The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law’s (“UNCITRAL”) Working Group II approved final drafts for a Convention on the Enforcement of Mediation Settlement Agreements (hereinafter “the draft Convention”) and for a Model Law on International Commercial Mediation and International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation (hereinafter “the Mediation Model Law”). While these instruments need to […]
Fork in the Road Provision in Investment Arbitration
The fork in the road provision, or Electa una via, non datur recursus ad alteram (English translation: “when one way has been chosen, no recourse is given to another”[1]), belongs to a category of jurisdiction-declining provisions[2] marking “the relationship between international arbitration and adjudication by domestic courts.”[3] However, it should be noted that certain tribunals have […]
Should an International Arbitration for a Small Claim Even Be Commenced?
Should an international arbitration for a small claim, for instance an amount in dispute of less than USD 50,000, even be commenced? This is a recurring question asked by clients with small claims who wonder if it is worthwhile to commence arbitration proceedings and to incur additional costs in order to recover small amounts. Claimants […]
ICC as Appointing Authority in UNCITRAL or Other Ad Hoc Arbitration Proceedings (2018 ICC Rules)
International arbitration is governed by a cornerstone principle, the principle of consent. This means that parties are free to include, by mutual consent, an arbitration agreement in their contract. By the same token, they can organize such arbitration proceedings by choosing either an ad hoc arbitration or an arbitration administered by an institution. Nonetheless, the […]
The IBA Rules v. The Prague Rules in International Arbitration
The taking of evidence in international arbitration can be a critical step in many international arbitrations. Parties, or the arbitral tribunal, have often made recourse to the International Bar Association Rules on Taking of Evidence in International Arbitration (“IBA Rules”), whether the parties made an express choice for them to apply or not. The IBA […]