• 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 Specialist in Family Law - Law Society of Upper Canada

ADR

• Certified Comprehensive Family Mediator - Family Mediation Canada
• Chartered Mediator - ADR Institute of Canada
• Chartered Arbitrator - ADR Institute of Canada
• Certified Family Mediator - ADR Institute of Ontario
• Certified Family Arbitrator - ADR Institute of Ontario

• 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 Practice Group

ADR

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

• Richard W. Shields, Collaborative Family Law Training: From Making the Paradigm Shift to Experiencing Transformative Learning. Toronto, ON: Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, University of Toronto (2007). ( PDF Download)
   
• Richard W. Shields, On Becoming a Collaborative Professional: From Paradigm Shifting to Transformative Learning through Critical Reflection and Dialogue. 2008 Journal of Dispute Resolution 2, 427-463.