Find Lawyers in Canada for Alternative Dispute Resolution
Practice Area Overview
When people think of hiring a lawyer to resolve a dispute, they often have in mind that their problem will ultimately be resolved at a trial with a judge ruling in favour of one party and against another. This understanding, perhaps reinforced through television and movies, does not represent the reality. In fact, most lawsuits settle.
For the longest time, it was not uncommon for parties to go through all the steps of litigation, from pleadings through documentary and oral discovery, only to settle, sometimes “on the courtroom steps.” Bearing this pattern in mind, many litigants have opted to pursue Alternative Dispute Resolution, or ADR, as means of achieving settlement sooner and cheaper than by going through the court process.
In this context, the parties in dispute enlist independent, unaffiliated persons to assist them to reach a resolution. This may be achieved through two different paths. Arbitration proceedings are generally adversarial in nature and the arbitrator makes a final decision, just as a judge does, but outside the court system. A private mediator assists the parties in reaching settlements through consensus and does not impose a decision.
Lawyers play an important role in ADR. They may be the decision makers in arbitrations or function as facilitators in mediations. In either case, they may have specialized knowledge in the area of law under consideration or in the industry in which the dispute arose. Sometimes, lawyers are chosen as arbitrators or mediators because of their reputations as having the ability to be fair-minded and even-handed.
Not to be overlooked is the special role the lawyers for the parties can play in ADR. It is often they who suggest alternative means of resolving disputes to their clients. They play a huge role in explaining the process to their clients beforehand, and otherwise preparing the parties. In the case of mediation, the parties should ensure their lawyers have the right experience to assist them in getting to settlement. Parties sometimes will hire experienced lawyers to act as “settlement counsel” to assist them in getting to a resolution in mediation.
Select a location from the list below to find the best legal talent for your needs.
Province
For more than 35 years, Bernard Amyot has developed a practice that is primarily focused on civil and commercial litigation. He has extensive experience before the Quebec courts, having represented Canada’s leading financial institutions. He has lectured and written frequently on legal issues of interest to his clients. His professional liability defence work extends to lawyers as well as stockbrokers, insurance brokers, engineers and accountants. He has acted as lead counsel in numerou...
Steven J. Atkinson is a Partner with the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Group at Harrison Pensa. He has a diverse litigation practice with 30 years of experience. He works for individuals, insurance companies and corporations of all sizes. Whatever the case, or whoever the client, Steve prides himself on his personal involvement with his clients and results-oriented approach to litigation. Steve’s insurance clients do business across Canada, covering a wide range of exposures includi...
Mediation gives people more control over the outcome of their disputes and provides privacy over what are often highly sensitive issues for the parties involved. Many people do not fully realize the lack of control one faces at trial nor do people understand the truly public nature of the courthouse. As a mediator, Diane helps clients overcome legal challenges in a fair and efficient manner. She manages emotions and expectations, and, by engaging in an active risk analysis, she helps to achie...
Gunnar Benediktsson practises primarily in the areas of commercial and corporate litigation and insolvency and restructuring. Mr. Benediktsson has represented parties to commercial disputes throughout Alberta, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia, and has appeared before all levels of court in Alberta, and before the Court of Queen's Bench and Court of Appeal in Saskatchewan. As an insolvency and restructuring lawyer, Mr. Benediktsson has a range of experience representing court-appointed recei...
Dan Bennett's practice is focused in the areas of trial, arbitration, hearing and appeal work in commercial and administrative litigation. As a member of our litigation group, Mr. Bennett has conducted a broad range of cases in commercial, real estate, and natural resource matters in British Columbia, Alberta and Yukon superior courts and courts of appeal as well as the Federal Courts, including the Supreme Court of Canada. He also appears regularly before a number of administrative boards de...
Max R. Bernard focuses his practice on commercial litigation, construction law, commercial real estate, securities brokerage and banking. He has handled various types of commercial and contractual claims and shareholder remedies. Additionally, he has acted for securities brokers and negotiated construction contracts, including agreements with professional consultants. His expertise in real estate law extends to development, financing, work-outs, management and leasing. In the banking field, h...
Pierre Bienvenu, Ad. E. is a disputes lawyer with more than 35 years' experience in international commercial arbitration, corporate and commercial litigation, and constitutional law. He has acted as counsel or served as arbitrator in international arbitrations involving disputes in energy, transportation, telecommunications, mergers and acquisitions, construction, pharmaceuticals, international distribution and joint ventures, and foreign investment. A former co-chair of the IBA’s Arbit...
