About Stefan
Stefan is a dual-qualified (Ontario-New York) litigation and arbitration specialist, with expertise in international and domestic commercial arbitration, investor-state arbitration, trade and sanctions, and cross-border litigation. He represents large commercial entities and states at the world's leading arbitral organizations (ICSID, ICC, PCA, LCIA) under major rules (UNCITRAL, ICC, ADRIC), as well as in ad hoc arbitrations. He has specialized industry expertise in renewable energy, climate change regulation, land and deep-sea mining, water, and financial technology.
Stefan also has leading expertise in high-profile litigation before domestic courts, including class action defense, arbitration appeals and enforcement, and "bet-the-company" commercial litigation. He also advises on dispute- and arbitration-related aspects of major cross-border deals.
Prior to joining Blakes, Stefan was counsel at the Trade Law Bureau at the Government of Canada, where he represented the state in investor-state arbitration, trade disputes and negotiation of trade agreements, in addition to advising on international law and trade obligations. He also advised the government and investors concerning procurement and procedures for investment into Canada. He previously occupied a diplomatic role as the co-chair of the Advisory Committee on Private Commercial Disputes of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement. Stefan also represented the Department of Justice in Canada’s first-ever litigated individual-issues class action proceeding.
He was formerly a legal officer at the Office of Legal Affairs of the United Nations in New York, where he advised on public international law, International Human Rights Instruments, maritime boundary disputes and delimitation, and the High Seas Treaty negotiation.
Stefan previously practised international arbitration and litigation at an international law firm in New York City and Paris.
