Life sciences globalization fuels new developments in international arbitration
The Arbitration Act 2025 (the “Act”) received Royal Assent on 24 February 2025. Its stated aim is to amend the Arbitration Act 1996, which governs arbitral claims seated in England and Wales. It marks a gentle evolution of...more
English High Court determines that ratification of the New York Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Arbitral Awards does not constitute prior written agreement to waive sovereign immunity....more
In a landmark victory for the Republic of India, the Commercial Court has held that India did not waive its state immunity in relation to the enforcement of two bilateral investment treaty awards solely by reason of its...more
The Arbitration Act 2025 is now an official new piece of legislation having received royal assent on 24 February 2025 ("2025 Act"). The new law, which refines and modernises the previous Arbitration Act 1996 ("1996 Act"),...more
On 24 February 2025, the Arbitration Act 2025 (the 2025 Act) received Royal Assent. The exact date on which it will come into force is yet to be confirmed, though the U.K. government has stated that it will seek to do so as...more
For commercial parties globally, England has long been heralded as a leader for dispute resolution, particularly in arbitration. To maintain its competitive position, in 2022, the Law Commission of England and Wales conducted...more
On 24 February 2025, the UK Arbitration Act 2025 received royal assent. While it does not bring with it large-scale reform of the Arbitration Act 1996 (which was considered to be largely fit for purpose), some of the...more
The long-awaited Arbitration Act 2025 received royal assent on 24 February 2025, marking the culmination of a multi-year review process led by the Law Commission of England and Wales. The act introduces changes aimed at...more
The long-awaited Arbitration Act 2025 (the “2025 Act”) finally received Royal Assent on 24 February 2025, paving the way for significant refinement of the Arbitration Act 1996 (the “1996 Act”) and the conduct of arbitration...more
On 24 February 2025, the Arbitration Act 2025 received Royal Assent, bringing into effect long-touted amendments to the English Arbitration Act 1996 (the “1996 Act”). This soft-touch reform introduces several changes aimed at...more
The Arbitration Bill received Royal Assent today (24 February 2025). This long-awaited Bill amends the Arbitration Act 1996 to create the Arbitration Act 2025 (the "2025 Act"). It will apply to any arbitration (or...more
Practitioners and stakeholders in the arbitration community have welcomed the long-awaited Arbitration Act 2025, which has now received Royal Assent, marking the most significant update to English arbitration law in nearly...more
As all eyes focus on peace talks and the future of the Russia/Ukraine conflict, Russia recently suffered another defeat in the long running Yukos saga, with the English Court of Appeal confirming that Russia could not invoke...more
The High Court’s recent decision in Djanogly v. Djanogly [2025] EWHC 61 (Ch) is a rare example of a successful challenge to an arbitration award under s.68 of the Arbitration Act 1996. It also highlights a feature of...more
Where two vessels were returned late by a charterer, only nominal damages were recoverable, since even if the vessels had been returned on time, the owners could not have chartered them out owing to obligations under...more
The UK’s Arbitration Bill (“Bill”), which was re-introduced by the Labour government in July 2024, was presented to the House of Commons (“HC”) on 6 November 2024, having completed its passage through the House of Lords the...more
The English Court of Appeal has rejected Spain’s and Zimbabwe’s appeals against orders registering arbitration awards made against them pursuant to the Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and...more
In recent years, technology advancement has introduced new methods for contract formation. In particular, the rise of blockchain technology has led to the emergence of “smart contracts”, which are digital contracts which...more
A warning to all consumer-facing businesses: the UK’s Court of Appeal has upheld the enforcement of a US$64 million Hong Kong-seated arbitration award against a Mrs Zhang, rejecting her argument that she was protected by the...more
When parties plan to resolve disputes by arbitration, there are several key considerations regarding procedure. In the first of a multi-part series, we look at two key features to consider when drafting (and applying) your...more
In 2023, the international arbitration landscape is dominated by macroeconomic factors. The inflationary pressures combined with price volatility and the use of sanctions by governments following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine...more
If an online business thinks it is insulated from court proceedings by an arbitration clause in standard terms, the English Commercial Court decision in Payward Inc. v Chechetkin will give pause for thought, particularly...more
Introduction - In Republic of Sierra Leone v SL Mining Ltd [2021] EWHC 286 (Comm) the English Commercial Court dismissed a challenge to an ICC arbitration award made under section 67 of the Arbitration Act 1996 (the “Act”). ...more
Investors in the water industry in the UK are well advised to consider if their shareholding structure affords them appropriate investment treaty protection and access to investment arbitration in the event of possible...more
With ongoing advances in technology and communications, the number of contracting parties looking beyond their local jurisdiction when choosing a dispute resolution forum continues to grow It is easier than ever for...more