Queen Mary, University of London

Professional Activities & Training

Summer Schools

The School regularly organises a four day residential Arbitration Summer School. It is held annually in September at Cambridge and attracts in-house lawyers and practitioners from the UK and overseas. Course instructors include leading arbitrators and academics from England , France , Germany , Switzerland and the USA. This course leads to a certificate of attendance.

In May 2005 the School also offered a 10-day International Arbitration School (Directors: Professor Loukas Mistelis and Dr M I M Aboul-Enein). This programme may also lead to a Diploma which provides full academic exemption from the examinations of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

A number of other summer schools are planned from 2005, held in London and other locations all over the world. Some of these summer schools are organised in co-operation with other academic institutions.

Our current main summer school programme is organised by the Dispute Resolution Institute of Hamline University and is hosted by Queen Mary in London.

Award Writing Seminars

The School organises quarterly seminars for the writing of awards in international arbitration. The focus is on drafting techniques and essential requirements of form and substance. These seminars are completed with a four hour examination. Participants are expected to draft an award in an ad hoc or institutional arbitration and the award should address both procedural and substantive issues. The seminars are offered at various locations, e.g. London and Vienna.

Training Courses

The School has been invited to provide a large number of tailor-made arbitration training courses. These include:

  • Training courses organised for a delegation of the Russian Federation High Arbitrazh Court sponsored by the World Bank
  • Training course for judges from Lebanon, sponsored by the British Council
  • Seminar organised for a delegation from CIETAC, CCPIT.
  • Special training programmes arranged for chambers of commerce or business associations as well as lawyers associations with an interest in arbitration and/or mediation.

Advocacy in International Arbitration

A new course was introduced from July 2005 and focuses on advocacy skills in international arbitration. A tailor-made version of the course was offered in conjunction with the Cairo Regional Centre of International Commercial Arbitration in December 2007.

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Symposium organised jointly with the ICC Institute of World Business Law

The School joins forces with the Institute of World Business Law of the International Chamber of Commerce in organising an arbitrators' symposium addressed especially to practitioners. It is held annually in March alternately in London and Paris .

In 1985 the School of International Arbitration and the ICC Institute of International Business Law and Practice [now Institute of World Business Law] agreed to have an annual joint symposium on subjects of mutual interest. These symposia are intended for experienced arbitrators and arbitration lawyers to provide a forum for airing specific problems and exploring solutions. It is an informal setting in which both general nd specific difficulties are discussed frankly.

In 1986 the first joint symposium was held in London on the subject of multiparty arbitration. In 1987, in Paris , the symposium dealt with the "Terms of Reference in ICC Arbitrations". In 1988, in London, the symposium considered the question of how to avoid, or at least minimise, delay and expense in international arbitration. In 2004 the symposium addressed the issues of privilege and confidentiality in arbitration.

Annual Arbitration Lecture

The Annual School of International Arbitration Lecture is sponsored by Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and is given by distinguished members of the arbitration community. The lecture is held annually in November.

In 1986 the School established an annual lectureship. The intention was to provide a well-known and respected figure in international arbitration a platform on which to explore or raise new issues or existing problems of interest on different aspects of arbitration. The first lecture in 1986 was delivered by Professor Pierre Lalive on the subject of "State Enterprise, Force Majeure and Good Faith in International Arbitration". In 1987 the London law firm of solicitors, Freshfields, endowed this annual lecture, which in that year was delivered by Lady Hazel Fox "States and the Undertaking to Arbitrate". Most lectures have been published, usually in Arbitration International. The 2003 lecture on Dissenting Opinion in Arbitration was given by Alan Redfern and the 2004 lecture on Arbitration in Latin America was given by Dr Horacio Grigera Naon. The 2005 (2oth) lecture was given by Professor Julian Lew QC . The first 20 lectures were edited and compiled in a publication entitled Arbitration Insights.

Consulting

The School also provides advice and consulting services (other than training) to governments and non-governmental organisations which are drafting arbitration or mediation statutes or rules, or designing a non-judicial settlement of disputes system. Recent consulting work includes:

  • Report prepared for the Japanese Commercial Arbitration Association on arbitration and ADR training in the UK (sponsored by the JCAA and the Japanese government)
  • The School has an observer status (consultative NGO) at the United Nations Commission of International Trade Law
  • Advise provided to Kiev Mohyla Academy in developing a curriculum in International Commercial Arbitration (sponsored by the Department for International Development)
  • Legislative drafting seminars for Ukrainian civil servants (sponsored by the Department for International Development)
  • Conflict of laws seminars for European judges (sponsored by the European Commission)

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