In January 2018, Kluwer Arbitration Blog will enter its 9th year of existence and we are pleased to see the Blog developing into such a successful forum of international arbitration. The scope of the Blog – as unveiled in 2009 – is to include high quality discussions on international arbitration, commercial and investment related, and to offer a platform to established, as well as to new voices in the arbitration community. We believe that the Blog reflects the arbitration world, a diverse and unique community, which brings together professionals from all corners of the world, with their specific cultures and interests, gathered under the common umbrella of international arbitration.
2017 was a busy year for arbitration: from third-party funding, with relevant changes in the legislations of some jurisdictions such as Singapore, to the ongoing reform of the ISDS and of the relevant treaties, including the NAFTA, and with a rich development of the case law in both commercial and investment arbitrations (Maximov case, ConocoPhillips etc.).
Kluwer Arbitration Blog had a productive 2017 and we would like to highlight here some of these developments. In August 2017, Prof. Roger Alford, the Editor of the Blog, was appointed to a leadership position at the U.S. Department of Justice. Dr Crina Baltag was invited to replace Prof. Alford during his leave from the Blog and to continue as the Acting Editor.
Mindful to the developments in different industries, and with a growing number of jurisdictions actively promoting arbitration, in November 2017, the Editorial Board welcomed the new Assistant Editors of Kluwer Arbitration Blog. It is a pleasure to introduce to our readers the Kluwer Arbitration Blog team:
Dr Crina Baltag, Acting Editor, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Bedfordshire
Dr Gloria Alvarez, Associate Editor, Lecturer in Law, University of Aberdeen
Dr Patricia Zivkovic, Associate Editor, Chief Legal Officer NSoft d.o.o.
Jawad Ahmad, Associate Editor, Private Law Clerk to Judge Charles N. Brower
Sadaff Habib, Solicitor, Beale & Company; and Liilnna Kifle, Associate, Mehrteab Leul and Associates, Assistant Editors for Africa;
Esme Shirlow, King’s College, Assistant Editor for Australia and New Zealand;
Fabian Bonke, Associate, Hogan Lovells; Deyan Dragiev, Associate, CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP; and Nevena Jevremovic, Association ARBITRI, Assistant Editors for Europe;
Catherine Gibson, Associate, Covington, Assistant Editor for North America;
Benson Lim, Associate, Hogan Lovells, Assistant Editor for PR China and Hong Kong;
Daniela Paez-Salgado, Associate, Herbert Smith Freehills, Assistant Editor for Central and South America;
Irene Mira and Christine Sim, Research Associate, Centre for International Law Singapore, Assistant Editors for South-East Asia;
Noor Kadhim, Vannin Capital, Assistant Editor for the Middle East;
Janice Lee; Mary Mitsi, Teaching Assistant, Queen Mary University of London; and Ashutosh Ray, Associate, Three Crowns LLP, Assistant Editors.
We are sure that we are all expecting a 2018 rich in developments in international arbitration. Some outcomes are already at the horizon, such as the ruling of the CJEU in the Achmea Case and of the GCEU in the Micula Case, the final report of the ICCA-QMUL Task Force on Third Party Funding in International Arbitration and the upcoming project of ICCA on Cybersecurity in International Arbitration, the UNCITRAL Working Group on ISDS or the dispute resolution scheme under the Belt and Road, just to name a few. Arbitration institutions are also promising interesting discussions on the arbitration proceedings (see SIAC proposal on cross-institution consolidation). We are also seeing an increase in the activities of the young arbitration associations and also new young associations established at regional level (see INOVARB in Brazil) and these initiatives shall be properly encouraged here on this Blog. The Young ICCA Mentoring program is one of the most successful programs of this kind, linking young professionals with the reputable names in arbitration. ICC YAF announced its new representatives in early 2017, with a good number of events planned for 2018. The Young ITA named its new leaders, joining Silvia Marchili, Chair, Elizabeth Devaney, Vice-Chair and Robert Landicho, Communications Chair: Dr Crina Baltag, Thought Leadership Chair; Laura Sinisterra, Mentoring Chair; and Rocio Digón, Tomas Vail, James Egerton-Vernon, Karima Sauma, Pedro Guilhardi, José María De la Jara, Regional Chairs.
We would like to thank you for following Kluwer Arbitration Blog and for your contributions in posts, comments and valuable feedback. We are always available at kluwerarbitrationblog@outlook.com.
Wishing you the best for the Festive Season and a prosperous 2018!
Dr Crina Baltag, Acting Editor, on behalf of the Editorial Board
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