Under Article 18(4) of the Japan Arbitration Act ("JAA"), arbitrators have an ongoing obligation to disclose circumstances which may give rise to justifiable doubts as to their impartiality or independence. In the latest judgement in a series of appeals relating… Read more

In Tonicstar Limited v Allianz Insurance and Sirius International Insurance Corporation [2017] EWHC 2753, the English High Court considered an application under Section 24 of the Arbitration Act 1996  (the Act) for the removal of an arbitrator on the basis… Read more

The English Court has rejected an arbitrator challenge under s24 of the English Arbitration Act 1996 (the Act) on the basis of alleged "over-delegation" of their duties to their secretary. The Court's decision was based on a review of the… Read more

In a recent challenge to an award made under s68 of the English Arbitration Act 1996, in Symbion Power LLC v Venco Imtiaz Construction Company the English Court considered the issue of unilateral communications between a party-appointed arbitrator and its… Read more

South Africa’s draft regulations for investor-state mediation require refinement to work effectively with international arbitration. Interested parties have until 28 February 2017 to comment on draft Regulations on Mediation Rules (Regulations) published by South Africa’s Department of Trade and Industry… Read more

In its decision in Silver Dry Bulk Company Limited v Homer Hulbert Maritime Company Limited [2017] EWHC 44 (Comm) the English Court has considered and clarified the principles which apply to an application under section 18 of the English Arbitration… Read more

Introduction Dubai promotes itself as an arbitration-friendly jurisdiction, in line with its objective of attracting international business. A recent, much-publicised change to the UAE Federal Penal Code which introduces potential criminal sanctions for arbitrators, threatened to undermine this reputation. It… Read more

This post follows the post originally published on 19 January 2016 (here). In November 2015, the Cour Commune de Justice et d'Arbitrage (CCJA) ruled that an award in an arbitration between French company Getma International ("Getma") and the Guinean State… Read more

In the case of W Limited v M SDN BHD [2016] EWHC 422 (Comm) the Claimant, W Limited, sought to challenge two awards in the English Court for serious irregularity under s68(2) of the Arbitration Act 1996. The challenge was… Read more

The Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has issued guidance as part of its updated "Note to parties and arbitral tribunals on the conduct of the arbitration under the ICC Rules of Arbitration" to provide clarification… Read more

Herbert Smith Freehills is pleased to be hosting the 31st Annual ICC and School of International Arbitration Joint Symposium on "Powers and Duties of Arbitrators: Rules, Law, Practice and Ethics, Emergency Arbitration and Dealing with Sanctions".  The Symposium is co-chaired… Read more

In a recent decision (Cour de Cassation, Civ. 1, 16 December 2015, N°D14-26.279), confirming the decision of the Paris Court of Appeal (Cour d'appel de Paris, pôle 1, chambre 1, n°13/13459, 14 October 2014), the French Cour de Cassation (Supreme… Read more

Dubai’s Court of Cassation dismisses Meydan Group’s claim against Doug Jones, Humphrey Lloyd QC and Stephen Furst QC who were acting as arbitrators in a dispute between Meydan Group and WCT Holding. The United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Dubai in… Read more

A recent decision by the Federal Court of Australia has highlighted the diligence of Courts to ensure non-interference with the arbitral process. The Court in Sino Dragon Trading Ltd v Noble Resources International Pte Ltd [2015] FCA 1028 refused to… Read more

Paula Hodges QC, Partner and Head of the Global Arbitration Practice at Herbert Smith Freehills has published an article on the impact of the proliferation of rules, guidelines, codes and protocols relating to international arbitration in recent years. The article… Read more

In a remarkable judgment of 17 February 2015, rendered further to a rarely-seen application for revision of an arbitral award (which in this case lead to the retraction of the award), the Paris Court of Appeal overturned an arbitral award… Read more

In the recent decision Transgrain Shipping BV v Deiulemar Shipping SpA (in liq) & Eleni Shipping Ltd [2014] EWHC 4202 (Comm), the English Commercial Court refused an application under s 67 of the Arbitration Act 1996 to set aside an… Read more

On 23 October 2014, the IBA Council passed a resolution adopting the anticipated revision to its "IBA Guidelines on Conflicts of Interests in International Arbitration" (2014 Guidelines), which have been widely used and referred to by practitioners and arbitrators in… Read more

The Paris Court of Appeal has overturned a judgment granting exequatur (order for enforcement) of an arbitral award as a result of the sole arbitrator's failure to disclose a potential conflict of interest. At the time of his appointment in… Read more

In its recent decision in Triulzi Cesare SRL v Xinyi Group (Glass) Co Ltd [2014] SGHC 220, the Singapore High Court considered the grounds on which an arbitral award may be set aside for procedural unfairness and, in doing so,… Read more

The Law Commission of India has proposed major amendments to the Arbitration & Conciliation Act, 1996 (the "Arbitration Act") in order to remedy a number of perceived weaknesses and to stimulate growth in Indian arbitration as a platform for dispute… Read more

In Groupe Antoine Tabet c/ la République du Congo, Cass. Civ. 1re, n° 11-16444 of 25 June 2014, the French Supreme Court (Cour de cassation) considered an application to have an award set aside on the grounds that the President of the tribunal had failed to… Read more

Herbert Smith Freehills has issued the latest edition of its Indian international arbitration e-bulletin. This issue considers some significant decisions of the Indian courts, including two decisions on the arbitrability of fraud claims and a decision of the Supreme Court… Read more

In Avax v Tecnimont (Civ. 1ère, 25 June 2014, pourvoi n° 11-26.529) the French Supreme Court reviewed the Paris Court of Appeal’s decision regarding the effect of the time limits in institutional rules on the judge reviewing the award.  On… Read more

In yet another example of robust judicial support for arbitration in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Court of First Instance has dismissed a claim brought against the HKIAC by a party to an HKIAC administered arbitration. The plaintiff in the… Read more

The International Centre for Dispute Resolution (the ICDR), the international division of the American Arbitration Association has released a new version of its Mediation Rules and its Arbitration Rules (the Rules), effective 1 May 2014. Many of the changes concern… Read more

In the case of La Societe pour la Recherche La Production Le Transport La Transformation et la Commercialisation des Hydrocarbures SPA v Statoil Natural Gas LLC [2014] EWHC 875 Comm, the Commercial Court considered an application under section 68 of… Read more

The Singapore International Arbitration Centre (the SIAC) introduced emergency arbitrator provisions in its arbitration rules in July 2010 and has had 34 applications filed before it to date where parties have asked for an emergency arbitrator to be appointed. The… Read more