Michael Casey, senior vice president and general counsel at EllisDon, oversees a legal department vital to the operations of the giant construction leader. With a team of 20 professionals, including 11 lawyers, Casey’s responsibilities span litigation, contracts, compliance, and more. “We do everything. Any type of legal issue that comes up internally, we try to assist with,” he says. For specialized areas, such as tax, the department draws on external counsel.
Casey’s journey to his current role highlights steady growth and adaptability. “Prior to [EllisDon], I worked on Bay Street for a couple of years… in a very different field in the financial services area at a Bay Street law firm,” he says. After gaining experience in private practice, Casey sought a more integrated role. “After a couple of years, I just looked around and decided I was interested in moving to an in-house role.” He joined EllisDon 14 years ago as a junior lawyer and gradually advanced through positions including director, deputy general counsel, and eventually his current leadership role.
A significant part of Casey’s work involves litigation management and navigating the intricate, high-stakes contracts inherent to EllisDon’s infrastructure projects. “The infrastructure industry is litigious,” he says. “There are tons of players on every project – subcontractors, suppliers, consultants, designers, architects, and, of course, clients. It’s just the nature of the business that things sometimes lead towards disputes.” The projects themselves are vast, with contracts that are equally daunting. “Every construction project has a huge contract that is hundreds of pages, with the client that flows down into many, many, many subcontracts and supply agreements,” Casey notes. The complexity and scale demand meticulous attention to ensure that EllisDon’s interests are protected while reflecting the risks the company is prepared to take.
The legal team’s work isn’t confined to disputes and contracts. EllisDon’s operations span facility management, finance, real estate, capital projects, and equipment rentals, all of which bring unique legal challenges. Casey describes the reactive nature of much of the work. “You just have stuff coming at you every week. New challenges, new laws, new regulations, new corporate issues,” he says. Despite the constant pace, Casey emphasizes that this dynamic environment is one of the reasons he finds his role fulfilling.
To manage the growing complexity, EllisDon’s legal team has turned to technology. Tools like the AI-powered Provision platform have transformed the contract review process. “It’ll identify differences from this contract to the last. You can ask keywords – ‘Are there liquidated damages? Do you get a change order?’ – and it makes contract review quicker,’” Casey explains. Beyond efficiency, the technology allows team members to collaborate seamlessly and focus on high-risk areas more effectively.
Casey’s approach to external legal partnerships underscores the importance of trust and alignment with business goals. “The firms we go back to are those we trust implicitly,” he says, emphasizing the value of straightforward advice tailored to EllisDon’s needs. “I hate super technical legal advice that is without purpose,” he adds, calling for guidance that prioritizes practical solutions over theoretical complexities.
Although sustainability doesn’t fall directly within his department’s responsibilities, Casey’s team plays a supporting role in EllisDon’s environmental initiatives. “My team helps [with] questions about certain legislation and requirements,” he says. As sustainability grows in importance across the construction industry, the legal department’s input remains critical in navigating new standards and compliance challenges.
For Casey, the appeal of his role lies in its integration with EllisDon’s broader mission. Unlike the fragmented nature of private practice, his work is singularly focused on advancing one company’s goals. “Every day has a single mission, which is to help the company,” he explains. This alignment with EllisDon’s objectives gives him a sense of purpose that resonates beyond the office. “When I drive down the street through downtown Toronto with my kids, I can say, ‘Oh, we built that, look at the Rogers Center, we built that,’” he says.
Looking to the future, Casey sees himself at the center of an exciting period for EllisDon as it takes on some of Canada’s largest infrastructure projects. While much of his work involves responding to immediate legal challenges, he values his role in shaping the company’s strategic direction. “Being part of that team is extremely exciting, every day, every week, every month.”
Michael Casey is a judge at the 2025 Canadian Law Awards. The deadline to nominate is January 31, 2025.