Academy Member Inducted 2020
Map & DirectionsPaul D. Godin
730 St. Patrick Street
Victoria, BC V8S 4X5
Website: www.katalystresolutions.com
Recognized to British Columbia Chapter for:
Civil/Commercial Mediation
Other ADR Services: ADR Systems Design, ADR Training Services, Facilitation, Fact Finding, Insurance Umpire, Med-Arb, Neutral Evaluation
Available
- Practice Commenced2001
- # of MEDS (as of 10/10/24)400
- # of ARBS (as of 10/10/24)
Current Practice
Online / In-Person
Biographical
Paul Godin is a mediator with 19 years of experience mediating a wide variety of cases across Canada and internationally.
Paul has been listed as a roster mediator with the Canadian Academy of Distinguished Neutrals, the civil roster of MediateBC, the Ontario Mandatory Mediation Program–Toronto, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Lausanne), the Ontario Energy Board, the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada, A.A.N.D.C. (Aboriginal Issues), ICOM/WIPO Art and Cultural Heritage Mediation, the Trinidad & Tobago Mediation Board, the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement DR Board, the NWT Family Law Mediation Program, and the Government of Nunavut.
Paul is designated a Chartered Mediator by the ADR Institute of Canada. He has special expertise in insurance, personal injury, contract, sports, labour relations, agriculture, family, and aboriginal issues. He was listed by Who’s Who Legal Canada as one of Canada’s top mediators from 2012-2015 and has regularly been nominated over the years.
Paul successfully conducted one of the largest industry mediations in Canada, assisting parties to a landmark agreement to modernize their industry.
Paul is a certified negotiation, conflict resolution, and mediation trainer, with almost 20 years of experience designing and delivering more than 450 courses in a dozen countries. He has lectured at the University of Victoria Law School, the University of Toronto Law School, the University of Oregon Law School and Business School, Royal Roads University, and the University of Windsor Law School. His company, Katalyst Resolutions, is a qualified training vendor for multiple provinces, territories, and organizations across Canada, delivering both face-to-face and online customized dispute resolution training.
Paul is on the Canadian Bar Association’s ADR Section Executive (and formerly on the Ontario Bar Association ADR executive), and has played a significant role on legal task forces making recommendations on the Ontario Commercial Mediation Act, mandatory mediation rules, judicial mediation, employment law reform, insurance mediation, and youth violence.
From 2009 to 2017, Paul acted as a banking ombuds investigator with ADR Chambers Banking Ombuds Office. He has also done a significant amount of conflict management system design work. Paul was also appointed by the SDRCC in 2018 to the SDRCC’s Investigations Unit, that is focused on neutral investigations of complaints involving national level sports organizations.
Paul has also done a significant amount of conflict management system design work for organizations managing conflicts.
Paul received an LL.B. in 1995 from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, where he was on the Dean's List and a scholarship holder. Prior to entering law, Paul obtained a B.A. (Anthropology) and a B.Sc. (Geology) with High Distinction from the University of Toronto (U of T), followed by two years of geology post-grad work at the U. of Southern California on a full ‘National Science and Engineering Research Council 1967’ Scholarship. At the U of T, Paul was the International Bar Association’s Client Counseling Competition World Champion, an award-winning mooter, varsity water polo player, and represented the U of T in its inaugural year in the ABA Negotiation competition. Paul summered and articled at Osler Hoskin & Harcourt in Toronto, and was called to the Ontario Bar in 1997 with the litigation boutique of Rogers Moore, working in many areas of law.
Paul has written peer-reviewed papers and articles on the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, mediation, sports mediation, negotiation, and geology, including the book chapters, “Principles of Negotiation” and “A Practical Guide to Conflict Management System Design” in the LexisNexis Alternative Dispute Resolution Practice Manual, as well as “Sport Mediation: Mediating High Performance Sports Disputes” in Harvard’s Negotiation Journal (33:25-51 2017).
