Professional Profile
Donny Surtani has an independent practice as a party representative and as a neutral in arbitration and mediation.
He is dual-qualified in England and Ontario, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and a former Chartered Management Accountant. Formerly a partner at Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) in London, he now practises independently through Wasel & Wasel Arbitrator Services Inc. and Crown Office Chambers.
In addition to counsel work, Donny accepts appointments to act in a neutral capacity as an arbitrator or mediator, particularly in cases with a substantial accounting, banking or financial element, or with complex quantum of damages issues. His practice experience encompasses financial services, energy, TMT, corporate, construction, insurance, joint venture disputes, M&A disputes, and civil fraud. Before moving to Toronto in 2019, he spent 15 years practising in London, England, and has appeared as an advocate before the High Court, Court of Appeal and various tribunals.
In addition to his arbitration and mediation experience, he has acted in complex commercial litigation, often with a cross-border element, including in the RBS Rights Issue Litigation (a £4 billion dispute settled in 2017) and the Construction All Risks coverage claim brought by Single Buoy Moorings against a variety of insurers (for US$1.3 billion, settled in 2018). He is a member of the ICC Task Force on Arbitration and ADR, and a listed or database arbitrator at a number of leading arbitral institutions including the ICC, LCIA and HKIAC. He has been a guest lecturer on arbitration and ADR at the Centre for Commercial Law Studies at Queen Mary University of London, the Academy of Financial Crime Litigators, and Osgoode Hall Law School, Toronto.
He has been accredited as a mediator by the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (UK), and co-authored the leading practitioner text Class Actions in England & Wales (Sweet & Maxwell, 2018). He is an Advisory Board member for the Centre for the Online Resolution of Disputes (CORD).