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Conor O'Neil, P.Eng.

Partner

Suite 1000, Brunswick House
44 Chipman Hill
Saint John, N.B.
E2L 2A9

+1.506.632.2786

+1.506.652.1989

coneil@stewartmckelvey.com

Language(s) spoken: English

Bar Admission(s): Ontario, 2013; New Brunswick, 2017

Legal Assistant(s): Cynthia Doucette

Conor practices in commercial litigation and specializes in the resolution of construction and insurance claims, liens, surety bond claims, product liability issues, and architects’, engineers’ and other professionals’ errors and omissions issues. Conor has acted as counsel before the New Brunswick Court of King’s Bench, New Brunswick Court of Appeal, Ontario Superior Court of Justice, arbitration tribunals, and the Energy and Utilities Board of New Brunswick. Examples of his work include:

  • Representing general contractors, sureties and owners in dispute resolution including mediation, arbitration and litigation.
  • Drafting and negotiating various forms of construction contracts on behalf of owners, developers, design professionals, general contractors, subcontractors and suppliers.
  • Managing complex litigation involving multiple parties and large volumes of documents.
  • Successfully defending an engineer in defence of a $48 million action over the course of a 54-day trial.
  • Obtained the largest costs award in a New Brunswick trial decision.
  • Represented a general contractor in respect of a $12 million lien claim in relation to a sports centre.
  • Represented an EPCM project manager in a $300 million mining dispute.
  • Represented a design-builder in respect of claims in relation to a public-private partnership highway dispute.
  • Regulatory work relating to electricity utility rates and rate design.

Education & Career

Education

University of New Brunswick, JD, 2012
University of New Brunswick, B.Sc. Eng. (Civil Engineering), 2009

Activities

Fellow, Canadian College of Construction Lawyers
Member, Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of New Brunswick
Member, Canadian Bar Association
Member, Ontario Bar Association
Chair, Canadian Bar Association – New Brunswick branch construction subsection, 2019 – 2023
Member, Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA), 2023
National Secretary, CBA Construction & Infrastructure Law, 2023 – present

Accolades

Best Lawyers: Construction Law, 2025

Thought Leadership

Publications

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

Presentations

Panelist, Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of New Brunswick, Annual General Meeting – Panel on National Building Code Issues

February 16, 2024

Speaker, Canadian Bar Association, New Brunswick – Construction Remedies Act

November 25, 2022

Speaker, Atlantic Home Warranty, Construction Risks and Remedies

October 25, 2022

Guest lecturer, UNB Law, Construction Law

April 06, 2022

Speaker, Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of New Brunswick on changes to the Construction Remedies Act

April 23, 2021

Speaker, Canadian Bar Association, New Brunswick – Developments in Construction Law

February 05, 2021

Presenter, Saint John Region Chamber of Commerce, Speaker, Managing the Performance of Contracts in a COVID-19 Environment

May 13, 2020

Presenter, Construction Bar Association, Speaker, Construction and Infrastructure Law Conference, National Round Up

October 13, 2018

Presenter, Modernizing the Mechanics Lien Act in New Brunswick, 9th annual Real Property Conference

October 03, 2018

 
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