The Hong Kong Court of First Instance has stayed an action to arbitration where the agreement provided that disputes “may” be referred to arbitration. Kinli Civil Engineering Limited v Geotech Engineering Limited [2021] HKCFI 2503 Background Kinli commenced court proceedings to recover HKD 4,055,696.83, which it argued was due and owing from Geotech under a … Read more

Herbert Smith Freehills has signed the Green Pledge of the Campaign for Greener Arbitrations (the CGA), after acting as an institutional supporter of the CGA for the past year. The CGA is a global initiative aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of arbitral proceedings. Signatories of the Green Pledge make a commitment in their personal … Read more

The Hong Kong Court of First Instance has refused to set aside an enforcement order for a US award on the basis that the arbitration agreement was invalid, the defendant was unable to present its case, or it would be contrary to Hong Kong public policy to enforce the award (Construction Company v Guarantor [2021] … Read more

In Vertex Superieur Sdn Bhd & Anor v Shell Malaysia Trading Sdn Bhd (Civil Suit No. BA-22C-5-03/2020), the Malaysian High Court refused to stay court proceedings brought in breach of an arbitration agreement on the basis that it was in the public interest that allegations by a non-signatory that an underlying contract was procured by … Read more

In Masenang Sdn Bhd v Sabanilam Enterprise Sdn Bhd (Civil Federal Court Civil Appeal No.: 02(i)-20-03/2020(S)), the Federal Court held that the courts of first instance of the place specified as the seat of arbitration in Malaysia has exclusive supervisory jurisdiction over arbitrations seated in that place, including any award arising from such proceedings. In … Read more

Amal Bouchenaki, Partner in Herbert Smith Freehills’ New York office, has contributed to the Fifth Edition of Global Arbitration Review’s “The Guide to Advocacy” with a chapter entitled “Cultural Considerations in Advocacy: United States”. The chapter looks at procedural, ethical and societal considerations against which the cognitive framework of advocates in the United States has … Read more

In the recent case of Vale v Steinmetz [2021] EWCA Civ 1087, the English Court of Appeal confirmed that, except in rare circumstances, the findings in an arbitral award will not be binding on, and cannot be relied upon in separate proceedings between, different (but related) parties. The decision is a welcome affirmation of the … Read more

Head of HSF’s Global Arbitration Practice and President of the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) Court, Paula Hodges QC, will be taking part in the joint Vietnam Academy for Arbitration-CIArb Vietnam Chapter roundtable discussion on “Institutional Reforms – Transforming International Arbitration“, taking place on Wednesday 8 September 2021. Read more