What Stitt Feld Handy Group does

Stitt Feld Handy Group, founded in 1994 and headquartered in Toronto, Canada, is a privately held professional development firm operating as the training division of ADR Chambers, the world's largest private alternative dispute resolution (ADR) provider. The company delivers instructor-led workshops and self-paced online courses in alternative dispute resolution, mediation, negotiation, dealing with difficult people, and effective decision-making, alongside an Executive Certificate in Conflict Management issued in partnership with the University of Windsor Faculty of Law and certificates of completion issued by the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University. Its core curriculum is built around the Harvard Principled Negotiation framework (Seven Elements developed by Professor Roger Fisher) and a proprietary 7-step mediation process refined over 30+ years and 800+ customized organizational engagements, with training delivered in-person at a Toronto facility, live online via Zoom, and via on-site custom programs worldwide. Customer segments span government (e.g., Government of Nunavut, Canadian Human Rights Commission, Canada Revenue Agency, Department of National Defence), financial services (BMO, Scotiabank, BDO Canada), legal (Law Society of Ontario, Canadian Bankers Association), education (York Region District School Board, Judicial Education Institute of Trinidad and Tobago), manufacturing (Mattel Canada), and professional services across North America, Europe, the Caribbean, Australia, and Africa.

The business operates two go-to-market motions: a sales-led public workshop channel with direct website registration at roughly CAN $2,595 / US $1,850 per seat, and an enterprise field-sales channel for customized corporate and government training delivered by program advisors. Revenue streams include per-workshop registration fees, multi-worksheet Executive Certificate tuition, professional services fees for custom training, negotiation consultation, workplace coaching, ADR system design, workplace restoration, and workplace investigation (via sister entity ADR Chambers Investigations), plus transaction-fee mediation and arbitration administered through parent ADR Chambers, which has handled more than 55,000 cases since 2012. The firm is led by Allan J. Stitt (President and CEO), a Harvard-trained lawyer and recipient of the 2025 NADN Distinguished Neutral of the Year Award, alongside Vice President Elinor F. Whitmore, and maintains an accreditation footprint across 20+ professional bodies including SHRM, HRPA, HRCI, Law Society of Ontario, ICF, PMI, and ADRIO.

Name

Stitt Feld Handy Group

Legal name

Stitt Feld Handy Group

Website

https://sfhgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Stitt Feld Handy Group, the training division of Toronto-based ADR Chambers, delivers instructor-led and online professional development in negotiation, mediation, and conflict management to government, legal, financial, education, and corporate clients across North America, Europe, the Caribbean, Australia, and Africa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Public Workshop Training: In-person and live online professional development workshops on ADR, negotiation, dealing with difficult people, and decision-making. Participants pay registration fees per workshop and receive certificates of completion from Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University.
2. Custom Organization Training: Tailored training programs designed for specific organizations and government agencies. Since 1994, over 800 customized workshops have been delivered to organizations worldwide.
3. Certificate Programs: Executive Certificate in Conflict Management comprising multiple workshops and online courses that can be completed within one year with no exams or essays required.
4. Mediation and Arbitration Services: Conducted through parent company ADR Chambers. ADR Chambers administers mediations and arbitrations as the largest ADR company globally, having administered over 55,000 cases since 2013.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Stitt Feld Handy Group delivers professional development programs in alternative dispute resolution, negotiation, dealing with difficult people, and decision-making for executives and organizations worldwide. Offerings include instructor-led public workshops (in-person and live online), self-paced online courses, an Executive Certificate in Conflict Management issued with Schulich School of Law (Dalhousie University), and tailored custom training programs. Adjacent professional services include mediation, arbitration, workplace coaching, workplace investigation, workplace restoration, ADR system design, and negotiation consultation delivered through its parent ADR Chambers.

