alter

Practice Areas

Based in Toronto and recognized internationally as a top construction and procurement lawyer, Matthew is known as a problem solver of complex disputes in the construction industry. Clients range from owners, including government bodies, mining companies, universities, hospitals and private developers, to general contractors and specialty subcontractors.

In addition to representing clients at the front end of domestic and international projects, where he drafts and negotiates a variety of contracts, Matthew is counsel on all types of disputes for commercial, industrial, civil, and residential projects, including bids, contractor defaults, delays, liens, trust and bond claims.

Career

Matthew is consistently ranked and included in the leading domestic and international lawyer listings and directories including: Chambers; Who’s Who Legal (Thought Leaders); Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada; Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory; Lexpert’s Leading Infrastructure Lawyers in Canada; Expert Guides: Best of the Best (Global); and Best Lawyers in Canada (where he was selected as Toronto’s Public Procurement Lawyer of the Year for 2015 and 2018). He has a Martindale-Hubbell (AV) ranking.

Professional Memberships

Certified by the Law Society of Ontario as a Specialist in Construction Law since 2000, he serves as Chair of the Cassels Brock Construction Law Group. Matthew is also a Fellow and Past President of the Canadian College of Construction Lawyers; a member and Past Chair of the International Division of the ABA’s Forum on Construction Law; a member and Past Chair of the Construction and Infrastructure Section of the Ontario Bar Association; a member of the Law Society of Ontario; and the Canadian member and representative of Construlegal – Working Alliance of Construction Law Firms for the Americas.

Publications

A prolific speaker and writer, Matthew is co-author of “Kirsh and Alter: A Guide to Construction Liens in Ontario (3rd Ed.)”; co-author of the annual “Construction and Projects in Canada” chapter for Thomson Reuters/Practical Law; and a former editor of the “Journal of the Canadian College of Construction Lawyers” and CCCL’s “Legal Update."