Canadian Advisory Committee

The Honourable Mr. Justice James B. Chadwick, Q.C.

Former Justice of the Superior Court of Justice of the Province of Ontario, Mediation and Arbitration Specialist

Justice Chadwick has extensive experience in civil and criminal law gained from 24 years in private practice followed by 15 years as a highly respected judge of the Superior Court of Justice of the Province of Ontario. Prior to the inception of Legal Aid Ontario, Justice Chadwick managed the provision of pro bono legal services in the Province of Ontario. He later sat as a member and then as the Chair (1981-83) of the Ontario Legal Aid Plan. In addition, he chaired the Legal Aid Clinical Funding Committee for many years during the 1970's. Justice Chadwick has been very active in justice system reform in Canada. While serving as Regional Senior Justice of the East Region of Ontario from 1994 to 2000, he pioneered the pilot project of Mandatory Mediation and Case Management in Ottawa, which was eventually adopted into the Ontario Rules of Civil Procedure. In recognition of his contribution to reforms of the justice system he was presented with an Honourary Doctor of Laws degree by the Law Society of Upper Canada in 2004. Justice Chadwick has been a strong advocate for the use of alternative dispute resolution procedures to ease the burden on the courts and currently works as a mediator, arbitrator and facilitator. Justice Chadwick has been a presenter and lecturer on Case Management, Civil Court Reform and Mandatory Mediation, in Mexico, the Caribbean, and other countries. His expertise in court administration and procedural reform has been widely sought after in Canada and internationally.

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