Arbitration Institutions and Rules, Arbitrators, Suggestions to improve transparency and access to usable data

(MDisputes)/ /2 Comments

A recent discussion on the OGEMID list about “elite arbitrators” prompted one participant to humorously compare the discussion to the frequent flier programs of airlines. This led to some fanciful speculation by in-house counsel of arbitration institutions offering their own loyalty programs, awarding us with “Frequent Arbitrating” points. For example, would there be free “upgrades”…

Appointment of arbitrators, Arbitrators, Europe

(Dr Stefan Kröll, LL.M., Rechtsanwalt)/ /3 Comments
Institute for Transnational Arbitration (ITA)

In a recent contribution to this list serve Alexis Mourre vigorously defended the parties’ right to appoint their own arbitrator. The appointment of an arbitrator is probably one of the single most important decisions during an arbitration. In so far it is not surprising that the right to appoint ones own arbitrator is regularly mentioned…

Investment Arbitration

(Investment Arbitration Reporter)/ /Leave a comment

Several months ago, I drew attention on this blog to Uruguayan press reports which hinted that Uruguay might be prepared to compromise in the face of an arbitral claim filed by Phillip Morris International. (For background on the claim, see this Investment Arbitration Reporter account.) Following the flurry of Uruguayan press coverage, I spent a…

Anti-arbitration

(MDisputes)/ /2 Comments

In last week’s post, I mentioned how some outspoken in-house counsel have undeservedly acquired a reputation for being anti-arbitration for having advocated improvements. I tried to explain how most in-house lawyers will want to be perceived as “dispute resolution neutral,” i.e., open to whatever type of procedure may best achieve the party’s goals. So what…

Arbitration Agreements, Arbitration Awards, New York Convention

(Albright StoneBridge Group)/ /3 Comments

*The Miami Draft was originally called ‘the new NYC: a hypothetical draft’ by its drafter Albert Jan van den Berg, subsequently dubbed ‘the Dublin Convention’ at the occasion of the ICCA conference in Dublin 2008 and finally, echoing the influential 1961 “Harvard Draft” on the responsibility of States, renamed ‘the Miami Draft’ when re-presented by…

Actual expenditure, Commercial Arbitration, Damages, Fair market value, Historic costs

(FTI Forensic and Litigation Consulting)/ /Leave a comment

As a forensic accountant specializing in the quantification of damages, I listened with keen interest to the various presentations at the recent Swedish Arbitration Days event ‘damages and other relief in international arbitration’. One of the more lively debates centered on whether it is appropriate, as has happened in several well-known treaty cases, to make…

Arbitration Institutions and Rules, Arbitrators, Commercial Arbitration, Investment Arbitration

(Castaldi Mourre & Partners)/ /1 Comment

In his April 2010 inaugural lecture as holder of the Michael R. Klein’s Chair at the Miami University, Jan Paulsson advocated a fundamental change in the culture and practice of international commercial arbitration (Moral Hazard in International Arbitration, Miami, 29 April 2010, see also on this blog). In a nutshell, his views can be summarized…

Anti-arbitration, Corporate Counsel's view

(MDisputes)/ /Leave a comment

Two recent incidents reminded me of just how much, in international arbitration, impressions and even reputations can completely miss the mark. One was a discussion I recently had with a well-known arbitrator who only half-jokingly commented on my “anti-arbitration” view, although he then qualified me as appearing more moderate than my fellow members of the…

BIT, Europe, European Law, Investment Arbitration, Other Issues, Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties

(White & Case LLP)/ /2 Comments
White & Case

The growing success of investment arbitration may collide with the European Commission’s attitude towards intra-EU BITs, as shown recently by a development reported in August 2010 (the IA Reporter, August 5, 2010, Vol. 3, No. 12) regarding the Eureko v. Slovakia arbitration. In this case, Eureko initiated a claim against the Slovak Republic based on…

Confidentiality and Transparency, Investment agreements, UNCITRAL Model Law

(Essex Court Chambers)/ /2 Comments
Institute for Transnational Arbitration (ITA)

The sense of relief enjoyed by NGO observers and other followers that UNCITRAL Working Group II’s Arbitration Rules revision project was finally completed in the Summer of 2010, after seemingly endless debate, has been diminished to some extent by the publication of the agenda for the next WGII meeting, to be held in Vienna in…

Canada, ICSID Convention, Investment Arbitration, Investment protection, NAFTA, North America

(White & Case)/ /Leave a comment
White & Case

Three different investors, with three different claims, in three different situations, have recently been in the news. All three disputes have a Canadian connection. Two involved claims by foreign investors against Canada, one that settled and one that Canada defeated. The third involves a claim by a Canadian investor against the Democratic Republic of Congo….