Case Experience
- Aboriginal
- Agricultural
- Architecture
- Automotive
- Banking & Finance
- Commercial/Business
- Community Associations
- Condominiums/Strata
- Construction
- Contract Disputes
- Cross Cultural
- Debtor/Creditor
- Divorce (High Asset)
- Education
- Employment
- Energy Sector (Oil/Gas/Nuclear)
- Entertainment
- Environmental
- Estates & Trusts
- Family Businesses
- Government/Municipalities
- Industrial
- Insurance
- International
- Labour/Unions
- Land Use/Planning
- Landlord/Tenant
- Medical Malpractice
- Mining
- Mortgage Foreclosure
- Non-Profit Organizations
- Personal Injury
- Police
- Product Liability
- Professional Liability
- Professional Malpractice
- Professional Negligence
- Property Damage
- Public Policy
- Real Estate
- Sports
- Torts
- Workplace Rights
- Wrongful Death
- Wrongful Dismissal
Education
- 2020- Sessional Instructor at the University of Victoria Law School, teaching Sports Dispute Resolution in Canada
- 2008-ongoing Annual SDRCC Mediators and Arbitrators Conferences
- 2015-ongoing Court of Arbitration for Sport/Swiss Bar Association Seminars
- 2014 Court of Arbitration for Sport Mediators’ Workshop
- 2011 Certified as a Mediator and Mediation Trainer by the Mediation Board of Trinidad and Tobago
- International Council of Museums/WIPO Workshop for Mediators in Art and Cultural Heritage (Paris)
- 2010 CAPT MBTI Certification Program
- 2009 Invited attendee at PON Mediation Pedagogy Course- Harvard
- 2008- 2009 Faculty Fellow in the School of Law, University of Oregon School of Law- Adjunct Instructor in Alternative Dispute Resolution
- 2007 Attended PON Negotiation Pedagogy Workshop - Harvard University
- 1997 Called to the Bar in Ontario
- 1995-1997 Articling (Oslers)
- 1995 LL.B. University of Toronto Law School
- 1990 B.Sc. University of Toronto (Geology)
- 1987 B.A. University of Toronto (Anthropology)
Memberships & Affiliations
Paul has been listed on multiple mediation rosters nationally and internationally, including:
- Civil Roster of Mediate BC
- Canadian Academy of Distinguished Neutrals
- Ontario Mandatory Mediation Program–Toronto
- Court of Arbitration for Sport (Lausanne)
- Ontario Energy Board
- Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada
- A.A.N.D.C. (Roster for mediation of Indigenous Issues)
- ICOM/WIPO Art and Cultural Heritage Mediation Roster
- Trinidad & Tobago Mediation Board
- Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement DR Board
- NWT Family Law Mediation Program
- Government of Nunavut Mediation Roster
- ADR Chambers UK
Rates Information
The following fees apply for mediations, facilitations, arbitrations, workplace restoration services and investigations conducted by Paul Godin:
Hourly Rate: $500 plus taxes and expenses
Daily Rate: $4000 (9 hours) plus taxes and expenses
Time required beyond the basic included hours will be billed at the hourly rate.
Depending on the nature and location of the clients and client issues (e.g. charities), we are prepared to negotiate special rates on individual files.
Discounted rates apply to family mediations, BC in person mediations, and online mediations.
For training fees, please inquire.
Facilities
Please note that the parties are responsible for the cost of the facilities required, and that some facilities require a notice of more than 7 business days for cancellations.
Expenses and Travel Time
All travel and lodging expenses and disbursements are charged to the clients at cost. Where applicable, we will abide by required expense rules such as Treasury Board of Canada Guidelines.
Reasonable travel time required for provision of services outside of Victoria will be charged at half the hourly or daily rate unless otherwise agreed.
Cancellation fees
If a session is adjourned or cancelled for any reason, counsel for the party or parties requesting the adjournment or cancellation (or the party, if unrepresented) will be responsible for a cancellation fee. If we do not receive at least 7 clear calendar days' notice to adjourn or cancel a session from the scheduled date, there will be a cancellation fee of one half the minimum rate of the booked session. Failing agreement as to which party bears responsibility for the cancellation, the fee will be divided equally among the parties.
In the absence of a retainer being provided to us, the law firm representing a party is responsible for that party’s share of fees, cancellation/adjournment fees and disbursements and for recovering these from the client.
Language Skills
English, French