Traction Legal
1 lawyer · City of Toronto
One of 2,345 law firms listed in Toronto, and one of 149 handling Construction Law.
About Traction Legal
Traction Legal is a Toronto construction law practice built around a single lawyer, Webnesh Haile, who set it up to offer fractional and project-based legal support rather than a traditional full-time retainer. The firm covers the construction project lifecycle: procurement and tender review, contract drafting and negotiation, on-project legal support during delivery, and dispute avoidance and resolution. Clients have included public, non-profit, and commercial owners, developers, general contractors, subcontractors, and sureties, on projects that have ranged from CAD$15 million to CAD$6 billion across infrastructure, affordable housing, commercial, and industrial work.
Before founding the firm, Haile practiced construction law at two national firms that Chambers and Partners ranks Band 1 for construction law, and still collaborates with law firms on individual files. Haile has been recognized in Best Lawyers in Canada for Construction Law every year since 2021 and was named an Associate to Watch for Construction Law in Chambers Canada, Canada's Leading Lawyers for Business. Haile holds a Bachelor of Science and a Juris Doctor from the University of Toronto and was called to the Ontario bar in 2016.
Practice areas
Milestones & recognition
- Webnesh Haile has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in Canada for Construction Law every year since 2021.
- Haile was named an Associate to Watch for Construction Law in Chambers Canada, Canada's Leading Lawyers for Business.
- Haile was called to the Ontario bar in 2016 after earning a Bachelor of Science (with Distinction) in 2009 and a Juris Doctor in 2015, both from the University of Toronto.
- Haile received the University of Toronto's Gordon Cressy Student Leadership Award.
In the community
- Haile serves as a volunteer board member for Habitat for Humanity GTA.
- Haile lectures annually on construction contracting at Toronto Metropolitan University's Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science.
- Haile is a member of the Advocates' Society, the Ontario Bar Association's construction and infrastructure law section, and the Canadian Bar Association's Construction Law Section, and was formerly a volunteer with the University of Toronto Alumni Association.
- Haile has been quoted as a construction law commentator in the Daily Commercial News, discussing how in-house and external counsel can work together on a project.
Who handles what
The neighbourhood
Traction Legal's office is at 250 University Avenue in downtown Toronto, on a street Wikipedia describes as the city's most ceremonial thoroughfare, with a landscaped median running past memorials, gardens, and fountains. University Avenue is also home to Osgoode Hall, a Toronto courthouse, and a concentration of financial and insurance company offices. That mix fits a construction lawyer whose work includes advising sureties and helping parties resolve disputes through negotiation, mediation, or arbitration before a matter reaches a courtroom.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Traction Legal do?
- Traction Legal is a Toronto construction law practice that provides on-demand legal support across a project's life, including procurement and tender review, contract drafting and negotiation, support during construction delivery, and dispute avoidance and resolution.
- What kinds of clients does Traction Legal work with?
- The firm has acted for public, non-profit, and commercial owners, developers, general contractors, subcontractors, and sureties on infrastructure, affordable housing, commercial, and industrial projects.
- How large are the projects Traction Legal has worked on?
- Project values the firm has worked on have ranged from CAD$15 million to CAD$6 billion.
- Can Traction Legal work alongside our existing in-house counsel?
- Yes. The firm is set up to support project teams and in-house counsel who don't have capacity to cover every task, and it can scale its involvement up or down as a project's needs change.
- How does an engagement with Traction Legal start?
- It starts with a consultation to discuss a client's strategic goals, legal needs, and desired level of integration, after which Traction Legal proposes an approach based on that discussion.
- Where is Traction Legal located?
- The firm's office is at 250 University Avenue, Suite 200, in downtown Toronto.
Where to find them
250 University Ave, Suite 200, Toronto, ON M5H 3E5 · 416-557-0697
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Business & Corporate LawListing compiled from the firm’s public website in September 2026. Verify licence status in the Law Society of Ontario directory ↗