Alison Ross

The Singapore International Commercial Court has ruled for the first time on the confidentiality of tribunal deliberations, in a situation where the losing side in a dispute sought disclosure in light of a forceful dissent by an arbitrator alleging dishonesty by the majority in explaining the reasons for their findings.

A Turkish construction company has challenged all three members of an ICSID committee hearing its bid to annul a previously unreported award in favour of Oman, alleging they showed bias through a series of decisions – including one that amounted to “direct interference” in court proceedings in Ankara.

Following the set-aside of a US$11 billion award against Nigeria, Lord Hoffmann – who chaired the tribunal – has stood by comments he made earlier this year, reflecting on “the great miasma of dishonesty” that can exist in the background of a case of which arbitrators are “unaware”.

In a lecture in Miami, Alexis Mourre has suggested the arbitration community is

A groundbreaking treaty between Bahrain and Singapore has created a new Bahrain International Commercial Court, which is modelled on the Singapore International Commercial Court and will allow appeals to a designated body of that court.

After a long judicial career specialising in cases relating to international arbitration, Judge Dominique Hascher has retired from France’s Court of Cassation to become a full-time arbitrator.

Fali Nariman, who died earlier this year aged 95, was a founding father of international arbitration in India and a beloved figurehead of the field globally. 

Following a lengthy negotiation, the Permanent Court of Arbitration is to open an office in Delhi, across the road from the Indian Supreme Court.

In this year's Roebuck Lecture, Emilia Onyema discussed the "cost of corruption" for local communities and how to provide them with access to arbitration and national courts, with a focus on the infamous case P&ID v Nigeria, which was of particular concern to her as a Nigerian. 

A UAE cement plant investor that issued a formal notice threatening ICSID arbitration against Angola over a post-civil war project has now sought mediation with the state, with a view to settling the more than US$100 million dispute by April.

A US court has enforced an over €12 million ICC award against Gabon, won by Spanish infrastructure company Eurofinsa following a dispute over the redevelopment of a football stadium. 

GAR’s lifetime achievement award winner Brigitte Stern looked back on her life and career, and shared insights into how she made the transition from university professor to leading investor-state arbitrator, at the GAR Awards . (Article includes GAR's tribute video).

After over 15 years practising at large and boutique firms in Brazil and France, Ana Gerdau de Borja has opened a new boutique in Paris, Citadelle Disputes, from which she will operate as counsel and arbitrator.

Bernard Hanotiau has resigned from an ICSID tribunal hearing a claim by a subsidiary of the National Iranian Oil Company against Bahrain following a challenge over an alleged “behind closed doors” professional relationship, as the state also takes a swipe at Gabrielle Kaufmann-Kohler over her firm’s role as counsel to NIOC in a vast commercial case.

The Madrid boutique run by leading Spanish arbitrator Juan Fernández-Armesto has rebranded, expanded its services to include counsel work and made two new partners.

An oil dealer has been denied permission to appeal the enforcement of a US$324 million LCIA award won by China National Petroleum Corporation's Chad subsidiary and an offshore partner, after the English Court of Appeal confirmed the correct interpretation of a party agreement setting a time limit for appealing awards on questions of law. 

Five years after it was first threatened, the Seychelles-based SecLink Group has said it will proceed with arbitration against India in Dubai over the cancellation of a tender to redevelop a vast Mumbai slum.

UAE energy company Crescent is a step closer to enforcing a more than US$2 billion partial arbitration award against the National Iranian Oil Company's former headquarters in central London, which NIOC had sought to shield through an eleventh hour transfer, after an appeal raising points of English trust and property law was dismissed. 

Aston Martin has defeated a rare appeal under section 69 of the English Arbitration Act brought by its Middle Eastern distributor over "a question of law arising out of an award", with the Commercial Court emphasising the key role of the factual matrix in contractual interpretation.

At GAR Live London, Vladimir Khvalei lamented the lack of access to justice suffered by Russian parties as a result of western sanctions against Russia, arguing that arbitration has completely failed them as a neutral, reliable and peaceful mode of dispute resolution and shifts in seat have been needed.