Patricia Blocksom, KC has been a partner with Dunphy Best Blocksom LLP since 1990. She is a skilled senior matrimonial lawyer and her practice emphasizes negotiation, mediation and arbitration resolutions to complex property, support, and custody settlements. Pat’s current practice focuses on mediation, arbitration in the family and estate law. She also advises on and prepares pre-nuptial, cohabitation and post-nuptial agreements. She has been a co-instructor for the Legal Education Soc...
Joëlle Boisvert is the Managing Partner of the firm's Montréal office and a member of the firm’s national executive team. As an experienced commercial litigator, Joëlle counsels large national and international companies with regards to a variety of complex dispute matters. During her 25-year career, she has developed extensive experience in class actions and litigation pertaining to commercial and real estate law, including in the areas of franchising, as well as manuf...
Dave Buffett has 40 plus years legal practice in the areas of civil litigation, personal injury, insurance law, criminal law, and employment law. His civil litigation practice has a heavy personal injury and insurance component, while his employment law practice includes acting as a labour arbitrator.Dave has appeared at all levels of Court including the Supreme Court of Canada, and is a graduate of Queen’s University Law School. He was admitted to the Newfoundland and Labrador Bar in 1...
Clare Burns is a senior trusts and estates litigator. She served as the Children's Lawyer for the Province of Ontario from 2003 to 2008 pursuant to an Order-in-Council appointment. As the Children's Lawyer, Clare's office was responsible to investigate, advocate, protect and represent persons under the age of 18 in proceedings before the courts and tribunals of Ontario. In this role, she supervised more than 11,000 cases including variations of trust, will challenges, passings of accounts, gu...
Cara Cameron is a partner in the Litigation practice. She has particular expertise with commercial and corporate litigation that involves shareholders rights’ disputes, white-collar investigations and defence, commercial fraud and recovery actions (including Anton Piller and asset freezing orders), as well as with multi-jurisdictional enforcement and liquidation proceedings. She has represented clients at both trial and appellate levels, including at the Supreme Court of Canada. Cara's ...
Ms. Carteri is a trial and appellate lawyer. She joined NST as a partner in 2016. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Carteri was a partner in the Vancouver office of a national law firm where she practiced for 14 years and where she was leader of the firm’s Vancouver office litigation group. In 2015, Ms. Carteri received the Lexpert Rising Stars: Leading Lawyers in Canada Under 40 Award which recognizes leading lawyers in the Canadian legal community. Ms. Carteri received Benchmark Canada's...
Mr. Casey has over 40 years of experience in commercial dispute resolution. He is a former Principal of Baker & McKenzie International and a former Chair of the Firm’s North American Disputes Group.Mr. Casey received a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Carleton University and graduated magna cum laude with his LL.B. from the University of Ottawa. He was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1976. He has practiced at all levels of the courts in Canada, including the Supreme Court of Cana...
Partner at Woods, Bodgan Catanu’s practice focuses on complex commercial disputes. He has extensive experience in high-stakes contractual matters, class actions, and corporate litigation. He has pleaded before the first instance and appeal tribunals of the province of Québec. He acted as lead counsel in several commercial arbitrations, notably a $200 million supplier–distributor UNCITRAL arbitration. He was recently co-lead counsel for certain bondholders of Nemaska Lithium...
Rachel Clément is a Lawyer, Partner and Co-chair of our Insurance Law Group. Her practice focuses on civil and professional liability matters, particularly on construction law. She represents insurance companies before the Quebec courts and her clients in various Alternative Dispute Resolution
James Coady is a Shareholder in Boughton Law’s Litigation Group. He is Director of Boughton Law and a former Director of Meritas, an association of 191 law firms worldwide. He has over 30 years’ litigation experience. His broad practice includes aboriginal, commercial and construction litigation. James is frequently involved in high profile and complex cases and has appeared before all levels of the Canadian court system. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2015 and is liste...
Jeff Cowan is recognized as one of Canada's leading public law litigators. He acts as counsel before administrative tribunals and the trial and appellate courts in many aspects of public law, including professional self-regulation and discipline, judicial review of government decision-making, freedom of information and privacy matters, municipal and provincial planning and environmental approvals, municipal assessment and taxation, health, education, alcohol and gaming, legislative drafting a...
Scott Dawson is a partner in the litigation department and a trial lawyer experienced in the resolution of a broad range of commercial disputes. He regularly appears before British Columbia Courts as part of his business-focused civil litigation practice. His cases cover a wide variety of commercial litigation issues including supply contracts, insurance / reinsurance, directors' fiduciary duties, international and domestic agency disputes, shareholder disputes and corporate reorganizations. ...
