Parties can always attempt to settle their dispute in an amicable manner, even if the dispute has been referred to arbitration.[1] However, different opinions emerge regarding the arbitrators’ role in the settlement process. Certainly, arbitrators may facilitate settlement indirectly. As stated by Kaufmann-Kohler, arbitrators “can simply ask a few well-targeted questions at the right time, […]
United Kingdom Arbitration
Reform of the 1996 English Arbitration Act
On 6 September 2023, the Law Commission of England and Wales (the “Law Commission”) published its long-anticipated Final Report on the Reform of the 1996 English Arbitration Act (“Final Report”), along with a helpful summary of its Final Report. Procedural History In March 2021, the Law Commission was tasked by the Ministry of Justice to determine […]
Document Production in International Arbitration
Document production is one of the most controversial yet essential steps in international arbitration. Since cases are generally decided based on documents rather than oral testimony, document production can be a powerful tool for discovering evidentiary material crucial to winning an arbitration.[1] It is not surprising that arbitral proceedings commonly include a document production phase. […]
How to Make a Valid Appointment Under an Arbitration Agreement
The appointment of an arbitrator is a critical step in any arbitration. The advantages of arbitration depend, to a large extent, on the persons appointed as arbitrators. In other words, while the same dispute may be resolved in a satisfactory and efficient way, it might turn into a lengthy and costly proceeding with a questionable […]
Escalation Clauses in International Arbitration: The English Approach
Escalation clauses (or multi-tier dispute resolution clauses) are commonly found in commercial contracts. These clauses may spell out different preconditions and procedures when seeking to resolve disputes.[1] Typically, the parties are required to attempt, within a specific time period, an amicable settlement or to enter into negotiations in order to avoid arbitration or litigation. Sometimes […]
M&A Arbitration
In recent years, arbitration has become the preferred method of resolving M&A disputes. While the global market shows steady signs of recovery, arbitration is considered an effective means to resolve disputes involving M&A transactions in a wide range of sectors, such as the financial, healthcare, education, energy and technology sectors.[1] Disputes in M&A Transactions M&A […]
Demurrage Claims in International Arbitration
International arbitrations in the field of shipping and sales often include demurrage claims (“surestaries” in French) which constitute, using the expression of Professor Debattista, “the staple diet of shipping lawyers the world over”.[1] Although it is rarely defined in charterparties or sale contracts which usually provide for its rate only, the Baltic Code (2020) defines […]
Ambitious New 2020 LCIA Arbitration Rules, with an Increase in Costs
On 11 August 2020, the LCIA released a surprisingly ambitious update to its Arbitration Rules (the “2020 (LCIA Arbitration) Rules”) and a new Schedule of Arbitration Costs (the “2020 LCIA Schedule of Costs”), increasing the costs of LCIA Arbitration, among other notable changes. The 2020 LCIA Arbitration Rules and the 2020 LCIA Schedule of Costs […]
Does an Arbitration Clause Survive the Termination of a Contract?
An arbitration clause in a contract is generally regarded as an autonomous agreement that may survive the termination of the contract that contains it. This presumption is often referred as “separability” or the “doctrine of separability”, according to which an arbitration clause is a “separate contract” whose validity and existence are independent from the substantive […]