Introduction
The Canadian Academy of Distinguished Neutrals is an invitation-only professional association whose membership consists of mediators & arbitrators distinguished by their hands-on experience in the field of civil & commercial dispute resolution
Affiliated with the US-based National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals, we're proud to assist
thousands of North American law firms each month. See YOUTUBE video below for an overview of our organization:
History of the National Academy
With over 1000 members throughout the United States, NADN is the most respected and trafficked public roster of experienced ADR practitioners available online in the world.
Our American association was established in 2008 following a conference of the committees of several statewide associations, including:
- Florida Circuit-Civil Mediator Society
- California Academy of Distinguished Neutrals
- North Carolina Academy of Superior Court Mediators
- Georgia Academy of Mediators & Arbitrators
- Tennessee Academy of Mediators & Arbitrators
The Academy makes our roster of litigator-rated mediators and arbitrators available at no cost to visiting law firms - staff can simply search our website for professionals with pertinent case experience, ADR expertise, or browse by preferred state.
The Academy's members are then contacted directly, or appointments scheduled online, with no consulting or administrative fees charged. There is clear demand from lawyers, corporate counsel, adjustors and individual parties to know more specific information about a given neutral: their experience, qualifications & certifications, language skills, the types of litigation they have previously successfully mediated/arbitrated, and so on.
Our Academy website allows visitors to find these most experienced ADR professionals, as widely approved by local litigation firms, and expedites the scheduling process for both mediators/arbitrators and their clients.
In May 2013, both the DRI (Defence Research Institute, www.DRI.org) and AAJ (American Association for Justice, www.Justice.org) approved NADN as an industry partner (see Press Release). NADN continues to sponsor both organizations, promoting the NADN roster to their combined membership of over 40,000 litigators via ongoing advertising in their flagship national magazines. The DRI's national website includes a 'bespoke' version of the NADN database, the DRI Neutrals Database (news link). NADN also put in place a biennial survey process which allows us to assess which civil mediators and arbitrators are most widely acceptable to both the plaintiff and defence bars in each state.
Following extensive research and firm outreach between 2013-2015, NADN was able to expand our roster to include members in every state across the U.S. As of 2020, NADN has 42 formal State Chapters, each overseen by a local Executive Comittee.
National Survey of Litigation Firms
- Step 1: CADN reviews practice & experience level of candidates
- Step 2: Peer votes sought from our Exec Committee
- Step 3: Nominees contacted, asked to submit materials
- Step 4: Due diligence phone interviews with recent clients
- Step 5: Final Committee Review for each province
2020: The Canadian Academy
We’re pleased to announce our Canadian Charter Member list, following 6 months of research and due diligence interviews. Our members are amongst the most respected and in-demand civil, commercial and labour ADR professionals across Canada.
Beginning in September 2019, CADN undertook a survey of over 800 trial and defense lawyers across more than 600 firms. We asked lawyers to name their “go to” mediators & arbitrators, across many different fields of civil practice. This survey - the largest ever under undertaken in Canada - allowed us to isolate names of ADR professionals widely trusted by BOTH sides of the Bar.
Our Canadian Academy charter roster was finalized JUNE 2020, with the launch of our national portal, www.Mediators.ca and our provincial chapter sites, www.OntarioMediators.org, www.BCMediators.org, www.AlbertaMediators.org, and www.AtlanticMediators.org.
CADN's member roster is promoted through advertising and sponsorships with prominent legal associations and publications throughout the country, including the Advocates Society, the Ontario Bar and BC Trial Lawyers associations.
ANNUAL PEER VOTES, REVIEW & INDUCTIONS
CADN’s roster will be locked down for each calendar year, with new members inducted in January. Beyond 2020, membership to CADN will remain invite only, with nominees put forward by 2 peer votes. Such nominees must be found to meet all Academy criteria, proving themselves acceptable to the local litigation community. Inductions are subject to final approval by our Executive Director and provincial Executive Committee Members.