Stephen L. Drymer heads Woods LLP’s Arbitration practice. A litigator and advocate by background and experience, Stephen is a leading figure in domestic and international arbitration and dispute resolution. He acts as counsel and serves as mediator, arbitrator and tribunal president under the laws of jurisdictions throughout Canada and abroad, in ad hoc proceedings and in cases administered by the world’s most prominent arbitral institutions.

Stephen also advises parties on a broad range of issues associated with the design, negotiation, drafting and implementation of dispute resolution agreements and strategies. Within the practice areas noted above, Stephen has worked with clients and parties in a wide range of industries and businesses including manufacturing, infrastructure, pulp and paper, petrochemicals, oil and gas, mining, renewables, environment, outsourcing, aviation, aerospace and crop science.

Stephen is also very active in the resolution of sport-related disputes, among other, in cases before the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada (SDRCC) and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne. In addition to extensive work as counsel, he has served as arbitrator and or in numerous cases involving a wide range of issues and sports.

Listed in the world’s top legal directories as a leader in arbitration and alternative dispute resolution, and a frequent lecturer, Stephen is among the most sought-after arbitrators in Canada and internationally.

See above

Institutional panels of arbitrators and mediators, including: 

• American Arbitration Association (AAA) / International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR)
• China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC)
• Thailand Arbitration Centre (THAC)
• Japan Commercial Arbitration Association (JCAA)
• Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)
• Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada (SDRCC)
• ICC Canada (the Canadian National Committee of the ICC)

 Teaching and Professional Activities  

• McGill University Faculty of Law, Guest Lecturer: International Dispute Resolution
• McGill University Faculty of Law, Guest Lecturer: Sport Law and Arbitration
• Former VP, Arbitration Committee, International Bar Association (IBA)
• Former Director, Canada branch of the International Law Association ILA
• Former President, Montreal Branch and Honorary Adviser to the United Nations Association in Canada (UNA Canada)
• Canada Delegate to United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Working Group II, Revision of the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules (2008-2010)
• Governor of the Quebec Bar Foundation

 Professional Associations 

• Canadian Bar Association (CBA)
• American Bar Association (ABA)
• International Bar Association (IBA)
• International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA)
• Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb)
• London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA)
• ICC Canada
• CAIL/ITA Center for American and International Law (Institute for Transnational Arbitration)
• College of Commercial Arbitration (CCA)
• Toronto Commercial Arbitration Society (TCAS)

McGill University, Faculty of Law, Bachelor of Civil Law (B.C.L.) and Common Law (LL.B.), 1990
Canadian Securities Institute, The Canadian Securities Course, 1983
Yale University, Bachelor of Arts – Political Science (B.A.), 1983