Product overview

Stitt Feld Handy Group is a division of ADR Chambers offering a comprehensive portfolio of professional development and dispute resolution services. The company provides instructor-led workshops (Alternative Dispute Resolution, Advanced ADR, Applied ADR, Dealing With Difficult People, Become a Powerful Negotiator, Effective Decision-Making), self-paced online courses (Online Negotiation, Online Difficult Conversations), and specialized programs (Construction Adjudication Training, Executive Certificate in Conflict Management). Professional services include workplace coaching, workplace investigation, workplace restoration, ADR system design, negotiation consultation, and mediation/arbitration. The training formats include in-person workshops at their Toronto facility, live online sessions via Zoom, and customized on-site programs for organizations. Certificates of completion are issued by Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University. Since 1994, the company has trained over 60,000 professionals worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Alternative Dispute Resolution Workshop A four-day instructor-led workshop teaching the Harvard Principled Negotiation framework and a 7-step mediation process for resolving disputes and negotiating win-win solutions while preserving relationships. Available in-person in Toronto and live online, with certificates of completion from Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University. Designed for professionals who negotiate and resolve conflicts in their work.
• Advanced Alternative Dispute Resolution Workshop A four-day instructor-led workshop building on ADR skills with content on rebuilding relationships after conflict, framing issues for problem solving, and dealing with unreasonable people. Available in-person and live online; eligible for ADR Institute of Ontario continuing education credits.
• Applied Alternative Dispute Resolution Workshop The most in-depth mediation workshop in the company's portfolio, featuring fewer lectures, longer role plays, and 1:1 instructor mentoring on complex mediation issues including pre-mediation caucuses and multi-party disputes. Available in-person and live online.
• Dealing With Difficult People Workshop A three-day workshop teaching participants how to handle difficult conversations and people with skill and confidence, using the Myers-Briggs personality indicator to explore working effectively with different personality types. Available in-person and live online.
• Become a Powerful Negotiator Workshop A three-day workshop providing practical negotiation skills to secure better results, increase buy-in, lower risk of being taken advantage of, and deal with difficult negotiators. Available in-person and live online.
• Effective Decision-Making Workshop A two-day workshop examining optimal decision-making strategies and teaching participants how to avoid common pitfalls for confident decision-making on complex issues. Available in-person and live online.
• Online Negotiation Course A self-paced online training course teaching negotiation skills. Counts toward the Executive Certificate in Conflict Management and is accredited by SHRM, HRPA, HRCI, PMI, and the Ontario Association of Architects.
• Online Difficult Conversations Course A self-paced online course on managing difficult conversations. Counts toward the Executive Certificate in Conflict Management and is accredited by SHRM and HRPA.
• Executive Certificate in Conflict Management A comprehensive certificate program comprising the ADR, Advanced ADR, Applied ADR, and Dealing With Difficult People workshops together with the Online Negotiation and Online Difficult Conversations courses. Designed to be completed in under one year with 15 days of in-class training. The Executive Certificate is granted in partnership with the University of Windsor Faculty of Law, with no exams or essays required.
• Construction Adjudication & ODACC Orientation Program A specialized training program for Ontario Construction Act adjudication under the Ontario Dispute Adjudication for Construction Contracts (ODACC) system. Designed for construction professionals serving as adjudicators in Ontario.
• Construction Adjudication & CanDACC Training Program A specialized training program for construction adjudication under the Canadian Dispute Adjudication for Construction Contracts (CanDACC) system. Designed for construction professionals across Canada.
• Resolving Disputes and Managing Difficult Conversations in Education Workshop A four-day workshop designed for the education sector, focusing on enhancing skills to deal with disputes that arise in schools and educational institutions, including student, staff, and parent interactions.
• Negotiation Coaching Practicum A professional development course focused on negotiation coaching skills and techniques, providing hands-on learning with dedicated coaches delivering real-time feedback during role plays. Accredited by the International Coaching Federation for 19 Core Competence hours and 5 Resource Development hours.
• Mediation and Arbitration Services Mediation and arbitration services conducted through parent company ADR Chambers, the world's largest private ADR company, having administered over 55,000 mediations and arbitrations since 2012. Available to organizations and parties seeking neutral dispute resolution.
• Workplace Investigation Services Independent, respectful, procedurally fair, and cost-effective workplace investigation services for complex workplace situations, delivered through sister company ADR Chambers Investigations.
• Workplace Restoration Services Expert services including workplace reviews, environmental scans, conflict resolution, team building, coaching, and change management strategies to promote or restore positive workplace relationships.
• Alternative Dispute System Design Consulting service to help organizations design dispute resolution systems to better manage ongoing disputes, including diagnosis, analysis, system design, pilot projects, and evaluation. Past engagements include the Canadian Human Rights Commission, Canadian Bankers Association, and Law Society of Ontario.
• Workplace Coaching & ADR Counseling One-on-one coaching services to help leaders enhance self-awareness, identify strengths, increase effectiveness, and improve conflict resolution, communication, and management skills.
• Negotiation Consultation Expert consultation services to help clients prepare for difficult negotiations using the Seven Elements of Principled Negotiation; consultants can also participate directly in negotiations on behalf of clients.
• Custom Training Programs Organization-specific training programs tailored to unique workplace needs. Available in-person at the client site, live online, fully online, or hybrid formats. The company has delivered over 800 customized workshops to organizations and governments since 1994.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99.2% of participants would recommend the workshop to a friend or colleague
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ADR ChamberscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994ADR Chambers is the parent company of the Stitt Feld Handy Group. ADR Chambers is the largest private alternative dispute resolution service provider in the world, having administered over 55,000 mediations and arbitrations since 2012. In 2004, Allan Stitt and Frank Handy merged their firm with ADR Chambers to create Canada's largest and leading ADR training and service provider.
• Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGraduates of public workshops and online courses receive a certificate of completion from the Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University. The company is proudly affiliated with Dalhousie University.
• University of Windsor Faculty of LawcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExecutive Certificate in Conflict Management is granted in partnership with the University of Windsor Faculty of Law. Many courses and programs qualify for educational/training requirements towards designations such as Q.Med and C.Med through the ADR Institute of Ontario.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• JAMS: JAMS is the largest private ADR provider in the United States, offering mediation, arbitration, and ADR training. It mirrors the SFH/ADR Chambers combined model of training-plus-services and is the most direct global counterpart to ADR Chambers in the broader ADR services ecosystem.
• International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) International ADR Centre: ICC operates one of the world's leading international ADR institutions, administering arbitrations and mediations and providing training for arbitrators and counsel. It is comparable as a global ADR services-and-training incumbent, primarily focused on cross-border disputes.
• American Arbitration Association (AAA): AAA is a long-established, broad-scope ADR services and training organization in the U.S. It overlaps with ADR Chambers on mediation/arbitration administration and with SFH on mediator training, serving similar legal, corporate, and government clients.

