Court Assistance in the Taking of Evidence in International Arbitration


Book Description

Although international arbitration is widely hailed as an efficient, confidential and flexible way of settling commercial disputes, it has its limits. The arbitral tribunal’s lack of coercive power is thrown into particularly stark relief when it comes to the taking of evidence from third parties outside the arbitral proceedings. If they do not comply voluntarily with the request of the arbitral tribunal to testify as a witness or disclose documents, assistance must be sought from state courts. As the success of a case hinges on the evidence that a party can obtain, it is crucial to understand how to obtain evidence through state courts. At the heart of this work is the question of the conditions under which state courts may offer assistance in international arbitral proceedings. With a special focus on Switzerland and comparative aspects, this book provides helpful tactical insights for arbitral practitioners around the world.




The Principles and Practice of International Commercial Arbitration


Book Description

This title provides the reader with immediate access to understanding the world of international arbitration. Arbitration has become the dispute resolution method of choice in international transactions. This book explains how and why arbitration works. It provides the legal and regulatory framework for international arbitration, as well as practical strategies to follow and pitfalls to avoid. It is short and readable, but comprehensive in its coverage of the basic requirements, including changes in arbitration laws, rules, and guidelines. In the book, the author includes insights from numerous international arbitrators and counsel, who tell firsthand about their own experiences of arbitration and their views of the best arbitration practices. Throughout the book, the principles of arbitration are supported and explained by the practice, providing a concrete approach to an important means of resolving disputes.




UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration


Book Description

This book provides a comprehensive commentary on the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Arbitration. Combining both theory and practice, it is written by leading academics and practitioners from Europe, Asia and the Americas to ensure the book has a balanced international coverage. The book not only provides an article-by-article critical analysis, but also incorporates information on the reality of legal practice in UNCITRAL jurisdictions, ensuring it is more than a recitation of case law and variations in legal text. This is not a handbook for practitioners needing a supportive citation, but rather a guide for practitioners, legislators and academics to the reasons the Model Law was structured as it was, and the reasons variations have been adopted.




Document Production in International Arbitration


Book Description

Because document production can discover written evidence that would otherwise not be available, it is often the key to winning a case. However, document production proceedings can be a costly and time-consuming exercise, and arbitral awards in particular are often challenged on grounds that relate to document production orders. The task of balancing the conflicting interests of the parties in this context is a major responsibility of arbitral tribunals. This book's analysis focuses on whether there exist legal principles on which arbitrators should establish rules of document production in both civil law and common law countries, and shows how international arbitration is affected. The author examines the relevant discretion of arbitral tribunals under US, English, Swiss, German, and Austrian law, and under nine of the most important sets of institutional rules, including the ICC Rules, the LCIA Rules, and the Swiss Rules. The presentation mines case law and legal literature for concepts based on the common expectations of the parties, the legitimate expectations of a party, the duty to balance different procedural expectations of the parties, the presumed intent of the parties, the underlying hypothetical bargain, implied terms, and the arbitrators' discretion. Among the topics and issues investigated are the following: - procedural rules on document production versus procedural flexibility; - how arbitral tribunals can modify the IBA Rules on a case-by-case basis; - discretion granted by legislation in each country covered; - electronic document production; - how to deal with privilege and confidentiality objections; - how to formulate or answer document production requests; - effective sanctions in case of non-compliance with procedural orders of the arbitral tribunal; - what grounds for annulment and non-enforcement a losing party can raise in what countries. Perhaps the greatest benefit of the book is the inclusion of model clauses, commensurate with both civil law and common law expectations. The author explicates the advantages and inconveniences of each model clause, and clarifies the influence of each clause on the efficiency of the proceedings and the enforcement risk. For practitioners, the book not only gives counsel a thorough overview of possible arguments for and against document production, but also assists arbitrators find a way through the jungle of opinions on the interpretation of the IBA Rules. Legal academics will appreciate the author's deeply informed analysis and commentary and the book's contribution to increasing the predictability of arbitral decisions on document production and showing how issues in dispute can be narrowed by tailor-made rules, thus helping to raise the efficiency and reduce the costs of arbitral proceedings.




Rules of Evidence in International Arbitration


Book Description

Now in a fully updated second edition, Rules of Evidence in International Arbitration: An Annotated Guide remains an invaluable reference for lawyers, arbitrators and in-house counsel involved in cross-border dispute resolution. Drawing on current case law, this book looks at the common issues brought up by the evidentiary procedure in international arbitration. Features of this book include: An international scope, which will inform readers from around the world A focus on evidentiary procedure, with extensive case-based commentary and examples Extensive annotations, which allow the reader to locate key precedents for use in practice This book gives essential insight into best practice for practitioners of international arbitration. Readers of this publication will gain a fuller understanding of accepted solutions to difficult procedural issues, as well as the fundamental due process considerations of the use of evidence in international arbitration.