Luc Deshaies Ad. E. is a partner in the firm's Montréal office, practising in the areas of employment and labour law. He has, among other activities, acted for employers in collective and individual labour relations and occasionally for managers in dismissal matters. Throughout his practice Luc has acted before all judicial and administrative tribunals interested in labour matters in the province of Québec. Over the years, he has advised employers whose main activities are based...
Jeremy Devereux acts as an advocate and negotiator in a wide range of complex commercial and regulatory matters. His experience includes securities and financial services disputes, regulatory investigations and prosecutions, corporate and commercial litigation, class actions, employment law, estates litigation, mining law and administrative law. He has appeared as counsel before the Ontario courts, the Federal Court of Canada, and numerous tribunals and arbitration panels. Mr. Devereux freque...
Justin is the Principal of de VRIES LITIGATION LLP. Justin was a partner at Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP (now Dentons LLP) and a partner and counsel at Hull & Hull LLP. He is the founder of allaboutestates.ca; a popular collaborative blog on estate and trust matters. Justin is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), the Advocates’ Society, the Estate Planning Council of Toronto, and the Estate Planners’ Council of Halton. He has consistently been named ...
A scholar, teacher and leader in the Alberta legal community, Rhoda I. Dobler’s practice spans two and half decades, and includes mediation, arbitration, collaborative law and litigation. Her positive attitude, compassion and creativity guide her conflict resolution approach, making her a valued mediator and arbitrator. An ardent believer in the importance of identifying new talent and mentoring junior lawyers, Rhoda teaches the Bar Admission (CPLED) course annually, and speaks at semin...
Mike Donaldson, QC, has practiced energy, commercial, and securities litigation, and commercial arbitration in Calgary for over 25 years. He has extensive experience with claims in the electricity, oil & gas, midstream, petrochemical, and pulp & paper industries both before the courts and in complex commercial arbitrations. Mike has appeared as counsel in over 100 reported cases before all Alberta Courts, the Federal Court and Federal Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court of Canada, the ...
Stephen L. Drymer is head of Woods LLP’s International Arbitration group. Stephen practices exclusively in the area of domestic and international arbitration and alternative dispute resolution. He acts as counsel, and serves as arbitrator and mediator, in domestic and in international commercial and investment treaty disputes. Educated and trained in both the common law and the civil law, Stephen has represented parties and served as mediator, party-appointed arbitrator or president of ...
For more than 20 years I have been focused on the resolution of business disputes. Over that time, the arbitral proportion of my practice has increased progressively, such that it now comprises a high majority, involving complex matters typically with at least tens of millions of dollars at stake. In 2005, I obtained a Certificate in Arbitration from the Alberta Arbitration and Mediation Society (now the ADR Institute of Alberta) (ADRIA), based on 11 different relevant courses including 62 ho...
Valerie is a senior member of our Litigation Group and is a highly respected member of the litigation bar. In addition to her extensive experience as trial counsel, she has appeared as appellate counsel before both the Ontario Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada. With more than 25 years of experience at the Bar, Valerie has demonstrated established expertise in damages analysis, including business loss claims, business and share valuations, and real property valuations. She has ex...
Douglas Eyford, Q.C. is a civil litigation lawyer and negotiator. He provides insightful and strategic advice to businesses, governments, and First Nations. Doug was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2015. In civil litigation proceedings, he represents clients in negligence claims, defamation actions, contract disputes, fraud, product liability, railway law, and fire loss. He also acts for securities industry participants on matters relating to investment dealer litigation and regulatory enf...
Marc-André G. Fabien, Ad. E. is a seasoned litigator and Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers recognized for his mastery of high-profile complex litigation. He specializes in commercial and shareholders’ disputes, securities litigation and penal proceedings, and litigation involving federal, provincial and municipal bodies. In addition, he is the President of the Canadian Paralympic Committee. Marc-André appears before all levels of courts, including the Supreme...
Craig Ferris, QC is a litigator and acts for clients in commercial and business disputes. His particular areas of specialization include shareholder remedies, trust, pension and fiduciary disputes, securities and transactional litigation, product liability, mining disputes and real estate litigation. Craig has appeared in all levels of court in British Columbia as well as the Supreme Court of Canada. He has also acted in private arbitrations and in administrative settings including before the...
