Dispute Resolution Essentials

Dispute Resolution Essentials

Practical, sport-specific training for the decision-makers and practitioners navigating disputes and conflict at all levels of Canadian sport.

About the Program

Built for those making the hard calls

Dispute Resolution Essentials responds to a gap in Canadian sport: the people tasked with navigating disputes such as selection appeals, member disputes, field-of-play decisions, and code of conduct hearings, often do so without formal training.

This immersive two-day program equips participants with the fundamental legal knowledge, procedural fluency, and practical skills to handle sport disputes fairly, efficiently, and with confidence.

Program format includes:

• Case studies drawn from real Canadian sport scenarios
• Instruction from experienced Sport Law lawyers
• Lectures from expert guest speakers
• Interactive breakout sessions for hands-on skill building
• Certificate of completion for all participants

What You’ll Gain

Leave equipped to lead and decide

Who Should Attend

This training is for you if…

You’ve heard a dispute or appeal in sport, written a disciplinary decision, or been asked to navigate a field-of-play conflict.

Dispute Resolution Essentials is designed for:

• Sport organization leaders and decision-makers
• Dispute resolution practitioners
• Sport discipline and appeal panel members
• Athlete representatives
• Legal professionals working in sport
• Governance consultants at all levels

While experience is not a perquisite, past experience is valuable to ground the educational sessions.

Schedule

Program schedule

Detailed day-by-day programming for November 21 and 22, 2026.

Day 1: Saturday November 21:

• 8:30 am – Registration
• 9:00 am – 4:00 pm – Educational sessions – Topics will include:
  o Understanding Jurisdiction and the Canadian Sport Landscape
  o Canadian Administrative Law 101
  o Understanding the core elements of a dispute resolution process
  o Effective Hearing Management
  o Decision Writing Primer
• 12:00 – 1:00 PM - Keynote Lecture – Speaker to be announced in July!
• 6:00 – 9:00 PM time – Networking Social

Day 2: Sunday November 22:

• 9:00 am – 3:30 pm – Experiential Learning (Application of training from Day 1)

Fees

Registration & fees

To maintain an effective learning environment, we have chosen to limit the seats available to maximize the opportunities for engagement and discussion

Early access members receive priority registration and early-bird pricing before the program opens to the public.

Group rates are available. If you are looing to book 3 or more people, please contact wrussell@sportlaw.ca

Rates: Early Bird: Individual $599/ea, Group $524/ea.

SPORT LAW Program Co-Chairs

Led by Sport Law Lawyers

The program is co-chaired by two of Sport Law’s experienced lawyers who bring deep expertise in dispute resolution and Canadian sport law.

Certificate of completion

All participants receive a certificate upon successfully completing the two-day program.

Register Now