Mary Comeau is a partner in the Calgary office of Norton Rose Canada. She is the chair of Norton Rose Canada's education law practice group and domestic arbitration practice group. Ms. Comeau practises in the area of dispute resolution, focusing on corporate-commercial and securities, oil and gas, electricity, employment, education and administrative law cases.
She has appeared in all levels of Courts in Alberta and the Federal Court of Canada and in the Supreme Court of Canada. She has also acted as counsel in numerous arbitrations and mediations locally and internationally, and is presently a director of the ADR Institute of Canada, Inc.
Selected client work
ˇ Acted on behalf of the Federal Crown in the Federal Court of Canada in an action brought by four Indian bands claiming damages in excess of $1 billion, focusing on oil- and gas-related claims
ˇ Acted on behalf of an oil and gas company in relation to a dispute regarding issues related to heavy oil production
ˇ Acted on behalf of numerous oil and gas companies in matters related to aboriginal consultation and project development
ˇ Acted as counsel in numerous domestic and international arbitrations regarding general commercial matters, power purchase arrangements and gas price disputes
ˇ Acted on behalf of major oil and gas companies in all matters of dispute including oil and gas, joint venture, gas processing and marketing disputes
ˇ Acted on behalf of corporate clients with respect to reorganizations and plans of arrangement pursuant to the Canada and Alberta Business Corporation Acts
ˇ Acted on behalf of an accounting firm with respect to major litigation relating to losses arising out of a foreign exchange hedging program
ˇ Acted for several mining companies in disputes related to the staking of lands in the Northwest Territories and environmental issues relating to the development of a diamond mine
ˇ Has been involved in numerous private and court-facilitated mediations with respect to various commercial matters
Publications
ˇ "Six Degrees of Separation: Arbitrator Independence in International Arbitration," Transnational Dispute Management.Com, May 2008.
Speaking engagements
ˇ "Arbitration" (faculty), Legal Education Society of Alberta, October 2011.
ˇ "User Expectations: What do Users Want in a Dispute Resolution Process," Western Canada Arbitrators RoundTable (WCART) 5th Annual Energy Dispute Resolution Conference, Calgary, 2011.
ˇ Opening Remarks on behalf of ADR Institute of Canada, Inc., AAMS Conference, ADR in the Mainstream, Calgary, 2011.
ˇ "Insider Training - Aribitration," firm presentation, Calgary, 2011.
ˇ "ADR Institute of Canada Panel: Administered Arbitration," Western Canada Arbitrators RoundTable (WCART) 4th Annual Energy Dispute Resolution Conference, Calgary, 2010.
ˇ "ADR Institute of Canada Panel: Class Actions in Arbitration," Western Canada Arbitrators RoundTable (WCART) 3rd Annual Energy Dispute Resolution Conference, Calgary, 2009.
ˇ "The Role of Technology in Discovering and Presenting Evidence in Commercial Arbitrations," 2nd Annual Energy Arbitration Conference, Calgary, May 2008.
ˇ "Civil Trial Evidence" (instructor), 41st Annual Legal Education Society of Alberta Refresher Course: Civil Litigation, May 2008.
ˇ Dispute Resolution Retreat (faculty), Center for International Legal Studies, Colorado, December 2007.
ˇ "Teacher Appraisals and Dismissals in Alberta" (chair), Lorman Seminars, Calgary, November 2007.
Rankings and recognitions
ˇ Recognized by Benchmark Canada as a litigation star
ˇ Best Lawyers 2012 in International Arbitration
ˇ Chambers Global 2011 (Canada) in the area of Dispute Resolution: Alberta (Band 3)
ˇ Best Lawyer in Canada in International Arbitration, 2010
ˇ Cited as a leading lawyer in Dispute Resolution by Chambers Global, 2010
ˇ Recognized for achievement in legal research and writing by the Centre for International Legal Studies, 2010
Memberships and activities
ˇ Canadian Bar Association
ˇ Law Society of Alberta
ˇ Calgary Bar Association
ˇ Chair, Roster Committee, Alberta Arbitration and Mediation Society
ˇ Western Canada Arbitrators RoundTable (WCART)
ˇ Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (United Kingdom)
ˇ Canadian Foundation for Dispute Resolution, Industry Task Force on Inter-Corporate Disputes
ˇ CAPSLE (Canadian Association for the Practical Study of Law in Education)
ˇ Energy Arbitrators' List, Canada
ˇ International Bar Association
ˇ Guest Lecturer, University of Calgary Trial Advocacy Course
ˇ Lecturer, Legal Education Society of Alberta
ˇ Education Law Reporter Advisory Board, 2003 to present
ˇ Past Chair, Education Committee, Famous Five Foundation
ˇ Editor, Education Law Reporter, 2001-2003
Directorships
ˇ Director and Vice President, ADR Institute of Canada, Inc.
ˇ Board Member, Theatre Calgary
ˇ Past Board of Directors member, Famous Five Foundation