Arbitration Expertise

Blakes is a leader in domestic and international arbitration. For the past nine years, Benchmark Litigation has recognized Blakes as the Canadian "Arbitration Firm of the Year," and our lawyers are consistently recognized by various publications as leaders in their field. Our diverse Arbitration team advises and represents clients in complex, high-value arbitrations across a broad range of industries and sectors.

We advise and act as counsel in both domestic arbitrations and institutional international arbitrations conducted under the rules of the world’s leading international arbitration institutions, such as the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR), the Vancouver International Arbitration Centre (VanIAC – formerly, BCICAC) and under the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Arbitration Rules and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Convention Rules. We are adept in selecting the right arbitrators, negotiating the appropriate procedures, articulating complicated arguments and conducting all aspects of complex arbitration.

A Canadian law firm with global reach and language capabilities that include English, French, Mandarin, Arabic, German, Italian and Spanish, among others, we offer a strategic advantage for clients operating in or across North America, Europe, Asia and other international jurisdictions. We are often engaged to resolve choice of law/venue issues, advise on arbitration clauses, take evidence in foreign proceedings and enforce foreign judgments.

Our group includes fellows of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, chartered arbitrators and members of the arbitration panels of such institutions as the ICC and the ICDR.

We are committed to improving diversity and inclusion within our Firm and the wider arbitration community. We have signed the International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution’s Diversity Commitment and the Equal Representation in Arbitration Pledge, and we are constantly seeking opportunities to educate ourselves and expand our efforts in this area.

We are regularly sought out for our experience in a wide variety of industries, including:

Mining – Canadian and international mining companies in mine ownership, control and operations disputes
Energy – Leading energy companies in disputes between companies in the regulatory realm and governments regarding virtually every aspect of energy law
Technology – Clients on software development and licensing, and arbitrating royalty and misuse disputes between developers and end users
Cannabis – Domestic and international producers and distributors regarding disputes over product supply and processing
Insurance – Domestic and international policyholders and underwriters in complex commercial insurance disputes, including arbitrations under large property and liability insurance programs
Construction/Infrastructure – Owners, developers and suppliers in some of the largest projects in the country
Public Authorities – Government agencies for highly sensitive disputes where the public interest is at issue
Hospitality – Hotel owners and management companies in ownership and management disputes
International Commercial Disputes – Clients in international contract disputes, under the ICC Rules and otherwise
Investor-State – Clients in arbitrations under the former North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Chapter 11 and bilateral and multilateral investment treaties, pursuant to the ICSID Convention and under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules