General Dynamics Chief Legal Counsel, Elisabeth Preston, and Dentons’ Rachel Howie Assume Leadership of CPR’s Canada Advisory Board
September 22, 2020
New Co-Chairs to lead CPR’s continued growth and dispute prevention and resolution initiatives in Canada
New York – The International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (CPR), a global non-profit organization that manages conflict to enable purpose, announced that Elisabeth S. Preston, Chief Legal Counsel, General Dynamics Missions Systems - International, and Dentons Canada LLP partner, Rachel Howie, have been named Co-Chairs of CPR’s Canada Advisory Board (CAB).
The CAB is an invitation-only board comprising CPR member representatives based in Canada. It provides a forum for CPR and its members who are located in Canada to share knowledge and establish best practices in respect of dispute resolution in Canada; assist with the continued development of alternative dispute practices in Canada, both through advocacy to “corporate Canada” and through educational outreach; and assist CPR in the development of its Canadian Panel of Distinguished Neutrals and growth of its Canadian membership.
Preston and Howie replace outgoing Co-Chairs Nina Mapara, Vice President, Canada Region Counsel of Mastercard, and Robert Wisner, Partner at McMillan LLP. David Ziegler, Partner at Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, continues on as CAB Secretary.
“CPR thanks our first CAB Co-Chairs, Nina and Robert, for their leadership, counsel and overall support for our mission in Canada. They have helped expand our programming in Canada. We are now thrilled to build upon that leadership in welcoming Elisabeth and Rachel as new Co-Chairs. Both have been serving as members of the CAB, and I am confident that they will continue to help extend the reach of CPR in Canada,” said CPR President and CEO, Allen Waxman.
Elisabeth Preston is Chief Legal Counsel for General Dynamics Mission Systems-International which is comprised of GDMS-Canada, GDMS-UK, GDMS-Italy, PageTel (Turkey), Page Middle East (Oman) and its related joint ventures in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. GDMS is one of the largest defense and security companies in Canada and is a global prime contractor and systems integrator for military and public safety applications. Her practice is as an international business and trade lawyer and executive, with significant transactional and dispute resolution experience spanning over 30 years in the international Defense and Aerospace marketplace.
Rachel Howie is a co-leader of Dentons Canada’s national ADR and Arbitration group and internationally recognized for her arbitration experience. Her practice focuses on international and domestic arbitration and commercial litigation for clients in the energy and natural resources industries. Rachel also advises domestic and international clients on the drafting of dispute resolution clauses in transactional documents, and is a frequent speaker and author on matters of international and domestic dispute resolution.
About CPR
Established in 1977, CPR is an independent nonprofit organization that helps prevent and resolve legal conflict more effectively and efficiently. It manages conflict to enable purpose.
The CPR Institute drives a global prevention and dispute resolution culture through the thought leadership of its diverse membership of top companies, law firms, lawyers, academics, and leading mediators and arbitrators around the world. The Institute convenes best practice and industry-oriented committees and hosts global and regional meetings to share practices and develop innovative tools and resources. The Institute trains on dispute prevention and resolution, publishes a monthly journal on related topics, and advocates for supporting and expanding the capacity for dispute prevention and resolution globally.
CPR Dispute Resolution harnesses the thought leadership and output of the Institute while providing independent ADR services – mediation, arbitration, early neutral evaluation, dispute resolution boards and others – through innovative and practical rules and procedures and through CPR’s Panel of Distinguished Neutrals.