Best Lawyers in Canada for International Arbitration

Christian Leblanc is first and foremost a litigator. He has extensive experience with respect to commercial and intellectual property litigation, including class actions and arbitrations. Christian has been appointed as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL), one of the most prestigious legal associations in North America. This is a testimony to the highest standards of trial advocacy, ethical conduct, integrity, professionalism and collegiality displays with his clients and...

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 ...

Perry R. Mack, K.C. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Alternative Dispute Resolution, Appellate Practice, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Construction Law, Corporate and Commercial Litigation, Director and Officer Liability Practice, Insurance Law, International Arbitration and Personal Injury Litigation. Perry R., who practices law in Calgary, Alberta, has been recognized since 2006. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting t...

Andrew received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Waterloo in 1998, where he achieved Dean's List standing. He then obtained his Bachelor of Laws degree from Dalhousie University in Halifax in 2001. He again achieved Dean's List standing and was the recipient of numerous scholarships and awards. Andrew was called to the Alberta bar in 2002. After completing his articles Andrew obtained his Master of Laws degree from Queens' College, Cambridge University, England ...

The Honourable François Rolland, Ad. E. is senior counsel, mediator and arbitrator in Langlois lawyers’ litigation group in Montréal. Mr. Rolland was a Justice of the Superior Court of Québec from 1996 to 2015, and Chief Justice from 2004 to 2015. He presided numerous trials in all areas of the law, including commercial law, class actions, insolvency and corporate reorganizations, as well as matrimonial disputes. He also presided many settlement conferences in civil...

Rick Dearden, a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, is a senior litigation partner in the firm's Ottawa office, practising primarily in the areas of international trade, investor-state arbitration, media and defamation law, freedom of information and administrative law. Rick’s accomplishments have also been recognized in the Best Lawyers in Canada ( International Trade; Defamation and Media Law ) ; Lexpert Guide To The Leading U.S./Canada Cross-Border Litigation Lawyers; Be...

A partner at Woods LLP, Eric serves a wide range of industries, including financial services and natural resources. He also handles employment-related matters for employers as well as senior management. Eric is a frequent author and speaker on topics such as evidence, civil procedure and international arbitration. An accomplished trial and appellate lawyer, Eric has developed a particular expertise in domestic and international arbitration. His experience includes acting for Canada in the NAF...

Rob is the National Leader of the Firm's Arbitration Group. He is also an elected member of the Firm’s Partnership Board (2013-2020, and 2022-present) and Chair of the International Committee. Rob is recognized nationally and internationally as a leading counsel in commercial litigation, international and domestic commercial arbitration, and intellectual property litigation, among other areas. As litigation counsel, Rob has litigated complex cases throughout Canada and at all levels of ...

Rahat Godil is a business-minded litigator with a diverse practice focusing on complex commercial litigation and domestic and international arbitration. Rahat regularly handles high-value and business-critical contractual and commercial disputes, multi-party and multi-jurisdiction or international disputes, joint venture disputes, shareholder and director disputes, and oppression claims. She has significant commercial arbitration experience and represents clients in both institutional and ad ...

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...

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...

Tracey Cohen, KC is a leading commercial litigation and dispute resolution Partner in the Vancouver office. Tracey has been recognized for expertise in Corporate and Commercial Litigation, Securities Litigation and International and Commercial Arbitration and has repeatedly been recognized as one of Canada’s top 25 female litigators. Tracey was appointed as Queen’s Counsel in 2015 and was admitted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers in March 2019, and a Fellow of ...

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...

Matthew (Matt) Ghikas, FCIArb is a leading energy and regulatory counsel who is also available to act as arbitrator or mediator in energy, natural resource and other commercial disputes. He has practiced law for over 25 years, primarily in British Columbia but also in proceedings across western Canada. He has been a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb) since 2018, is a roster arbitrator for arbitral institutions and has acted as arbitrator in a variety of matters. Matt ha...

Chris Kent is a founding partner of Cassidy Levy Kent (Canada) LLP and is widely considered as one of Canada’s premier trade law counsel. Who’s Who Legal identifies Mr. Kent as a Global Elite Thought Leader, and Chambers Canada, in ranking him in Band 1, calls Mr. Kent an “eminent figure” and “one of the most effective members” of the Canadian trade bar. His experience covers the full range of trade remedy work in Canada, and the United States. Chris has be...

Greg Kanargelidis has more than 30 years of experience practicing in the areas of customs, international trade, and commodity tax law. In 2022 Greg opened his own law practice after a rewarding career at a large full-service firm based in Toronto, Ontario, the last 26 years as a partner and head of the firm’s International Trade Group. Greg is recognized as one of the leading international trade and customs lawyers in Canada and the world. Greg has extensive experience representing Cana...