1. GENERAL
1.1 Prevalence of Arbitration
Arbitration is often used in England and Wales as an alternative
to litigation. A 2021 survey by Queen Mary University of London
found that London remains the most favoured arbitral seat in the
world. The London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) has
confirmed that that it had 333 referrals in 2022, with its caseload
increasing by 60% in the past ten years. Non-UK parties account for
around 88% of its users.
1.2 Key Industries
According to the LCIA's 2022 annual casework report, the top
three industry sectors dominating the LCIA's caseload are
banking and finance, energy and resources, and transport and
commodities (together representing 65% of all cases). These are the
most likely growth areas for international arbitration.
Significantly, transport and commodities cases dominated the
LCIA's caseload, with the percentage of cases in 2022 more than
double the percentage in 2021.