Arbitral Insights

Spotlight on … Joint head of The 36 Group and senior QC Vasanti Selvaratnam

Gautam Bhattacharyya welcomes Vasanti Selvaratnam, senior QC and joint head of The 36 Group for a conversation exploring her background, her career as a lawyer, and highlights practicing as a trailblazing counsel and international arbitrator.

The dynamism of arbitration in Francophone Africa

Paris-based international arbitration partner Clément Fouchard and senior associate Guillaume Aréou welcome Dr. Sylvie Bebohi Ebongo for the first in a series of podcasts focused on arbitration in Francophone Africa. Dr. Bebohi Ebongo is co-founder and partner of HBE Avocats. She is admitted to the Paris and Cameroon bars.

In this episode, our speakers explore the practice of arbitration in the region covered by the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (Organisation pour l’Harmonisation en Afrique du Droit des Affaires) (OHADA). The discussion will highlight the importance of civil law and the French language in this part of Africa, and will explore recent developments in OHADA and its modern and international approach to arbitration.

This episode is in French.

Spotlight on … Inspirational senior advocate Fali S. Nariman

Gautam Bhattacharyya welcomes – and pays tribute to – the renowned and respected legal legend Fali S. Nariman. The duo explore the best way forward for arbitration to thrive and excerpts from Mr. Nariman’s autobiography, Before Memory Fades.

NAFTA v USMCA: Differences, objectives and friction points a year later

Hugo Perezcano (former head of Mexico’s Trade Remedy Authority and general counsel for international trade negotiations) and David Gantz (Will Clayton Fellow for Trade and International Economics at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, Center for U.S. and Mexico) are hosted by Will Russell from our international arbitration group in Houston for a discussion on the key differences between NAFTA and the USMCA a year after its implementation. The trio discuss the USMCA’s objectives, its key differences compared to NAFTA, potential friction points in the energy industry, and what we can expect for future disputes. 

Spotlight on … Marezban P Bharucha

Gautam Bhattacharyya welcomes another of his mentors, the founding and senior partner of Bharucha & Partners, Marezban P Bharucha. The duo explore why MP became a lawyer, who inspired and mentored him, his reflections on some of the seminal arbitration cases he has been involved in during his many decades of practice, his work as both counsel and an arbitrator, and some tips for aspiring practitioners. 

An update on the SCCA with ADR Chief Christian Alberti

The Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration’s (SCCA) Chief of ADR and General Counsel, Christian Alberti discusses the SCCA’s background, case load, arbitrator roster, and arbitral award enforcement in the Kingdom with New York-based international arbitration partner J.P. Duffy and Dubai-based senior associate Alison Eslick.

Spotlight on … Leading arbitrator and former Indian Supreme Court judge, Justice B. N. Srikrishna

Justice B. N. Srikrishna discusses his career, reflects on his tenure on the Indian Supreme Court, and shares thoughts about his work as an arbitrator. Joined by India Business Team Chair Gautam Bhattacharyya, Srikrishna discusses best ways for arbitration to thrive, and also shares tips for aspiring practitioners.

Implications of new English witness statement reforms for international arbitration

The English High Court reforms to the requirements for witness statements include pioneering measures aimed at improving the quality of witness recollection. These reforms may also influence how international arbitration responds to the challenge of witness evidence in the future. Counsel Suzie Savage and Knowledge Management lawyer Dan Newbound delve into the hot topic of witness evidence and share their views and top tips as the global arbitral community waits to see how the English reforms will unfold in practice.

Spotlight on … MCIA Secretary General and Registrar Neeti Sachdeva

In the second of our “Spotlight on…” series, and on the eve of the five-year anniversary of the Mumbai Centre for International Arbitration, Reed Smith’s India Business Team Chair Gautam Bhattacharyya hosts Neeti Sachdeva for a discussion on the development of institutional arbitration in India. The duo explore the current work and key objectives of the MCIA at its five-year milestone, what led to Neeti’s interest in arbitration, her career path to date, and her advice for aspiring arbitration lawyers.

Enhancing the value of witness evidence: Behind the scenes with an ICC task force co-chair

Gautam Bhattacharyya leads a discussion about the ICC Arbitration and ADR Commission’s report on the “Accuracy of Fact Witness Memory in International Arbitration.” His guest is José Astigarraga, Reed Smith global chair for international arbitration and co-chair of the ICC task force on enhancing the value of witness evidence.

Learn what motivated the ICC to form this task force, what work it carried out (including examples of the scientific research behind the report), and what tools and practices it identified for the arbitration community.