An Adjudicator’s Toolkit
Introducing a newsletter about how to be an effective adjudicator, written by a former adjudicator
A newsletter about hearing management and decision writing from an adjudicator’s perspective
What this newsletter is about
I've recently retired from adjudicating and am slowly gaining the distance needed to examine the adjudication process more objectively. In this newsletter, I hope to share best practices and observations about hearing management, decision writing, and tribunal management.
I've been writing about these issues for many years at slaw.ca from "inside the house", now I will be writing "from the sidewalk", looking in.
My plan, at least to start, is to write one newsletter a week about recent developments - either a comment on a new court decision or on new initiatives in the tribunal world. Once a week I will also share a list of what I've been reading - with links to commentary, decisions, and announcements. On a less regular basis, I'm also hoping to have in-depth interviews with administrative law practitioners.
Most of all, I want to create a space for informed dialogue about administrative justice - celebrating its successes as well as casting a critical eye (constructively) on how we can improve access to justice. I invite readers to provide comments, as well as direct message me about topics you'd like to see discussed.
For now, subscriptions will be free. Once I've established a rhythm (and am convinced I can keep it up), some of the content may only be available by subscription.
A bit about me
I retired from adjudicating in January 2024, after 22 years of adjudication and arbitration in the broad areas of workplace dispute resolution. I was both a member and a vice-chair of the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board in its various forms, starting in 2002. I was a vice-chair at the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario and also a vice-chair of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal. I have worked as an independent labour arbitrator and mediator. I have also been an adjudicator with the Ontario Police Arbitration Commission.
Before adjudicating I practiced law for 10 years - working both for unions and the federal Department of Justice (although not at the same time).
In retirement, I'm continuing to present at conferences and training sessions. I’m continuing to write both at slaw.ca and here. I'm also pursuing a lifelong dream of being on radio, with involvement on three jazz shows. You can read about those on my other substack newsletter, Jazz on the Rideau.