James Little brings to his clients an enviable combination of engineering and legal backgrounds. His legal solutions are innovative, his strategies nimble, and he is very responsive to his client’s needs.

General Counsel
Crown Corporation

James is very calm and always open to listening to our ideas. He is a skilled researcher who is always impeccably prepared. He is straight forward to deal with, and he discusses the matters and options available to us from a legal point of view.

Who’s Who Legal

James Little is heralded by a construction client as “very knowledgeable [and an] expert in his field, with a great reputation within the construction industry”.

Benchmark Canada

James has a work ethic that is unmatched by any other lawyer we have worked with. James is the consummate professional. He possesses incredibly broad knowledge of construction and surety law in Canada.

Who's Who Legal

James Little is a keen-minded lawyer with clear strategies to advocate for his clients. He has deep experience and knowledge of the infrastructure sector. He is a rising star with a bright future. (Future Leader)

Who's Who Legal

Rankings

James Little is top-ranked by Leading Global Rankings Agencies and Directories.

Professional Background

James Little is a Partner in the Construction and Infrastructure Practice Group at Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP. He advises on domestic and international construction disputes, including court proceedings, negotiation, arbitration and other dispute resolution alternatives and for a wide variety of construction industry clients.

In particular, James has advised clients of all sizes and on a variety of different types of projects including on major national and international infrastructure projects, mining projects, hospitals and commercial construction. His focus is on providing a high level of service through effective and timely advice and advocacy while managing and resolving disputes. James is often called upon to advise on construction projects during the design and construction phase also provides ongoing advice in respect of dispute avoidance and claims management.

James was part of the legal team advising the Ontario government in respect of the modernization of the Construction Act which resulted in the creation of a system of prompt payment and adjudication applicable in Ontario’s construction industry. James similarly provided advice to the Government of Canada in respect of the introduction of its new prompt payment and adjudication legislation.

James has been recognized as a leading construction lawyer by Best Lawyers, Who’s Who Legal and Benchmark Canada and was recently featured as a leading litigation lawyer in Benchmark Litigation’s 40 & Under Hot List.

Education

  • Called to the Ontario Bar, 2014
  • Juris Doctor, University of Windsor, 2013
  • Bachelor of Engineering Science, University of Western Ontario, 2008

Rankings + Recognitions

Memberships

  • Vice Chair, Society of Construction Law North America
  • Past Member, Ontario Bar Association Construction and Infrastructure Section Executive
  • Member, Canadian Bar Association
  • Member, Ontario Bar Association

Community + Volunteering

  • Chair, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP
  • Representing owners, developers, general contractors, subcontractors and suppliers in dispute resolution, including mediation, arbitration and litigation.
  • Drafting and negotiating various forms of construction contracts on behalf of owners, developers, general contractors, subcontractors and suppliers.
  • Representing surety bonding companies in claims related to construction projects, including performance bond claims and labour and material payment bond claims.
  • Advising construction clients in respect of construction projects in Canada, the United States and internationally.
  • Advising owner clients and owner representatives in relation to major transit projects and related claims.
  • Advising contractor clients in relation to termination and default issues.
  • Involved in construction cases involving multiple parties and large volumes of documents, including:
  • Counsel to a general contractor in respect of various Claims for Lien and a breach of trust action on a multi-million dollar project.
  • Advising an EPCM Project Manager in relation to a CDN$300 Million ICC Arbitration regarding an international mining dispute.
  • Advising on a CDN$40 Million hospital transformation project.
  • Representing an infrastructure client in relation to a multi-Billion cross-border transportation project.

Publications

Presentations

  • Panelist, “Cross-Industry Perspectives on P3 Projects,” 2nd annual Society of Construction Law – North America Conference, July, 2023
  • Panelist, “Case Studies by Region: COVID and Developing Uncertainty in Construction,” Society of Construction Law North American Inaugural Annual Conference, July, 2022
  • Speaker, “Construction Act Adjudication,” Ontario General Contractors’ Association 13th Construction Symposium, April, 2022
  • Panelist, “Federal and Ontario Prompt Payment,” Construction and Infrastructure Law Online Symposium, Canadian Bar Association, October, 2021
  • Keynote Speaker, CIQS Prompt Payment & Adjudication Webinar Event, June, 2020
  • Presenter and Moderator, Ontario General Contractor Association 11th Annual Construction Symposium, April, 2019
  • Presenter, “What Happens After Adjudication?,” Osgoode Hall Law School Professional Development,  April, 2019
  • Presenter, “Prompt Payment and Adjudication: Are You and Your Clients Ready?,” Ontario Bar Association, May, 2019
  • Presenter and Moderator, “The New Construction Act: What you Need to Know,” Lexpert® Executive Course, November, 2018
  • Speaker, “A Guide to the Construction Act of Ontario: Modernizing the Lien Act,” The Building Show (Ontario General Contractors Association Seminar), November, 2018

News + Insights | Jul 28, 2023

Devlan Construction Ltd v SRK Woodworking Inc: Joinder of Trust and Lien Claims is Not Permissible Under Ontario's Construction Act

News + Insights | Jul 17, 2023

Arad Incorporated v Rejali et al: Court Wary of Returning Security in Lien Claims on the Sole Basis of Statutory Adjudication

News + Insights | Jun 19, 2023

Bhatnagar v. Cresco Labs Inc.: Clarifying the Duty of Honest Performance and the Presumption of Loss

News + Insights | Jun 13, 2023

Haider v Rizvi: Implications of Failing to Prescribe Form and Content of a Release

News + Insights | May 30, 2023

Kingsgate Property Ltd. v. Vancouver School District No. 39: Issue Estoppel and Prior Arbitrations under the Same Agreement

News + Insights | May 23, 2023

Husky Food Importers & Distributors Ltd v. JH Whittaker & Sons Limited: Ontario’s New Test for Staying Litigation in Favour of Arbitration to Determine the Validity of an Arbitration Agreement

News + Insights | Apr 24, 2023

Limits on the Presumption of Consistent Expression in Contracts: Baffinland Iron Mines v. Tower-EBC

News + Insights | Apr 11, 2023

Judicial Support for Expert Determination as a Dispute Resolution Alternative: KHM Cardiology Centres v Lambardar

News + Insights | Mar 24, 2023

Aroma Franchise Company v Aroma Espresso: Guidance and Questions on Disclosure Obligations and Reasonable Apprehension of Bias in Arbitration

News + Insights | Jan 11, 2023

Rare Example of Partial Summary Judgment in a Construction Matter Upheld

News + Insights | Apr 10, 2020

Construction Act to be Exempt from Suspension of Procedural Time Limits

Articles | Mar 21, 2020

The Emergencies Act and the Construction Industry

Articles | Jan 7, 2020

When you Win: Enforcing the Adjudicator's Decision

Articles | Aug 19, 2019

Presley v Van Dusen: Implications for Limitations Defenses for Multiple Construction Defendants

News + Insights | Jul 26, 2019

The Authorized Nominating Authority Has Been Appointed

Articles | Jul 8, 2019

Update on Federal Prompt Payment – Royal Assent

Articles | Jun 5, 2019

British Columbia Introduces Prompt Payment Legislation

Articles | May 27, 2019

New Regulatory Amendments under the New Construction Act

Articles | Apr 8, 2019

Nova Scotia to Modernize its Construction Legislation and Introduce Prompt Payment and Adjudication

Articles | Apr 1, 2019

SLAPP in the Face - Bondfield Prevails in Anti-SLAPP Motion