Edgar Gold

Edgar Gold, CM, AM, QC, BA, LLB, PhD, DSc, FNI (born 1934) is an Australian-Canadian lawyer, author, academic, and master mariner. Edgar Gold was born in Hamburg, Germany, but later moved to Australia in 1952. Edgar moved again to Halifax,Nova Scotia, Canada in 1967. He grew up, received his early education, and commenced his sea service in Australia. He spent sixteen years in the merchant marine, serving on most types of vessels in worldwide trade. He holds British and Canadian foreign-going Master Mariner's certificates and was in command for several years. After settling in Canada in 1967 he obtained Arts (B.A.) and Law (LL.B.) degrees at Dalhousie University, English-Canada's oldest university, and a Ph.D. in international maritime law from the University of Wales. He joined the Faculty of Law, Dalhousie University, in 1975 and served as Professor of Maritime Law from 1979 to 1994. He was cross appointed as Professor in the School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Management Studies, Dalhousie University, 1987-94. He retains a position as Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Law. He was the founding Executive Director of the Oceans Institute of Canada, recognized as Canada's principal centre of excellence in the marine affairs area, until mid 1990. He was a Member of the Board of Directors of the Institute until 1996 and remains a Senior Research Associate. Professor Gold was admitted to the Bar (Nova Scotia) in 1973 and has been a practicing lawyer since then. He was appointed Queen's Counsel (Q.C.) in 1995. He was a senior partner with a prominent Halifax law firm until 1999 when he became a consultant to the firm. He has been a consultant in the marine field for over 30 years, has participated in many international ocean-related conferences, including the 3rd U.N. Conference on the Law of the Sea, has written over 250 books, monographs, articles and papers in his field, and is considered one of the leading specialists in the world in the international ocean law and marine policy development areas. He is a Past President of the Canadian Maritime Law Association, a Titulary Member of the Comité Maritime International, a Fellow of the World Academy of Arts and Science, a Fellow of the Nautical Institute, and numerous other associations. Dr. Gold received an honorary degree from the Canadian Coast Guard College in 1992, and the 125th Anniversary of Canadian Confederation Medal in 1993. In 1997 he was made a Member of the Order of Canada (CM) and was also awarded the Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany in the same year. His international contributions were also recognized in Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2005 with the award of the Order of Australia (AM). He was awarded the degree of Doctor of Science in Maritime Sffairs (honoris causa) by the World Maritime University in 2007. He is a Visiting Professor at the World Maritime University, Malmö, Sweden, as well as at the International Maritime Law Institute, Malta. He has been based in Brisbane since 1997 and holds an appointment as an Adjunct Professor with the Marine & Shipping Law Unit, T.C. Beirne School of Law, University of Queensland. Dr. Gold has provided advisory services to a number of governments and international organizations for many years. He specialises in all areas of maritime law and policy but has special expertise in marine environmental law and policy, offshore oil and gas law and development, maritime training, inter-disciplinary marine affairs development, maritime transport law and legislation, marine resources law and policy, and technical assistance in the maritime field.

REFERENCES:"Canadian Who's Who"; "Who's Who in Canadian Law"; "Who's Who in America"; "Who's Who in Queensland"; "Men of Achievement".