Project Counsel

Arcadis is the world's leading company delivering sustainable design, engineering, and consultancy solutions for natural and built assets.

We are more than 36,000 people, in over 70 countries, dedicated to improving quality of life. Everyone has an important role to play. With the power of many curious minds, together we can solve the world’s most complex challenges and deliver more impact together.

Role description:

Arcadis seeks to add a high performing and experienced project counsel to its growing Canadian Mobility Team. The ideal candidate will have experience supporting major infrastructure projects in a legal capacity, particularly involving transit, rail, or large public-private partnerships. This role requires excellent interpersonal skills, superior oral and written communication, and the ability to anticipate and deliver legal support for a dynamic, diverse, and global business team. The position is flexible, located in any Canadian Arcadis office.

Role accountabilities:

In this role, you will provide comprehensive legal support during the pursuit, negotiation, and delivery of contracts such as Design-Build-Finance, Progressive Design-Build, Target Cost Contracts, and Alliance Contracting. You will bring experience negotiating risk allocation provisions in upstream and downstream contracts, including indemnities, limitations of liability, and delay liquidated damages. Additionally, you will work in multi-party governance environments, coordinating with joint venture partners, lenders, and public authorities. Acting as Project Counsel on high-stakes infrastructure projects, you will provide legal advice on the interpretation of contractual and technical documents and draft legal correspondence such as claims letters and notices disputing delays or breaches of contract.

You will be familiar with project insurance structures, including professional indemnity, PSPL, and surety bonds, particularly as they apply to complex infrastructure projects and alternative delivery methods. Working closely with claim analysts, you will investigate and analyze project documents to provide legal support for potential claims and disputes, mitigating issues before escalation or avoiding them altogether. You will advise on dispute resolution strategies, including negotiation, litigation, adjudication, arbitration, and construction liens, while coordinating the efforts of outside counsel as required, including budget forecasting. As a trusted legal advisor to the Legal Director, Canada, Project Director, Commercial Director, and other senior leaders, you will develop and implement risk mitigation strategies to minimize contractual disputes. Additional responsibilities include performing other duties requiring general legal advice as directed by the Legal Director or Commercial Director.

Key attributes for this role include being an independent problem-solver with the ability to address challenges requiring multidisciplinary collaboration, strong relationships, and personal commitment to resolve issues. Exceptional organizational skills are required, with the ability to manage multiple tasks, meet deadlines consistently, and handle high volumes of work while exercising sound judgment and commercial acumen. You must be skilled in risk management and avoidance, advising project teams on claims management and risk mitigation strategies for high-stakes infrastructure projects. Collaboration is critical, as you will operate effectively in multi-disciplinary team environments while acting as a business partner with an entrepreneurial and pragmatic mindset, exceptional problem-solving abilities, and a client-focused approach.

Self-motivation and a willingness to learn and adapt new skills are essential to enhance the performance of legal and business teams. You should thrive in a matrixed organization with a global perspective and international outlook. Strong cross-functional communication skills are necessary, with proven ability to coordinate across technical, legal, and commercial teams to align project delivery, claims mitigation, and legal risk management.

Qualifications & Experience:

• J.D. or LL.B., with a minimum of two to five years’ post-qualification experience as either in-house counsel or with a well-recognized law firm


• Licensed to practice in Ontario or another Canadian province


• Experience supporting major infrastructure projects in a legal capacity, particularly involving transit, rail, or large public-private partnerships


• Familiarity with DB, DBFOM, or alternative delivery contracting models, with an ability to advise on contract negotiation, implementation, and dispute matters


• Experience in claims and risk management, assisting Project teams with disputes and claims prior to formal dispute resolution process


• Familiarity with project insurance such as project specific professional liability (PSPL)


• Aptitude for identifying and managing risk for large infrastructure projects


• Exceptional communication and collaboration skills to interact effectively across organizations, including with clients, contractors, and subcontractors


• Solid knowledge of Canadian federal, provincial, and local public contracting laws

Why Arcadis?

We can only achieve our goals when everyone is empowered to be their best. We believe everyone's contribution matters. It’s why we are pioneering a skills-based approach, where you can harness your unique experience and expertise to carve your career path and maximize the impact we can make together.

You’ll do meaningful work, and no matter what role, you’ll be helping to deliver sustainable solutions for a more prosperous planet. Make your mark, on your career, your colleagues, your clients, your life and the world around you.

Together, we can create a lasting legacy.

Join Arcadis. Create a Legacy.

Our Commitment to Equality, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

We want you to be able to bring your best self to work every day which is why we take equality and inclusion seriously and hold ourselves to account for our actions. Our ambition is to be an employer of choice and provide a great place to work for all our people. We are an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, people with disabilities and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. We are dedicated to a policy of non-discrimination in employment on any basis including race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship status, disability, veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by law.