Understanding the nature and impact of an arbitral award and the issues at stake in an arbitral proceeding will be the subject of an ICC conference, to take place in Dubai on 19-20 October 2010.

When it comes to cross-border dispute resolution, arbitration is by far the most commonly used alternative to litigation with arbitral awards enjoying much greater international recognition than judgements of national courts,

Hosted by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the two-day conference will examine various aspects of arbitral awards ranging from their historical perspective and theoretical basis, to technical and practical sessions designed to promote efficiency of the arbitral process.

Providing insight into the scrutiny process of the ICC International Court of Arbitration, the conference will also feature a mock ICC Court session. ICC International Court of Arbitration Chairman John Beechey and Secretary General Jason Fry will participate in the session along with other ICC Court experts from the Dubai region and around the world.

Issues related to enforcement of arbitral awards, notably when a State party is involved, will be raised during a roundtable session with a special focus on the particularities of the region.

“Economic growth and development has enticed a large number of multinational companies to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the enforcement of local and foreign arbitration awards has improved tremendously within the UAE and the region,” said Essam Al Tamimi, Senior Partner, Al Tamimi & Company and member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration. “To facilitate existing, and encourage future investment, enhancement of the judicial system and dispute resolution mechanisms is firmly at the top of the government's political agenda.”

The conference will focus on all aspects of arbitral awards: how they are prepared, what they should contain, dissenting opinions and the enforcement of awards internationally. It will also discuss the resolution of disputes under construction contracts, both initially, pursuant to recommendations or decisions of dispute boards and finally, by arbitral awards.

Chris Seppala, Partner, White & Case and alternate member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration said: "This conference is especially timely given that the UAE is pre-eminent as an international business centre and the region has one of the largest and most dynamic construction markets in the world. No venue could be more fitting or popular for such a conference than Dubai."

In cooperation with the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC), an entire afternoon of the programme will be dedicated to construction disputes to examine decisions and recommendations of Dispute Boards as well as the specificities of disputes in construction arbitration.

Internationally renowned experts in arbitration and construction disputes will be on hand to deal with this considerable aspect of the arbitral process, sharing their experiences and proposing concrete solutions.

The conference is a must-attend for all professionals involved in international trade and dispute resolution including lawyers, arbitrators and mediators, corporate counsel, contract managers, magistrates and academics.

For more information about the conference, please click here

A special early bird rate is available until 31 August.

For further information, please contact:

Katharine Bernet
ICC Events
Tel: +33-1 49 53 28 91
Click here to email