Going Virtual – The Use Of Technology In International Arbitration

The flexibility afforded by institutional rules, such as the ICC and LCIA, makes international arbitrations well suited for the use of technology in a myriad of ways in arbitral proceedings. Parties can be faced with responding to dozens and sometimes hundreds of Redfern requests (i.e. documentary production requests), the need to call witnesses and experts based in various parts of the world and an arbitral panel that can be made up of arbitrators who are also based in different jurisdictions. Confronted with these challenges, the use of technology is crucial to international arbitration living up to some of its central pillars - being that it is faster and less expensive than court proceedings, can be tailored to the nature of the dispute and, of course, gives parties the benefit of confidentiality.