2013 HK Arbitration Week – Bigger and Better

The second Hong Kong Arbitration Week, held from 21st to 24th October 2013 was again an unequivocal success.  The legal and commercial community generously sponsored this event which gathered over 350 arbitration scholars, officials, and practitioners to engage in a lively and vibrant series of events on the development of arbitration across Asia.

Arbitrating in the BRICS:  Developments & Challenges; What Role for the PCA; and  ICC-HK/HK45 Evening Seminar & Cocktail
Events on Monday situated Asian arbitration in the larger global context. Meaningful dialogue took place on arbitration developments in Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) organised by the ICC-YAF in the morning.  The delegates then turned to look at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in the role of today’s world with Deputy Secretary-General, Brooks Daly giving a survey of the background, recent cases, and future trajectory of the world’s oldest dispute resolution centre. The first day of the week concluded with the opening seminar and cocktail organised by ICC-HK and HK-45.  Secretary Rimsky Yuen SC JP offered a policy perspective on the future of international arbitration culture in Asia and vowed that the Hong Kong government would spare no effort to keep Hong Kong’s arbitral infrastructure up to date.

Arbitration in Mainland China; HK Arbitration Charity Ball
On Tuesday, organised by the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC), this sold out seminar brought together eminent China experts to give practical recommendations on how to manage and conduct arbitration proceedings in China and to provide an overview of the Chinese judiciary’s approach towards arbitration and maritime arbitration.  In the evening, over 300 delegates gathered together for the 2nd annual HK Arbitration Charity Ball and raised a total of HK$850,000.  This year’s main beneficiary was the Society for Community Organization (SoCO), a local charity which provides care for up to 200,000 people who live in subsistent housing in Hong Kong.  Vis East Moot was the other beneficiary who will receive approximately 25% of this year’s proceeds who are working with developing countries to improve arbitral programmes.

ADR in Asia Conference
The annual ADR in Asia Conference brought over 240 esteemed local and international practitioners together to witness HKIAC’s new administered rules in practice. In a mock arbitration, Hong Kong’s first emergency arbitrator was appointed, and a tribunal considered whether to join an additional party to the arbitration and whether or not to consolidate multiple arbitrations – all powers enabled by the new HKIAC rules that took effect on November 2013. The conference also discussed particularly timely issues facing the arbitration community today: the regulation of ethics and third party funding.

3rd Annual Gar Live, Asia
The Global Arbitration Review held its third annual GAR Live Asia to tie together the events of the week with a review of regional developments in China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, India, and Southeast Asia as well as its first “yum cha” interview of two celebrated international arbitrators and concluded the 3rd annual GAR Live with a GAR Oxford Union-style debate between eminent practitioners.

2014 HK Arbitration Week
The Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) has established the Hong Kong Arbitration Week to celebrate the triumphs and challenges of international arbitration while actively promoting the development of the practice in Asia. Through conferences, seminars and evening receptions, Hong Kong Arbitration Week seeks to provide a multitude of forums in which users and practitioners can come together to exchange ideas on how best to manage this increased demand for arbitration services. Save the Dates for the 2014 HK Arbitration Week – 14 – 17 October 2014.

Media Contact
Karen Tan  
Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre
Tel: (852) 2525 2381
Fax: (852) 2524 2171
Email: karen@hkiac.org