Miskin Arbitration Services

Murray H. Miskin – Lawyer, Arbitrator, Mediator

Murray H. Miskin graduated Osgoode Hall Law School in 1979 and has been a lawyer in Ontario, Canada since 1981 working mainly in civil litigation.  He became actively involved in conflict resolution through arbitration as a lawyer and trainer soon after his call to the Bar and has taught arbitration courses since 1985.  The Miskin courses were first taught at the University of Toronto through the School of Continuing Studies for the Arbitrators’ Institute of Canada which has evolved into the ADR Institute of Canada. He continues to be the primary arbitration instructor in Ontario with course certification from the ADR Institute of Ontario.  Murray first acted as an arbitrator in 1987 when selected by two of his former students, who were experienced real estate brokers and arbitrators, to chair a three member arbitration tribunal for a commercial lease renewal rent dispute. Since then Murray was arbitrator in a number of construction arbitrations, employment and other commercial arbitrations, and also environmental arbitrations.  In the mid 1990s Murray conducted his first international arbitration hearing in Toronto, after being appointed by the court in Florida to determine a franchise product contract dispute.

When the new Condominium Act for Ontario came into effect in 2001 bringing mandatory mediation and arbitration of all condominium disputes Murray became extensively involved in condominium arbitration.  His condominium litigation experience goes back to 1983 in a dispute over construction quality between the unit owners and the developers of 110 Bloor Street West in Toronto. Murray Miskin was ready to enter this new ADR field as soon as plans were made for mandatory mediation and arbitration of condominium disputes before the enactment of the Condominium Act of 1998 which became law in Ontario in 2001.  Between 1998 and and 2001 he presented seminars in the condominium industry about the new procedures and trained leading condominium lawyers in Arbitration. He went on to arbitrate many condominium cases since the Condominium Act was proclaimed.  Only one of his decisions was appealed with the decision fully upheld by the Judge hearing the appeal and again by the Ontario Court of Appeal. Murray Miskin has arbitrated a great number of condominium disputes where he has applied his own personal experience as a condominium resident and as the first President of a large new Toronto condominium’s Board of Directors.

Murray Miskin has recently organized a group of Ontario condominium ADR practitioners whose website is condoadr.ca    This group includes both senior, intermediate and junior arbitrators and mediators whose services are offered at three price levels to provide a comprehensive ADR panel for condominium disputes across the Province of Ontario.

The Insurance Act has been amended to expand the use of private arbitration for insurance claims and disputes.  Murray is now, as a neutral, applying his 30 years of personal injury insurance law practice experience to insurance law where he can work more freely as an arbitrator now that he is no longer a Plaintiff’s lawyer.

Murray Miskin is getting international recognition in the field of arbitration and is conducting a greater number of international commercial arbitrations. This includes arbitrator training in the Caribbean which is being planned with a course to be offered in Trinidad under development.  Murray Miskin is ready to travel as needed to conduct arbitrations or provide arbitration training. Our closest major urban center for arbitration is Toronto Canada where Murray regularly conducts arbitrations and his arbitration course. He is a member of the Toronto Commercial Arbitration Society.