Ryan Pistorius Associate


Speaks:  English

Year of Call: 2022 - Ontario


Primary office:  Ottawa




Ryan Pistorius

Ryan Pistorius is a litigation and disputes lawyer in Gowling WLG’s Ottawa office, practising in the Advocacy group. His practice focuses on international law, commercial litigation and arbitration (international and domestic), investor-state dispute settlement, and public law advocacy.

Prior to joining Gowling WLG, Ryan practised with an international arbitration boutique in Paris, where he represented foreign investors and states in investment arbitration disputes, as well as in annulment proceedings before domestic courts. He has experience with all major arbitration rules, including those of the ICC, ICSID, UNCITRAL, LCIA, SAC (formerly SCAI), and NAFTA (CUSMA/USMCA/T-MEC)

Ryan holds a J.D. with a specialization in international law from the University of Ottawa. While in law school, he worked as a Research Fellow for the Open African Innovation Research (Open AIR) Network, which supports intellectual property and innovation policy development in Africa. He also represented uOttawa at the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, for which he is now coaching a Nigerian team for their first appearance.

Ryan has written on topics including substantive protection of foreign investments and federal jurisprudence in Canada. He is currently completing an LL.M. in International Dispute Resolution at Queen Mary University of London, where his thesis addresses the use of international arbitration as a foundation for the localized resolution of disputes in space.

Career & Recognition

Filter timeline:
  • 2022

    • Qualifications (Year of Call/Admission, etc.)
       2022
      Year of Call, Ontario
  • 2021

    • Education
       2021
      University of Ottawa, J.D. – Common Law, Specialization in International Law (cum laude)
  • 2018

    • Education
       2018
      Queen's University, Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Classics
    • Education
       
      Queen Mary University of London, School of International Arbitration, LL.M., International Dispute Resolution (in progress)

Memberships

  • Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb)
  • Young Canadian Arbitration Practitioners (YCAP)
  • LCIA Young International Arbitration Group (YIAG)
  • Canadian Bar Association (CBA) International Law Section
  • Ontario Bar Association (OBA) International Law Section

Representative Work

  • Represented Latvian and Lithuanian investors in the first-ever investment treaty claims against the Kingdom of Norway, in respect of snow crab fishing rights valued at over EUR 450 million.
  • Represented an eastern European state in defence of claims relating to a communist-era investment in the arts and entertainment sector.
  • Represented Canadian investors in proceedings to set aside an ICSID award.