Robert Marc Nelson
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Robert Marc Nelson was a Canadian lawyer, mediator, author, and former senior partner at Gowling WLG. He is recognized for his contributions to the development and promotion of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in Canada and internationally. Nelson served as Executive Director of the ADR Institute of Canada and played a leading role in establishing ADR systems in Russia and Albania through World Bank–funded initiatives.
Early Life and Education
[edit]Nelson received his LL.B. from Queen’s University Faculty of Law in 1969, where he was awarded the Tricolour Award for outstanding contribution to the university community[1]. He was called to the Ontario Bar in 1971.[2]
Legal Career
[edit]Gowling WLG
[edit]Nelson joined Gowling & Henderson (now Gowling WLG) in Ottawa and became a senior partner. Over a legal career spanning more than 35 years, he appeared before all levels of court in Ontario and before the Supreme Court of Canada.[3] From 2005-2006, he was the President of the County of Carleton Law Association.
In 1993, he represented interveners including the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops in the landmark Supreme Court case Rodriguez v. British Columbia (AG), which upheld Canada’s prohibition on assisted suicide by a narrow 5–4 decision.[4]
Alternative Dispute Resolution Work
[edit]Nelson served as Executive Director of the ADR Institute of Canada (ADRIC), the national body for professional dispute resolution practitioners in Canada. He helped standardize mediation and arbitration practices and contributed to national training and credentialing programs.[3][5]
Albania
[edit]In 2002–2003, Nelson led a World Bank–sponsored project to establish a commercial ADR framework in Albania, executed by Gowlings. under the Ministry of Justice. His team worked on four central deliverables: drafting arbitration and mediation legislation; forming the Commercial ADR Centre in Tirana; conducting comprehensive training for Albanian lawyers and mediators; and developing a business and marketing plan to ensure the Centre’s sustainability.[6]
In June 2002, Nelson and his team established the Centre’s board of local legal professionals. Over summer of 2002, the team prepared draft arbitration and mediation laws aligned with the UNCITRAL Model Law. These drafts were submitted to the Ministry of Justice and later debated by the Albanian Parliament. The Parliament passed Law 9090 on June 26, 2003, extending mediation to commercial disputes, marking one of the earliest national adoptions of the UNCITRAL model. A basic training program occurred in September 2002, followed by advanced training and a graduation ceremony in October, attended by the Deputy Minister of Justice, World Bank, and embassy representatives.[6] On June 5, 2003, the Commercial ADR Centre opened officially, with full operational infrastructure. The initiative, which aligned with the UNCITRAL Model Law framework, was widely covered by Albanian media, signaling a major milestone in legal reform.[7][6][8]
Russia
[edit]In 1999, Nelson became Project Director for Gowlings under the World Bank’s Legal Reform Project in the Russian Federation, securing a US $2.8 million contract to advise the Russian Foundation for Legal Reform on ADR incorporation.[5] His responsibilities included leading national-level ADR training programs targeting judges, lawyers, court administrators, and trainers to introduce mediation and arbitration methods. He advised on legal and institutional frameworks, designing court protocols and policies to integrate ADR alongside judicial and case-management reforms. The project was one component of a broader World Bank initiative (1996–2005) aimed at modernizing legal drafting, court administration, and dispute resolution practices.[9]
A 2006 Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) report rated the overall legal reform project Satisfactory, noting sustainable growth in judicial education and ADR awareness, though institutional uptake remained moderate. ADR modules were integrated into judicial training curricula, and a local cadre of ADR trainers emerged across multiple regions. Nelson’s project laid the groundwork for ADR institutionalization in Russian courts, contributing to increased rule-of-law capacity and model procedural integration.[10][8][11]
Publications
[edit]Nelson authored Nelson on ADR (2003) – A widely referenced Canadian handbook on alternative dispute resolution, published by Carswell. The book is cited in many academic bibliographies and used in ADR training across Canadian universities.[12][13]
Referenced
[edit]- ^ "Tricolour Society | University Rector". www.queensu.ca. Retrieved 2025-07-13.
- ^ "Robert M. Nelson Profile | Ottawa, ON Lawyer | Martindale.com". www.martindale.com. Retrieved 2025-07-13.
- ^ a b RGSL (2011-05-09). "Guest lecture by Rob Nelson on „Alternative Dispute Resolution and the Rule of Law"". Riga Graduate School of Law. Retrieved 2025-07-13.
- ^ "Supreme Court of Canada | 23476". www.scc-csc.ca. Retrieved 2025-07-13.
- ^ a b Staff, Centretown (2000-03-17). "Local lawyer teaches legal reform to Russian officials". Centretown News. Retrieved 2025-07-13.
- ^ a b c Weiler (2003). "Albania Commercial ADR Centre Project – Update" (PDF). ADRIC.
- ^ Nelson (2002). "Albania Commercial ADR Centre Project" (PDF). ADRIC.
- ^ a b "Appendix F: Training Case–World Bank ADR Project in Albania" (PDF). world bank: 124–130.
- ^ "Gowlings Awarded Major World Bank-Financed Project in Russia". www.lexpert.ca. Retrieved 2025-07-13.
- ^ "ICR Review" (PDF). world bank.
- ^ "Russian Federation - Legal Reform Project". World Bank. Retrieved 2025-07-13.
- ^ Reginald, Guy (2013). "University of Calgary Law Bibliography" (PDF).
- ^ "Nelson on ADR | WorldCat.org". search.worldcat.org. Retrieved 2025-07-13.
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