The Court also strengthens the principle that leave of the first instance court is required to appeal against judgments on arbitration claims.

The recent Court of Appeal decision in Itochu Corporation v Johann M. K. Blumenthal & another 1 has established that ad hoc arbitrations without an appointing authority under the Arbitration Act 1996, unless the parties agree on the number of arbitrators, a sole arbitrator will be appointed even if the arbitration agreement suggests that the parties contemplated more than one arbitrator.

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White & Case represented the successful claimant (the respondent at the appeal stage).