Dossier VIII - Is Arbitration Only As Good as the Arbitrator? Status, Powers and Role of the Arbitrator

Whether arbitration is only as good as the arbitrator is a question that has often been asked. Indeed, an arbitration procedure can be a quick and efficient means of dispute resolution that can save parties a lot of money compared to a court procedure. However, arbitral awards, unlike court judgements, are not subject to ordinary judicial remedies and there is no recourse available against an award which is substantially wrong.

Therefore, anyone interested in international arbitration, whether experienced arbitrator or in-house counsel working with contracts and arbitration clauses, should read this compilation of expert views on thorny issues like:

• Clashes between arbitrator and litigants
• Arbitral discrimination under English and EU law
• The arbitrator’s relation with third parties
• Confidentiality issues
• Rules of law vs. freedom of the arbitrator

Invaluable companion for practitioners and scholars alike, this publication looks at the relationship between the qualities of the arbitrators and the arbitrators' “work-products”, namely the award and the arbitral process itself.

The Institute of World Business Law’s ‘Dossiers’ is a series that has gained international prestige. The Dossiers are the outcome of the Institute’s annual meetings, where experts from around the globe come together in a unique think tank to discuss salient issues of international arbitration.