Mary E. Comeau
Mary E. Comeau, FCIArb
Vancouver Arbitration Chambers, British Columbia (BC), Western Arbitration Chambers, Vancouver, BC (British Columbia), CA (Canada)
VanIAC Panel(s) : Appeal Tribunal, Domestic Arbitration, International Arbitration
Practice Areas : Construction, Corporate Commercial, Energy, Indigenous, Life Sciences (Biotech, Pharma & Medical Devices), Mergers, Acquisitions, and Joint Ventures
Mary was a senior commercial litigator, with over 25 year’s experience as arbitration counsel in complex commercial dispute resolution, focusing on oil and gas, electricity and mining matters. A graduate of the University of Calgary Faculty of Law (Gold Medalist 1989) she started her career at Macleod Dixon, which merged with Norton Rose in 2011, now Norton Rose Fulbright, where she retired as Senior Partner and Litigation Practice Group Leader December 31, 2017. On January 1, 2018 she joined Western Arbitration Chambers as an independent neutral. In May, 2022 she moved to Vancouver and joined Vancouver Arbitration Chambers as an independent neutral. She has enjoyed the transition from advocate to adjudicator and has sat as sole arbitrator and as a Tribunal member, including as Chair.
Dispute Resolution Experience and TrainingMary has practiced in the arbitration field since the early 1990’s and has extensive experience as counsel in commercial arbitration. As arbitrator she has decided matters ranging from pipeline development disputes to hard rock mining issues to construction matters. She has sat as sole arbitrator as well as on three member panels, including as Chair. She is appointed to numerous rosters and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in London, England. She is a sought-after speaker in the field and is co-chair of the ICDR Canada Advisory Committee. She has numerous awards and recognitions, including being recognized by Best Lawyers as the 2023 Lawyer of the Year in International Arbitration in Vancouver.
Professional and Other Activities- ADR Institute of Alberta and Vancouver
- ADR Institute of Canada (Director 2006-2017, President’s Award 2017)
- Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Fellow
- ICDR Canada Advisory Committee
- Western Canada Commercial Arbitration Society (Director 2014 – present)
- Canadian Journal of Commercial Arbitration; Editorial Advisory Board
- Theatre Calgary (Director, Secretary 2015-2017)
- St. Mary’s University (Board of Governors 2014 – present, President’s Search Committee 2022)
- University of Calgary, B.S.W. 1986
- University of Calgary, LL.B 1989 (Gold Medal)
- Admitted to the Alberta Bar 1990
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