Arbitration clause, Arbitrators, English Law, Nationality requirement in arbitration clauses, Seat of the arbitration

(Herbert Smith Freehills)/ /3 Comments
Herbert Smith Freehills

In arbitration, as in other aspects of business life, parties often feel most comfortable when they are (literally) on familiar ground. If things go wrong, a European or American company might understandably prefer arbitration seated in Europe or New York. On the other hand, parties from the PRC, for example, are increasingly, and equally understandably,…

BIT, ICSID Convention, Investment Arbitration, Investment protection, Not-for-profit organizations (NGO)

(Investment Arbitration Reporter)/ /Leave a comment

In a recent post, Lisa Bench Nieuwveld raised an issue which has been discussed from time to time on this blog: the potential for not-for-profit activities to be protected under international investment treaties. There is no doubt that not-for-profit organizations face a barrage of abuse and mistreatment at the hands of host countries, and that…

Disclosure, Section 1782 Discovery

(Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP)/ /1 Comment
WilmerHale

In an important contribution to the ongoing debate among courts and commentators regarding the scope of 28 U.S.C. § 1782 – and the first such case related to ICSID proceedings – the D.C. district court recently exercised its discretion to decline a discovery request by Caratube International against the Republic of Kazakhstan. In re Caratube…

Asia-Pacific, UN and Int’l Organizations

(Notre Dame Law School)/ /Leave a comment

There are some interesting comments in the live blog of the UNCTAD International Investment Agreements Conference from the likes of Todd Weiler, Susan Franck, and Jason Yackee. (You can also watch the proceedings here). Much substance in the coverage, but also some fun. Here’s a taste: Todd Weiler: As I see Prof Franck is performing…

Asia-Pacific, Crown Immunity, Dispute resolution clause, Sovereign Immunity

(Herbert Smith Freehills)/ /1 Comment
Herbert Smith Freehills

Everyone is looking at China at the moment, and rightly so. It’s a very exciting place to be. Many MNCs are already here and many others are determined to get a piece of the action. But where there’s business, there are disputes. And where there’s international business, there’s arbitration. There is no doubt that the…

Investment Arbitration, Investment protection, Public Policy, Responsibility of States

(University of Victoria Faculty of Law)/ /1 Comment

On 31 August 2010, a group of over 35 academics (not including the current author), published a Public Statement on the International Investment Regime (Statement).  The preamble to the three-page Statement outlines why the Statement has been issued: We have a shared concern for the harm done to the public welfare by the international investment…

Arbitration Proceedings, Canada

(Caribbean Arbitrators, Arbitration Place, 33 Bedford Row Chambers)/ /1 Comment

So far in 2010, at least two jurisdictions have established specialized courts to handle international arbitration matters ─ Australia (in the state of Victoria) and India (in Bombay). Australia: Within Australia’s federal structure, international arbitration matters are in the jurisdiction of state supreme courts. In 2009, Australia’s Parliament gave the Federal Court concurrent jurisdiction over…

Legislation, UNCITRAL Model Law

(Taylor Wessing)/ /4 Comments
YIAG

In an analysis published last year, the Georgian authors Mgalobishvili and Kiknavelidze concluded that “there is no doubt that Georgia needs a lot of time and efforts in order to be finally established as a country friendly towards arbitration […].” 1)Mgalobishvili/Kiknavelidze, The legal framework of arbitration in Georgia, Arbitrażowe Aktualności – Biuletyn Arbitrażowy, Sąd Arbitrażowy…

Commercial Arbitration, Domestic Courts, Russia

(White & Case LLP)/ /2 Comments
White & Case

The clearest indication of a shift in the approach of the Russian arbitrazh (commercial) courts* came in April 2010, when the Presidium of Russia’s Supreme Arbitrazh (Commercial) Court issued a precedential decision, holding that interim relief measures may be ordered by Russian arbitrazh courts in aid of foreign arbitration. The ruling has resolved an ongoing…

Commercial Arbitration

(Castaldi Mourre & Partners)/ /Leave a comment

Is there a duty to arbitrate in good faith? Is there a need for a Code of Ethics in international arbitration? Those are certainly amongst the most important questions for the future development of the law and practice of arbitration. They have been hotly debated in occasion of certain recent and much publicized cases. And…

Arbitration Agreements, Arbitration Awards, Russia

(Muranov, Chernyakov and Partners)/ /4 Comments

It is well known that the New York Convention is widely recognized as a foundational instrument of international arbitration. In addition to this Convention, there are also international bilateral agreements in which Paragraph 1 of Article VII of the New York Convention specifically refers to and determines the relationship between its provisions and other agreements….

Investment Arbitration, Not-for-profit organizations (NGO)

(Conway & Partners)/ /Leave a comment

It is rather interesting to read in the news about how some governments have chosen to “fund” their own government. One government went so far as to simply clear out the checking accounts of small businesses and not-for-profit organizations (“NGOs”). Another government, not necessarily seeking funding but presumably disagreeing with the purpose and/or presence of…