The taxation of damages in international arbitration awards should be a significant consideration for any party embroiled in an arbitrable dispute. According to Keller and Leikin, the average tax liability in cases heard before tribunals established under the International Convention for Settlement of Investment Disputes (the “ICSID”) is an eye-watering USD 16-38.5 million.[1] Nevertheless, the […]
Damages in Arbitration
Global Claims in Construction Arbitration
Global claims, also known as “total cost claims” or “composite claims”, commonly arise in construction disputes and international arbitrations, especially in cases where projects have been delayed. Global claims are claims advanced by contractors without attempting to substantiate cause and the effect. In the words of the leading commentators on construction contracts (Keating on Construction […]
Disruption Claims in International Arbitration
Disruption claims are a common feature of most international construction arbitrations, as everyone involved in construction disputes and international arbitration knows. They are also one of the most difficult claims to succeed upon, as they are often mixed or appear in parallel with prolongation claims, also known as delay claims. Even though routinely made by […]
Study on Damages in ICC Arbitration
On 10 December 2020, the Queen Mary University of London and PWC released a Study on Damages in ICC Arbitration Awards. The Study provides valuable data revealing, inter alia, how damages are approached and assessed by claimants and respondents, the role of experts in the assessment of damages and the approach taken by ICC tribunals […]
Lost Profits in Investment Arbitration
It is common in investment arbitration that investors seek to recover the profits they claim to have lost as a consequence of one or more internationally wrongful acts perpetrated by a host State of foreign investment. Historically, in assessing damages there has been a distinction between damnum emergens (actual losses) and lucrum cessans (loss of […]
The Recovery of In-House Costs in UNCITRAL Arbitration
The 2010 UNCITRAL Rules (the “Rules”) provide for an exhaustive list of costs that may be considered by Arbitral Tribunals when ruling on costs.[1] Article 40 of the Rules provides that the recoverable costs of arbitration include legal and other costs incurred by the parties to the extent that the arbitral tribunal determines that these […]
Interest in International Investment Arbitration
In international investment arbitration interest may represent a significant portion of a final award and it is not uncommon for interest to exceed actual damages.[1] While not being an independent remedy, interest represents an important element of compensation.[2] The main purpose of an award of interest is “to compensate the damage resulting from the fact that, […]
Prolongation Claims in Construction Arbitration: Heads of Costs That May Be Claimed
“Prolongation claims”, sometimes known as “delay claims”, are a common feature of construction disputes. The expression “prolongation claim” or “delay claim” is generally used to describe a monetary claim which follows from a delay to project completion. These claims should be distinguished from a “disruption claim”, which is generally used to describe a monetary claim […]
Compensation for Violations of the Fair and Equitable Treatment Standard
Whereas nearly all modern international investment agreements prohibit unjust and inequitable treatment, they provide little guidance as to how the damages due to the injured investor are to be assessed. As the fair and equitable treatment (“FET“) standard itself is relatively imprecise and very much dependent on the specific circumstances of the individual case, tribunals […]