Direct peers

• Harvard Program on Negotiation (PON): Harvard's PON is the originator of the Principled Negotiation framework that SFH teaches. It offers executive education, online courses, and workshops on negotiation and dispute resolution — directly competing for the same corporate and executive audience with the underlying methodology itself.
• Center for Creative Leadership (CCL): CCL is a top-tier leadership development provider offering executive education, coaching, and customized programs. It overlaps with SFH's workplace coaching, decision-making, and conflict management offerings for the same senior leader and HR buyer personas.
• CDR Associates: CDR Associates is a Boulder, Colorado-based conflict resolution and mediation training firm offering customized ADR training, system design, and facilitation — closely comparable in service mix, training focus, and customer base (government, corporate, legal).
• Dale Carnegie & Associates: Dale Carnegie offers globally recognized corporate training in interpersonal skills, communication, and leadership — overlapping meaningfully with SFH's Dealing With Difficult People, negotiation, and executive certificate offerings, and competing for similar enterprise L&D budgets.
• VitalSmarts (Crucial Conversations): VitalSmarts (now Crucial Learning) offers Crucial Conversations training — a direct competitor in the difficult-conversations and conflict-management training category. It targets the same enterprise L&D buyer with similar instructor-led workshops and certifications.

Others

• Thomson Reuters Institute (Legal Executive Institute): Thomson Reuters provides continuing legal education and professional development content to legal professionals, including on negotiation and ADR. It is adjacent rather than directly competing — SFH's Law Society of Ontario-accredited workshops and certificates overlap with Thomson Reuters' CLE audience.

Regional players

• IMD Business School: IMD is a Swiss-based executive education provider offering high-end negotiation and leadership programs to senior executives globally. It competes with SFH's executive training on negotiation and decision-making, though at a significantly higher price point and primarily Europe-anchored.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/StittFeldHandy

Compliance25 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Stitt Feld Handy Group