François Fontaine has a wealth of experience as a litigator in civil, corporate and commercial litigation and penal procedure, including white collar crime and regulatory investigations, before all Quebec courts and the Supreme Court of Canada. Mr. Fontaine devotes a significant portion of his practice to representing clients before the courts and tribunals in administrative litigation (including injunctions and judicial review). Mr. Fontaine has a great deal of experience in fraud and...
As founder and principal of Foster & Company, I oversee the firm’s practice and represent clients in commercial/complex litigation matters and in the investigation, management and resolution of insurance litigation throughout New Brunswick and Atlantic Canada. I also act as a mediator/facilitator in a broad range of litigation disputes. I came to Canada from the UK after secondary school, and studied French at both the Université de Québec à Chicoutimi and Memor...
Paul Fruitman’s commercial litigation practice focuses on contract disputes, health law, real estate, departing employee cases, shareholder disputes and product liability. He has extensive experience acting for healthcare institutions and professionals in civil and regulatory proceedings. He also regularly acts as counsel to corporate directors and officers and in shareholder disputes and oppression claims. Paul has appeared at all levels of court in Ontario, the Federal Court and the F...
The Honourable Clément Gascon joined Woods as Senior Counsel in the Spring of 2020. After a career of more than seventeen years in the Canadian judiciary, he returned to the private practice of law, which he had left in 2002. He uses his in-depth expertise and experience to guide and assist parties and their counsel in resolving disputes through arbitration at the national and international levels and acts as a strategic advisor in the insolvency, restructuring and litigation matters o...
Duncan W. Glaholt, FCIArb, C.Arb is the founder and a partner of the leading and nationally recognized construction law firm of Glaholt LLP, consistently peer rated as one of Canada’s most highly recommended mid-sized construction law practises. Mr. Glaholt is the recipient of the 2014 OBA Award of Excellence in Construction Law. Mr. Glaholt has been named one of Canada’s leading lawyers in the Construction Law category in the Lexpert/American Lawyer Media publication: “Lead...
Rahat Godil is a business-minded litigator with a diverse practice focusing on complex and high-value commercial and contractual disputes. She is a strategic thinker and leader committed to excellence, professionalism and inclusiveness. Rahat has significant commercial arbitration experience and regularly represents clients in both international and domestic institutional and ad hoc arbitrations. Rahat also has substantial experience with joint venture and shareholder disputes, multi-party di...
Ian Gosselin handles complex litigations, primarily in construction law and product liability. He has extensive experience in commercial litigation and is also involved in the defence of class actions. Mr. Gosselin has frequently pleaded before civil courts and arbitration tribunals and has cumulated more than 500 days before the courts over the course of his career. He also acts as mediator in civil and commercial disputes. Due to his considerable experience in construction and engineering, ...
Matthew Gottlieb practises business litigation including corporate and commercial disputes, insolvency and restructuring and fraud and securities litigation. Matt’s extensive track record of success in complex, high-stakes disputes explains why he has been recognized as one of Canada’s top litigation lawyers. He has significant expertise in trials, applications, tribunals and arbitrations and regularly appears at all levels of court in Ontario and other provinces, the Federal Cour...
Angus Gunn is a barrister who concentrates on the resolution of commercial disputes. His practice emphasizes (a) civil appellate litigation matters; (b) appointments as counsel and arbitrator in international and domestic commercial arbitration proceedings; and (c) counsel in judicial review and other administrative law matters. He blends a traditional litigation practice with extensive experience in alternative dispute resolution. He is a member of the Law Society of British Columbia and the...
Susan Gunter, partner since 2002 at Dutton Brock LLP, holds an LLM in Civil Litigation (Osgoode), an LLB (UNB), and was called to the Ontario Bar in 1996. She is recognized in The Best Lawyers in Canada (Products Liability Law, Insurance Law and Personal Injury Litigation). Her litigation practice defends domestic and international corporations and insurers. She has appeared before federal and provincial tribunals, at all levels of court in Ontario and at the Federal Court of Canada. She is c...
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Mr. Halt graduated as the gold medal recipient from the University of Saskatchewan in 1986 and in 1988-89 he had the honour of serving as a law clerk to Madam Justice Bertha Wilson of the Supreme Court of Canada. Following his clerkship, Mr. Halt relocated to Calgary and has since practised civil litigation, including insurance with an emphasis on professional liability, corporate commercial litigation, securities litigation, franchise litigation, insolvency, construc...
