Douglas F. Harrison
ARBITRATOR | MEDIATOR | COUNSEL
Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
Member of the Law Society of Ontario
testimonials | awards
Chambers - Global
Chambers - Global
"Douglas Harrison is an exceptional, experienced arbitrator in construction and commercial disputes. He is fair, efficient, pragmatic and independent. I highly recommend him."
"Mr Harrison is an exceptional arbitrator."
"He is first-rate."
Chambers - Canada
Chambers - Global
"Douglas Harrison is a lawyer's lawyer and very experienced with commercial disputes. He was diligent, knew the file and had very good business sense."
"Douglas Harrison is an experienced mediator and arbitrator with an ability to handle complex commercial disputes."
Lexology Index
Douglas Harrison is an experienced arbitrator lauded for his "smooth handling of cases" as well as his "very relatable approach" and "strong legal abilities".
"Douglas is an excellent arbitrator with significant experience in the field."
Best Lawyers - Canada
Best Lawyers - Canada
Best Lawyers - Canada
Best Lawyers - Canada
Best Lawyers - Canada
Best Lawyers - Canada
Best Lawyers - Canada
Best Lawyers - Canada
Experience | Expertise | Recognition
Experience
Mr. Harrison has acted as a presiding arbitrator, co-arbitrator and sole arbitrator in numerous ad hoc arbitrations and in arbitrations under the rules of the AAA, ADR Institute of Canada, Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, ICC, ICDR, ICDR Canada, and National Automobile Dealer Arbitration Program. His recent arbitration appointments have involved disputes over consulting agreements, distributorships, insurance coverage, land development, license agreements, share purchase agreements, shareholder rights, and supply agreements, in a range of sectors including agribusiness, automotive, biomedical, consumer products, energy, financial services, heavy manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, public infrastructure, sports and tourism.
Expertise
Before starting his independent arbitration and mediation practice in 2018, Mr. Harrison spent over 30 years as a litigation lawyer with Stikeman Elliott LLP in Toronto. His practice with the firm spanned a wide range of corporate and commercial disputes and topics, in a variety of industries including aerospace, chemicals, consumer products, financial services, food processing, logistics, manufacturing, media, mining, and pharmaceuticals. His practice also included environmental law, product liability, defamation, professional liability, insolvency, and directors and officers insurance. He handled numerous arbitral and mediation mandates as counsel, and was also involved in the enforcement of international commercial and investor-state arbitral awards. He was also Vice-Chair of the firm's national Claims & Risk Management Committee for several years and a member of the firm's national Professional & Ethics Committee.
Recognition
Chambers - Canada 2025-26 (Most in Demand Arbitrators - Band 2) and Global 2025 (Most in Demand Arbitrators - Band 3)
Lexology Index (formerly Who's Who Legal) - Canada 2021-25 (Arbitration - Recommended)
Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory - 2021-25 (Commercial Arbitration -
Most Frequently Recommended; featured in Lexpert 500 Cross-Border Guide and Lexpert Special Edition: Litigation)
Best Lawyers in Canada - 2021-26 (International Arbitration, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Corporate & Commercial Litigation, Product Liability Law, and Class Action Litigation); Lawyer of the Year - Arbitration (Toronto) 2025 and Alternative Dispute Resolution (Toronto) 2026
Expert Guides (Legal Media Group) - recognized as an expert in global product liability law and litigation, 2012, 2014 and 2016
Accreditations | Affiliations | Rosters
Accreditations
Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
Barrister & Solicitor, Law Society of Ontario (called in 1988)
LL.B., University of Toronto, 1985
B.A., Political Studies, Queen's University, 1982
Affiliations & Rosters
Arbitration Place
ADR Institute of Canada
Campaign for Greener Arbitrations (North American Sub-Committee)
Canadian Transportation Agency
Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Canada Branch)
CPR Panels of Distinguished Neutrals (Global, Product Liability, Pro Bono)
ICC Canada Arbitration Committee (Executive)
ICDR Canada
Institute for Transnational Arbitration (Advisory Board)
International Arbitration Institute
International Council for Commercial Arbitration
London Court of International Arbitration
Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission
Scottish Arbitration Centre (International Panel)
Toronto Commercial Arbitration Society (Chair)
University of Toronto, University Tribunal (Co-Chair)
Mr. Harrison is also a Past Co-Chair of the International Mediation Committee of the American Bar Association's International Law Section and volunteers as an arbitrator for the annual Vis Moot.
Publications | speaking engagements
Recent Publications
State Instrumentalities - Piercing the Corporate Veil - Canada, in Enforcing Arbitral Awards Against States, IAI Series on International Arbitration No. 12, forthcoming.
Removing an Arbitrator for Incapacity or Undue Delay, Canadian Journal of Commercial Arbitration, vol. 1, 2019 (excerpted in New York Dispute Resolution Lawyer, Fall 2019 and Spring 2020)
The Law of Product Warnings and Recalls in Canada, 2nd ed., LexisNexis Canada, 2019, with Alex Colangelo
Recent Speaking Engagements
Toronto: A Global Venue for International Arbitration, Toronto Commercial Arbitration Society and Arbitration Place, Toronto, November 2025
Getting Your First Appointment & Maintaining the Momentum, ADR Institute of Canada, Webinar, June 2025
View from the Decision-Makers, The Advocates' Society, Documentary Production: What You Need to Prove Your Case, Toronto, February 2025
Challenges to Arbitrator Appointments - Both Literal and Figurative, Toronto Commercial Arbitration Society, CanArbWeek, Montreal, October 2022
The Law Applicable to Arbitration Agreements, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators - Canada Branch, Webinar, April 2022