International Arbitration Review


Book Description

The International Arbitration Review, edited by James H Carter of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, provides an analytical review of what has occurred in each of the important arbitration jurisdictions during the past year, capturing recent developments and putting them in the context of the jurisdiction's legal arbitration structure and selecting the most important matters for comment. In this book, leading practitioners seek to provide current information on both general international commercial arbitration and international investment arbitration, treating important investor-state dispute developments in each jurisdiction as a separate but closely related topic. There are in-depth examinations of arbitration in 41 jurisdictions as well as editorial chapters on The Impact of Corporate Taxation on Economic Losses, and overviews on ASEAN and Africa. Contributors include: Bart Legum, Michelle Bradfield and Jean-Christophe Honlet, Dentons; James Nicholson, FTI Consulting."e;This new and timely publication promises to tackle pressing and present day global concerns and to make valuable contributions to the ongoing dialogue on international arbitration"e; - Peter Tomka, President, International Court of Justice, The Hague"e;Comprehensive and topical, an excellent reference."e; - Professor Christine Mallin, University of Birmingham Business School"e;The most discursive and engaging survey of the world of arbitration today."e; - Jamie Maples, Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP




Arbitration in Egypt


Book Description

Egypt, and in particular the Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (CRCICA), has clearly cemented its status as a preferred seat for arbitration cases in both the Middle East–North Africa (MENA) region and the African continent. To assist parties with a need or desire to arbitrate disputes arising in these regions – whether commercial or investment – this incomparable book, the first in-depth treatment in any language of arbitration practice under Egyptian law, provides a comprehensive overview of the arbitration process and all matters pertaining to it in Egypt, starting with the arbitration agreement and ending with the recognition and enforcement of the arbitral award. Citing more than 2,500 cases – both awards and arbitral-related court judgments – the book’s various chapters examine in detail how Egypt’s arbitration law, based on the UNCITRAL model law, encompasses such internationally accepted arbitral provisions and aspects as the following: application of the New York Convention; concept of arbitrability; choice of applicable law; formation of the arbitral tribunal; selection, rights, duties, liability, and challenge of arbitrators; arbitral procedures; evidence and experts and burden of proof; form and content of arbitral awards; annulment and enforcement procedures; interaction between Sharia law and arbitration; role of Egypt’s Technical Office for Arbitration (TOA); and judicial fees. Special issues such as third-party funding and public policy as well as particular areas of dispute such as construction, sports, real estate, labor and employment, tax, competition, intellectual property, and technology transfer are all covered. The author offers practical guidelines tailored to arbitration in these specific areas of law. An added feature is the many figures and other visuals that accompany the text. For whoever is planning to or is currently practicing arbitration in the Middle East, this matchless book gives arbitrators, in-house counsel and arbitration practitioners everything that is needed to answer any question likely to arise. This book should be on the shelf of every practitioner and academic wishing to comprehend arbitration in Egypt as construed by the Egyptian Courts. Review/Testimonial: “The book is an excellent contribution to understand and assess Egyptian international arbitration law and practice and invaluable guide for lawyers, arbitrators and academics working on arbitration cases connected to Egypt for three main reasons: First, a case law perspective that adds considerable value to the book. The author examines not only the text of laws but also the case law. On every issue, Mr Shehata quotes the positions of Egyptian courts, especially those of the Egyptian Cassation Court. With more than 2,500 cases cited, the book is a precious source to discover the Egyptian decisions originally only in Arabic. Through an analysis and commentary of a great number of decisions rendered by various levels of Egyptian courts, the book offers the most reliable source with regard to the interpretation and the application of the Law No. 27 of 1994 and the international conventions by Egyptian courts. Second, a complete and far-reaching analysis. The book covers all aspects of the arbitration process from the arbitration agreement to the enforcement of arbitral awards. It includes the specific arbitration sectors such as sport arbitration, construction arbitration and investment arbitration. This coverage makes the book one of the reference work on the whole regime of arbitration in Egypt. Third, an up-to-date study, which takes into account rule changes and up-to-date developments on new trends, such as third-party funding, optional clauses, virtual hearings, the use of tribunal secretaries and issues of ethics in arbitration.” Source / Reviewer: Professor Walid Ben Hamida, University of Paris-Saclay, France. ICC DISPUTE RESOLUTION BULLETIN 2021 | ISSUE 3 |