Kevin has practiced almost exclusively family law for over 25 years. His more recent litigation has been at the appellate level but his practice has shifted to representing a few private clients and acting as mediator (most often with counsel present) and arbitrator (often of longer, more complicated arbitrations). His articles/papers on family law issues have been published by the Lawyer's Weekly and he is a regular contributor to the continuing legal education of Alberta's family bar throug...
Douglas Harrison is an independent commercial arbitrator and mediator, handling both international and domestic Canadian business disputes. He also acts as legal counsel in select matters, including designing arbitral procedures and enforcing arbitral awards, as well as doing opinion work. Mr. Harrison is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a member of the CPR Panels of Distinguished Neutrals as both an arbitrator and mediator (Global Panel, Product Liability Panel and Pro Bon...
Collin is a partner at the Saskatoon office with experience in construction contracts, tendering, construction litigation and dispute resolution, security enforcement, and professional discipline. Collin’s practice and legal experience includes advice to and legal representation of provincial and national corporations, provincial and municipal governments, boards of education, financial institutions, and professionals in the areas of dispute resolution, construction, professional neglig...
Geoff Holub is a partner in the Litigation & Dispute Resolution Group. His practice focuses on the areas of civil and commercial litigation and arbitration, with an emphasis on oil and gas, construction and manufacturer's liability. Geoff has acted for companies, shareholders, directors and officers in a wide variety of corporate and securities disputes, including directors’ and officers’ liability, oppression, dissent rights and corporate opportunity cases. Geoff is involved ...
Ian Hull co-founded the firm with his father, Rodney Hull, in 1998. Ian also maintains a mediation practice through Hull Estate Mediation Inc. Ian is a lecturer at the Ontario Bar Admission Course and guest lecturer for the Canadian Bar Association and the Law Society of Upper Canada. Ian is also the author of numerous articles and has written four books on estate law issues. All books and articles can be found on our website .
Clarke Hunter has practised litigation and dispute resolution since 1980, following a clerkship with Chief Justice Laskin at the Supreme Court of Canada. He has represented clients in domestic and international arbitrations and mediations, at all levels of the courts in Alberta, in the courts of two other provinces, and in the Federal Court, the Tax Court and the Supreme Court of Canada. The disputes on which Mr. Hunter has acted have involved a broad range of subject matters, including abori...
Mr. Israel has practiced exclusively in the areas of Employment and Labour Law since his call to the Bar in 1978. He has appeared successfully before every level of Court including the Ontario Court of Appeal as well as the Supreme Court of Canada. He has been named as one of Canada’s Most Frequently Recommended employment lawyers by The Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory every year since its inception in 1998 as well as by The Lexpert®/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 La...
Carsten is a founding member and senior partner of JSS Barristers, the largest civil litigation boutique law firm in western Canada. His practice emphasizes complex and multi-party corporate and commercial litigation, commercial class actions, oil & gas litigation including royalty, environmental and CAPL issues, shareholder disputes, advising creditors and others in insolvency matters and professional negligence claims. During a leave of absence from JSS Barristers, he served as Senior L...
Randy J. Kaardal, K.C. is a senior litigator handling a wide range of commercial litigation for clients in the financial, mining, forestry, and manufacturing sectors. He has conducted hearings before all levels of Court in Canada, including the Supreme Court of British Columbia, the British Columbia Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada. He also regularly appears before various administrative tribunals including the B.C. Securities Commission, the Federal and Provincial Human Rights...
Alex Kotkas is a leading, senior litigator at Fasken with extensive trial and appellate experience. Appearing as litigation and arbitration counsel and as an advocate before a variety of statutory boards and tribunals, he provides practical advice and outstanding advocacy in high stakes litigation. He is the founder and former Leader of the firm’s Litigation & Dispute Resolution group in Calgary.
Environmental law is dynamic and as an experienced environmental and regulatory lawyer, Ron Kruhlak, K.C. enjoys the challenges of handling new environmental projects with novel issues. His focus is on resource development applications and commercial disputes. He has a knowledge base that covers a broad range of environmental matters, including energy, regulatory, and construction-related projects and conflicts. On the resource side, Ron assists with current and emerging issues in sectors inc...
Jonathan Lancaster’s litigation practice is focused on corporate commercial litigation, commercial real estate litigation, lease arbitrations, banking law, product liability litigation, professional negligence and estate litigation. Jonathan has a broad commercial real estate and estate litigation practice. Acting successfully as counsel in Ontario cases, Jonathan has advised on a broad array of real estate litigation issues, including mortgagee and tenant rights/priorities, rights of f...
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