International Arbitration Best Practices: The Importance Of Having Experienced Arbitration Counsel On Your Team

Having just returned to Vancouver after almost six years of practicing in the international arbitration group of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in Paris, I have noted that an ancient myth still lingers in some Canadian corners. Let me dispel it, in all of its forms, for good: international commercial arbitration is not simply domestic commercial litigation in disguise. It involves a unique skill set, which requires particular training and expertise. Law firms around the world have recognized this by developing distinct, and renowned, international arbitration practices: Borden Ladner Gervais LLP is one of those firms.

My time at Freshfields (with one of the largest international arbitration practices, approximately 100 arbitration lawyers globally) taught me that a company that ignores the highly specialized nature of international arbitration does so at its own peril. It is obvious to arbitrators when counsel are learning as they go.