The Court’s Secretary General emphasized the importance of the anticipated information technology system upgrade, which would allow the Secretariat to keep track in real time of the status of each case, this is part of an entire review of priorities and procedures internally and externally with a view to delivering a quality service.

The ICC International Court of Arbitration‘s work load continues to increase at a fast pace. The number of cases registered jumped to 663 last year from 599 in 2007. In addition 407 awards were rendered in 2008, compared with 349 in 2007, while there were 1,317 cases pending compared with 1,285 at the end of the previous year. The new Hong Kong office of the Court was up and running, with some 100 cases already registered.

The conference will also delve into dispute resolution in the industry, covering issues such as litigation B2C, secrecy obligations and dual purpose technology, and their impact on dispute resolution proceedings. The range of procedures available to resolve disputes – such as state court procedures and international commercial arbitration – will be addressed.

The conference will be held at the ICC Secretariat in Paris and will be conducted in English and French. Simultaneous translation will be available. Space is limited, and a discount will be offered to members and non-members of ICC who enroll by 12 January.

Jason Fry, Secretary General of ICC International Court of Arbitration said that the ICC Court is delighted to welcome young arbitration practitioners and corporate counsel to learn from some of the worlds most distinguished arbitrators and professionals. This is the first of what we hope will be an ongoing programme of events tailored to the new generation of arbitration professionals.

The conference is an opportunity for young lawyers and in-house counsel working in international arbitration to receive training from world-renowned arbitrators, members of the ICC International Court of Arbitration, and the ICC Secretariat. The weekend course will offer six hours of academic training with the stars and rising stars of arbitration. Plenary sessions, informal debates, and workshops held in parallel have all been designed for in-house counsel and lawyers.

The award followed four days of intense competition , as the team from Sao Paolo and the University of California Hastings College of Law were pitted against each other to mediate a complex business deal. The Brazilian team, made up of Gisela Ferreira Mation, Pedro Fida Fenelon Tibucheski, and Daniel Tabel Luis received a trophy, EUR 2 000 in prize money, an internship at ICC’s ADR Secretariat, and a set of legal reference books.

Every participant in this year’s competition received a year’s subscription to the ICC International Court of Arbitration Bulletin. The awards ceremony was officiated by Guy Sebban, ICC Secretary General, Jason Fry, Secretary General of the ICC International Court of Arbitration and ICC Dispute Resolution Services Director and Pierre Tercier, Chairman of the ICC International Court of Arbitration.

This year’s competition involved an even bigger roster of contenders from 30 universities in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Morocco, Singapore, Switzerland, Ukraine, the UK and the US.

Competitors acted as counsel and parties before professional mediators and used ICC’s ADR rules to solve business problems.

“What better way to educate tomorrow’s lawyers on the range mechanisms available for resolving international business disputes than through an international competition?” said Pierre Tercier.

The competition is part of ICC’s Dispute Resolution Services core mission: to educate the next generation of law professionals. Inaugurated in 2006, the annual ICC International Mediation Competition is organized by the Amicable Dispute Resolution (ADR) division. The competition brings together law schools from all over the world, giving students an opportunity to test their problem-solving skills in a mock international mediation, and to meet experts from diverse legal and professional backgrounds.

Next year, the 4th ICC International Mediation Competition takes place 12 to 16 February.

For more information contact:

Ms Emilie ROMEO
Project Coordinator
Email: iccmediationcompetition(AT)iccwbo.org

“This new course is a unique opportunity for participants to gain insight into the different stages of any amicable dispute resolution procedure. Bringing together individuals from widely diverse professional and cultural backgrounds, the training creates an exceptional forum for exchanging experience and viewpoints,” said Melanie Meilhac, Manager, ICC (International Chamber of Commerce) Dispute Resolution Services.

ICC’s (International Chamber of Commerce) first ADR training session, held in Paris last April, attracted participants from 15 countries, reflecting the increased attention that the international legal community is giving to mediation and other methods of dispute resolution.

In recognition of the growing importance of the Asia Pacific region to ICC (International Chamber of Commerce) Dispute Resolution Services and the ICC (International Chamber of Commerce) International Court of Arbitration, ICC (International Chamber of Commerce) announced last week that it would open a branch of the Secretariat of the Court in Hong Kong with a case management team to administer cases in the region under the ICC (International Chamber of Commerce) Rules of Arbitration. ICC (International Chamber of Commerce) will locate the Director, ICC (International Chamber of Commerce) Arbitration and Amicable Dispute Resolution Asia in Singapore, where it will open a liaison office dedicated to ICC (International Chamber of Commerce) Dispute Resolution Services.

ADR operates under a set of rules that leaves parties free to choose the technique best suited to the circumstances. In addition to learning about mediation, participants in the new interactive course will become familiar with other amicable methods, such as neutral evaluation and mini-trial.

“The International Chamber of Commerce’s decision to set up branch of the Secretariat of the Court in Hong Kong is an endorsement of our position as a premier center for international arbitration services. Its presence will enhance the provision of arbitration services in Hong Kong, ” said Wong Yan Lung, secretary for Justice of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government.

The ICC International Court of Arbitration is one of the world’s top international dispute resolution institutions. It is assisted by a secretariat located at the ICC headquarters in Paris. In 2007, it handled 599 domestic and international arbitration cases. The Court oversees the ICC arbitration process and, among other things, is responsible for appointing arbitrators and scrutinizing and approving all arbitral awards.