Canada-China FIPA | aclsc2015

Canada-China FIPA and Beyond Panel

Michael Woods

Michael Woods is a founding partner of Woods, LaFortune LLP, an international trade law boutique based in Ottawa. Michael has broad experience in international business with special expertise in all aspects of international trade litigation.

Michael began his career in trial litigation and appeared as counsel in several jury trails as well as appeals at the Court of Appeal (Ontario) and the Supreme Court of Canada. In 1981, Mr. Woods joined Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. He was counsel on a series landmark NAFTA, WTO, FTA and GATT disputes. Since returning to the private sector, Mr. Woods has been lead counsel in two NAFTA Chapter 11 challenges, as well as in arbitrations under Canada’s Foreign Investment Protection Agency (FIPA). He also has a very active government relations practice focused on international and domestic trade.

Catherine Walsh

Catherine Walsh is a legal counsel at Woods, LaFortune LLP. Her practice focuses on international trade law, business and investment. Catherine is fluent in both English and French and is actively involved in the world of international trade law through her tenure on the board of directors of the Organization of Women in International Trade. Catherine has also co-authored several published articles on the topic of international investment and trade relations and has presented related materials to large groups of domestic and foreign investors.

Dalton Albrecht

Dalton Albrecht is a partner at Couzin Taylor LLP. Dalton received his LLB from the University of Western Ontario as a gold medalist. He then completed his LLM degree in international law at Harvard Law School. Dalton specializes in all aspects of international trade law. He appears regularly before the Canadian International Trade Tribunal and represents clients before the Tax Court of Canada (GST/HST), Ontario Provincial Offences Court and Superior Court (Retail Sales Tax) and the Federal Court of Canada.

Anthony Tam

Anthony Tam is an associate at Torys LLP. Anthony has a BA from Princeton University, and a JD/MBA from University of Toronto. Before joining Torys, Anthony worked as a summer associate at the Hong Kong office of a New York law firm. Anthony also spent a summer working at a players’ union of a major sport and advocating on behalf of the players in salary arbitration. Anthony’s practice focuses on corporate and securities law, with an emphasis on corporate finance and M&A for companies in a variety of industries.

Riyaz Dattu

Riyaz Dattu is a partner at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP. He advises multinational and domestic businesses on international trade policy and investment matters, international trade strategies and market-access concerns. He has acted as counsel from the time of the very earliest WTO disputes concerning Canada, and the first two investment arbitrations under Canada’s bilateral investment promotion and protection treaties. He has also acted in most of the significant trade remedies cases litigated in Canada, and has also argued landmark cases before NAFTA Panels and the Federal Court of Canada.