This panel will debate recent arbitral developments in some major arbitral jurisdictions in the Americas: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico and Uruguay. The debate will cover some of the most prominent arbitration matters pending before the highest courts in those countries. In addition, the investment arbitration provisions of the new NAFTA treaty will also be discussed.

 

Speakers: 

• Fabiane Verçosa, Carvalho Machado e Timm Advogados

• Pierre-Olivier Savoie, Savoie Arbitration 

• Alejandro García, Clyde & Co

• Gabriel Bottini, Uría Menéndez 

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Moderator:

• Gustavo Laborde, Laborde Law 

This is the first of a two-panel series on reform in international arbitration.  

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This panel will be divided into two segments. The first segment will revisit the debate on the unilateral appointment of arbitrators. Is this practice compatible with the duty of impartiality? What is the role of party-appointed arbitrators? Is there a consensus as to what that role is? Or is there a divide between theory and practice? The debate will cover recent developments in this area, including research into unconscious bias, rules on blind appointment, and recent surveys on the matter. The second segment will discuss the UNCITRAL project to overhaul the system of investor-State arbitration by creating a multilateral investment court. Why did this project come into being? Is there a connection between the problem of party appointment and the investment court project? Does the project go too far? Or perhaps not far enough? What are the options under consideration and the possible outcomes? 

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Join some of the world's finest arbitration practitioners on a debate about defining arbitral issues of our time.

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Speakers: 

•  Jan Paulsson, Three Crowns

• Nigel Blackaby QC, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

• Salim Moollan QC, Essex Court Chambers

• María Beatriz Burghetto, Independent arbitrator 

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Moderator:

• Gustavo Laborde, Laborde Law 

This is the second of a two-panel series on reform in international arbitration.  

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This panel will bring about a unique opportunity for inter-institutional dialogue and debate among leading arbitral institutions.

 

The discussion will be divided into two segments. The first segment will discuss the recent or ongoing projects of these institutions to reform their institutional rules and practices. What are the key aspects of these reforms? And how are these reforms adopted? How does the process ensure that all relevant stakeholders have a say in the reform? The second segment will address issues common to all four institutions: the unilateral party appointment of arbitrators. How common does this practice remain in institutional arbitration? Does this practice create tensions with the duty of impartiality? If so, are there credible alternatives? What about blind appointments?

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Speakers:  

• Jackie van Haersolte-van Hof, Director General of the LCIA

• Gonzalo Flores, Deputy Secretary-General of ICSID

• Kevin Nash, Deputy Registrar and Centre Director of SIAC

• Dipna Gunnoo, Head of the Mauritius Arbitration and Mediation Centre (MARC)

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Moderator:

• Gustavo Laborde, Laborde Law