International Arbitration in Italy


Book Description

Arbitrating cross-border business disputes has been common practice in Italy since centuries. It is no wonder, then, that Italian arbitration law and jurisprudence are ample and sophisticated. Italian courts have already rendered thousands of judgments addressing complex problems hidden in the regulation of arbitration. Italian jurists have been among the outstanding members of the international arbitration community, starting from when back in 1958, Professor Eugenio Minoli was among the promoters of the New York Convention. Being Italy the third-largest economy in the European Union and the eighth-largest economy by nominal GDP in the world, it also comes as no surprise that Italian companies, and foreign companies with respect to the business they do in the Italian market, are among the main ‘users’ of international arbitration, nor that Italy is part to a network of more than 80 treaties aimed to protect inbound and outbound foreign direct investments and being the ground for investment arbitration cases. Moreover, in recent years, Italy has risen to prominence as a neutral arbitral seat, in particular for the settlement of ‘intra-Mediterranean’ disputes, also thanks to the reputation acquired by the Milan Chamber of Arbitration which has become one of the main European arbitral institutions. This book is the first commentary on international arbitration in Italy ever written in English. It is an indispensable tool for arbitrators, counsel, experts, officers of arbitral institutions and judges who happen to be involved in arbitral proceedings or arbitration-related court proceedings somewhat linked to the Italian legal system, either because Italy is the seat of the arbitration, the Italian jurisdiction has been ousted by a foreign-seated arbitration, the assistance of Italian courts is sought for the granting of interim measures or the enforcement of a foreign award or the arbitration results from a multilateral or bilateral investment protection treaty to which Italy is a party. This book may also be of general interest for scholars and practitioners of international arbitration at large to the extent that it deals with the ‘theory’ of international arbitration and illustrates original solutions offered by Italian arbitration law to various complex issues, such as: the potential conflicts (and required balance) between party autonomy and State sovereignty in the governance of arbitrations; the relationship between the New York Convention and the legal system of the State of the arbitral seat; the potential impact on cross-border arbitrations of insolvencies, human rights, or European Union law; the arbitrability of corporate disputes; the extension of arbitration agreements to ‘necessary parties’. Appendixes include an English translation of the main provisions of Italian law relevant to arbitration, a list of the investment protection treaties to which Italy is a party, and an English version of the Rules of Arbitration of the Milan Chamber of Arbitration. The author, who is full professor of international law, name partner of ArbLit (the first Italian boutique focusing on cross-border dispute settlement) and the current Italian member of the ICC Court of Arbitration, has written the book aiming to combine his academic background with his long-standing experience as counsel and arbitrator.




Procedure and Evidence in International Arbitration


Book Description

Central to the book’s purpose is the procedural challenge facing arbitrators at each and every stage of the arbitral process when fairness arguments conflict with efficiency concerns and trade-offs must be determined. Some key themes include how can a tribunal be fair, and in particular be neutral, if parties are so diverse? How can arbitration be made efficient and cost-effective without undue inroads into fairness and accuracy? How does a tribunal do what is best if the parties are choosing a suboptimal process? When can or must an arbitrator ignore procedural choices made by the parties? The author thoroughly evaluates competing arguments and adds his own practical tips, expertly synthesizing and engaging with the conference literature and differing authors’ views. He identifies criteria that offer a harmonized approach to each stage of the arbitral process, with particular attention to such aspects of international arbitration as: appropriate trade-offs between flexibility and certainty; the rights, duties and powers of arbitrators; appointment and challenge of arbitrators; responses to ‘guerilla’ tactics; drafting of arbitration agreements, including specialty clauses; drafting of required commencement notices and response documents; set-off; fast track arbitration and other efficiency options; strategic use of preliminary conferences and timetabling; online arbitration; multi-party, multi-contract, class arbitration; amicus and third party funders; pre-arbitral referees and interim relief; witness evidence, both factual and expert; documentary evidence, production obligations, and challenges to production; identifying applicable law; and remedies and costs.




Arbitration Law and Practice in Kenya


Book Description

Arbitration Law and Practice in Kenya is a practical reference text for one of the fastest growing areas of legal practice in Kenya today. The text covers the arbitration process from the arbitration agreement to commencement of proceedings and to the delivery of the Award in the Kenyan context. All topics are covered against the provisions of the Arbitration Act, 1995, the Civil Procedure Act, the UNICTRAL Model Law, relevant international conventions and relevant case law, local, regional and international. The book will prove useful for students, practitioners and arbitrators.