• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Political Science & Economics, University of Toronto, 1971.
• Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.), Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, 1974.
• Bar Admission Course, Law Society of Upper Canada, 1976.
• Certificate in Dispute Resolution, Pepperdine University, School of Law, 1994.
• Master of Arts (M.A.) in Conflict Resolution, Antioch University, 1996.
• Master of Laws (LL.M.) in ADR, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, 1998.
• Diploma in Adult Education, St. Francis Xavier University, 2003.
• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Adult Education, Ontario Institute for Studies in
  Education of the University of Toronto, 2007.
  
   

• Admitted to the practice of law in Ontario in 1976.
• Certified by the Law Society of Upper Canada as a Specialist in Family Law.

ADR

• Certified by Family Mediation Canada as a Comprehensive Family Mediator.
• Designated by the ADR Institute of Canada, Inc. as a Chartered Mediator.
• Roster Mediator, Ontario Mandatory Mediation Program, Toronto.

• Law Society of Upper Canada.
• Canadian Bar Association / Ontario Bar Association.
• Hamilton Law Association
• International Academy of Collaborative Professionals.
• Ontario Collaborative Law Federation
• Hamilton/Halton Collaborative Family Law Group.

ADR

• ADR Institute of Canada Inc. / ADR Institute of Ontario Inc.
• American Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section.
• Association for Conflict Resolution.
• Association of Family and Conciliation Courts.
• Conflict Resolution Network Canada.
• Family Mediation Canada / Ontario Association for Family Mediation.
• Ontario Bar Association ADR Section.
   

• Richard W. Shields, Judith P. Ryan and Victoria L. Smith, - Collaborative Family Law: Another Way To Resolve Family Disputes. Toronto, ON: Thomson Carswell. (2003)
   
• Richard W. Shields, Collaborative Family Law Training Groups. In Sheila Gutterman (Ed.) - Collaborative Law: A New Model for Dispute Resolution. Denver, CO: Bradford Publishing Company (2004).