• About Mediation
• About Arbitration
• My Background
• My Approach
• What to Mediate
• Testimonials
• Costs
• Contact
• Home

I grew up in Southern Ontario (Niagara Falls) where I was an undistinguished journeyman athlete in a number of different sports.  These days I confine myself to golf, and am a member, former Club Captain, and current Director at Point Grey Golf Club in Vancouver.

My undergraduate training was in mathematics and computer science at the University of Waterloo where I received a B. Math. degree.  As an undergraduate, and for a period of time thereafter, I worked in what was then known as the data processing industry.

My work involved large main frame computers, and at various times I was based in Waterloo, Toronto and Montreal.  My true interest, however, lay in the legal world, and I returned to law school where I received my degree from the University of Toronto in 1975.

I articled with a large firm in Vancouver, was called to the Bar in British Columbia in 1976, and have been a member of the Law Society since that time.

As a lawyer, I worked primarily as defence counsel appointed by various insurers, especially in coverage matters, but also conducted Plaintiff's cases and commercial disputes of various kinds.

In addition to my experience as counsel I have undertaken extensive formal mediation training and study through:

            Continuing Legal Education
            The Justice Institute of British Columbia
            The Court Mediation Program
            The American Bar Association
            The Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School, and
            The Harvard Insight Initiative.

Beginning in 2003, I have conducted hundreds of mediations in a variety of areas ranging from employment disputes to construction claims to contested coverage matters to personal injury cases to professional malpractice.

For many years I operated a small downtown law firm but in 2008 I closed the office in order to concentrate my efforts on mediation, and by the fall of 2011 had resolved or transferred conduct of all my litigation files.  Since then I have acted solely as a mediator.

I am currently a director, and chair of the Roster Committee, for Mediate BC, the  body responsible for maintaining and regulating Rosters of qualified mediators available for appointment pursuant to a Notice to Mediate, or voluntary selection by the parties.

I continue to study and reflect upon the skills, techniques and art that make up the practice of mediation, and have also received training as an arbitrator and am a former member of the British Columbia Arbitration and Mediation Institute.