Arbitral Insights

Former presiding judge of the BVI Commercial Court, founding member of the Judicial Insolvency Network and former Canadian law firm partner, the Honorable Barry Leon discusses his career path and his inspirational mentors, and explains how his time on the bench has shaped his role as an arbitrator in our latest “Spotlight on…” episode with our host Gautam Bhattacharyya.

Global Chair of Reed Smith’s international arbitration practice Peter Rosher hosts Singapore partner Timothy Cooke to discuss the just launched Arbitration Pricing Calculator app, a first-of-its-kind mobile app, designed and coded by Timothy to help arbitration users forecast the costs of arbitration around the world. 

Former Advocate General for Maharashtra and Additional Solicitor General of India, senior advocate Darius Khambata discusses his career path, his inspirational mentors, his thoughts on the state of arbitration, and offers advice for the up-and-coming generation of practitioners and arbitrators in this next installment of our “Spotlight on…” miniseries with our host, Gautam Bhattacharyya.

David Brynmor Thomas QC shares his greatest career inspirations and the path that led him to first become a medical doctor, then a solicitor, and then a barrister, with our host Gautam Bhattacharyya. The duo also discuss the differences and similarities when acting as counsel and as arbitrator, and explore the adjustments that can be made to make the arbitration process a better and more efficient one for its users.

J.P. Duffy reflects on international arbitration in the life sciences industry throughout 2021, exploring the increase in emergency arbitration and uptick in manufacturing and distribution disputes, before looking ahead to what 2022 might bring, including the potential proliferation of disputes linked to M&A and expert determination.

Ana Atallah and Clément Fouchard discuss developments in the field of international arbitration in Francophone Africa, including the official launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area and initiatives to promote international trade, access to finance, and dispute resolution on the continent, before exploring arbitral diversity in the region, a rise in local efforts to promote a culture of arbitration, and the prospect of more China-Africa disputes.

Suzie Savage and Patrick Beale discuss important developments in the investor-state dispute settlement space in 2021, including key takeaways from landmark decisions and State responses to the COVID pandemic, before focusing on what to expect in the next 12 months, the impact of institutional rule reforms, and a likely proliferation in climate change and clean energy related claims.

Peter Rosher, Vanessa Thieffry, and Liam Hart reflect on the past, present, and future of international arbitration and the construction industry. The trio first discuss new developments in construction arbitration and construction contracts; the drive for greater efficiency in dispute resolution; and COVID-19’s impact on supply chains, finance, and labor in the sector. They then explore the changing infrastructure investment environment, diversity, and how the path out of the pandemic and a focus on green construction may lead to an uptick in construction disputes in 2022.

Timothy Cooke and Lianjun Li reflect on the increased acceptance of and support for international arbitration across Asia in 2021 through new legislation, enforcement arrangements and case law, and discuss the continuation and likely acceleration of acceptance and supportive measures for arbitration across the region in 2022.

Gautam Bhattacharyya and Simon Greer recap the key developments in arbitration in India over 2021, including the continued development of institutional arbitration in the country, before exploring what the future holds for arbitration in 2022.