Janet Walker

Overview

Janet Walker is an independent arbitrator and member of Int Arb Arbitrators & Mediators at the International Arbitration Centre, London as well Arbitration Place in Toronto and Sydney Arbitration Chambers in Australia.

She is on the panel of foreign arbitrators of AIAC, ACICA, BVI-IAC, CIETAC, HKIAC, AAA-ICDR, JCAA, Juris, KCAB, SCIA, SHIAC, SIAC and Ukrainian Chamber and has served as sole, presiding, and co-arbitrator in ICC, AAA-ICDR, DIAC, HKIAC, SIAC, KCAB and in ad hoc arbitrations in a variety of seats across US and Canada, Asia Pacific, Middle-East and UK.

Janet has experience across a range of industries with disputes often relating to construction and infrastructure projects, environmental and agricultural manufacturing, heavy equipment, supply and distribution agreements, licenses, franchises, intellectual property infringements, finance, mergers and acquisitions, shareholder and employment disputes.

She is the Chair of ICC Canada and has been a member since 2001, and a member of the Arbitration Roundtable of Toronto (now Toronto Commercial Arbitration Society) since 2004; and of the CIArb Canada Board (founding chair of Toronto chapter in 2004). She has been recognized regularly in legal directories for her skill as an arbitrator since 2010, including in Who’s Who Legal Canada, Who’s Who Arbitration and Chambers & Partners. She was the 2018 recipient of the CIArb Canada Award for Distinguished Service.

Janet was a member of the ICCA2018 Sydney Executive Organizing Committee; a co-chair of the ILA2006 Toronto 72nd Biennial Conference; and a co-chair of the IAPL2009 Toronto Conference. In 2019, Janet gave the annual Jean-Gabriel Castel Lecture on “International Commercial Arbitration in an Era of Transparency.”

She is a professor of law and past associate dean of Osgoode Hall Law School, York University. In 2020, Janet received the title of Distinguished Research Professor from York University for her commitment to excellence, and international leadership in the fields of private international law, procedural law, comparative law and international commercial arbitration.

Janet also authors the main private international law text in Canada, which, during her authorship has become the most cited private law work in Canadian courts, relied on in more than 350 decisions, including 70 appellate decisions and 15 Supreme Court of Canada decisions.

She was a founding member of ICC Canada; Toronto Commercial Arbitration Society, CIArb Toronto Chapter (founding chair) and subsequently Board Member of the Chapter and Branch, Young Canadian Arbitration Practitioners (founding advisor), and ArbitralWomen; and member of LCIA, IBA, IPBA, ICCA and the Worshipful Company of Arbitrators.

Janet has also served as arbitrator at the Vis Moot since 2001, and coached teams from 2001-2014, including the prevailing team in 2004. Since 2010, she has been among the Canadian arbitrators listed in legal directories, including Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration (London and Canada) and Chambers & Partners.

CIArb Chartered Arbitrator and a member of the ILA Committee on International Commercial Arbitration.

Practice Areas

Construction
Heavy Equipment
Mergers & Acquisitions
Shareholder Disputes
Intellectual Property
Environment
Finance
Employment

Appointments

Membership details