Happy Summer! Updates on CalArb:
1. CalArb Hits the 200 Member Mark!
CalArb has over 200 members and we’re growing! We have members nearby in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose and Sacramento, further away in New York, DC and Miami, and across the seas – including in Singapore, Hong Kong, mainland China, India, Europe and Africa. A special welcome to our new members – and thanks to everyone for their support of international arbitration in California!
2. Website Member Directory
Our online member directory has been updated to include location and bio links for general members. Login to add your website or LinkedIn profile – or just email info@calarb.org to provide details. Our Marketing Committee is continuing to work on additional improvements to the website directory.
3. Programs and Events
Be sure to check out details on upcoming programs on the CalArb Events page. The Events page lists upcoming international arbitration programs and events in California, other programs featuring CalArb members and major events hosted by international arbitration institutions and organizations around the world.
Check out our next online webinar on June 28 at Noon PT: “What Is Your Dispute Clause Strategy” moderated by Marcus Quintanilla and featuring CalArb members Ken Korea, Les Schiefelbein and Janie Winning!
We’ll be hosting a Society of Construction Law event featuring CalArb Members Laura Abrahamson, Jim Dierking, Nathan O’Malley and Barbara Reeves on July 18.
More programs are coming, including focuses on the Philippines, China and Korea. Plans are also in the works for programs focused on economic analysis and renewable energy. If you have an idea on an international arbitration or ADR program, let the Programming Committee co-chairs Giorgio Sassine and Chuck Dick know. We’re eager to have all our members share their expertise. We’re also glad to support international arbitration programs offered by members’ law firms and organizations. Just let us know!
4. California International Arbitration Week 2024!
Mark your calendars for California International Arbitration Week 2024 – March 11-14, 2024 – in San Francisco and online. CIAW 2024 will once again feature a week of programming presented by leading international arbitration institutions and organizations from around the world, with additional programming and receptions by law firms and other organizations. The Joint CalArb/CLA CIAW 2024 Planning Committee will be organized in the early Fall – We hope you’ll get involved!
5. California Conversations
We want you to be famous! Be sure to add your name to the list to be interviewed in our ongoing California Conversations series interviewing CalArb members. We hope to interview all interested CalArb members. The interviews are posted on our YouTube channel for later viewing: https://www.youtube.com/@CalArb . If you haven’t already added your name to the list, contact info@calarb.org to do so.
6. New Articles
Have you written any recent articles on international arbitration and ADR? CalArb will be glad to republish high quality articles. See the latest articles on the CalArb website Articles page, including the Los Angeles Lawyer article “Go Global” written by the CalArb Exec Team, an article by members Peter Neumann and Peter Rosen on “California’s Emergence as an Innovator in International Arbitration,” and an article by members Sarah Reynolds, Yasmine Lahlou and Brody Greenwald on drafting for cross-border technology agreements and foreign investment.
7. CalArb International Arbitration & ADR Writing Competition and Award
CalArb’s International Arbitration & ADR Writing Competition Committee has invited submissions for our first writing competition and award. This competition provides an opportunity to law students and young practitioners to research and address important issues, and recognizes and rewards the most exceptional written contribution. The Competition is open to all law students and lawyers who have practiced for less than 10 years. The last day for submissions is July 31. Details on the CalArb site. Thanks to Committee co-chairs Chuck Pereya-Suarez and Al Golbert, and members Jeff Daar, Brody Greenwald and Ben Malek for their work setting up the competition.
8. New Mentorship Program
Stay tuned as our Membership Committee implements plans for a mentorship program. Thanks to Membership Co-chairs Ghada Audi and Eric Chang, Board member Dana Welch and the entire Membership Committee for their ongoing work on this initiative.
9. Corporate Counsel Survey
Our Corporations and Law Firm Committee has been hard at work developing a corporate counsel survey on international arbitration in California for the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC). Thanks to Committee co-chairs, Jim Dierking and Matt Reed, and members Brody Greenwald, Anya Marinkovich and Phil Shinn for their work on the survey.
10. CalArb Committees
CalArb Committees are undergoing lots of changes! Committee membership is now open to all members. A list of committees has been provided separately to all members. We anticipate that Committee Co-Chairs will be in touch with new committee members shortly. If there is a committee you’d like to join, contact info@calarb.org. We plan to automate committee membership with renewals in the future.
11. Young CalArb Leadership
Thanks to Katie Connolly who will be joining Tuyana Molokhoeva to lead Young CalArb. The Young CalArb Steering Committee will be announced shortly – and we expect to see lots of Young CalArb initiatives soon. Young CalArb supports CalArb members below the age of 40. If you’re not already a member, join now.
12. Other New Committee Leaders
Jeff Daar has joined Paul Hines to lead the CalArb Government and Bar Associations Committee. Neil Popovic has joined Peter Rosen to lead the Law Schools and Academic Committee. We’re looking forward to those committees holding regular meetings and taking on new initiatives to support international arbitration in California. Leadership of all committees will be reviewed this Fall for rotation.
13. ICCA
The International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA) is one of the most respected international arbitration organizations in the world and the host of the ICCA Congress – last year in Scotland, 2024 in Hong Kong, and 2026 in Madrid. California may be a contender for the ICCA 2028. CalArb member Paul Cohen is leading the initiative.
14. Kluwer Arbitration Blog
Check out the Kluwer Arbitration Blog. A daily blog on international arbitration around the world – the subscription is free – and it’s a great way to stay up on new developments. Kluwer recently wrote a series of articles on California international arbitration. Click here for details.
15. CIACA – UNCITRAL Model Law updates
The joint initiative by CalArb and the California Lawyers Association to support a legislative bill updating California’s international arbitration law (“CIACA”) is making progress. AB 615, which updates CIACA to conform to the current UNCITRAL Model Law, was unanimously approved by the California Assembly and will soon be considered by the Senate. California was the first US state to adopt the Model Law and remains one of the few states to have done so. Adopting the Model Law amendments will reaffirm California’s important positioning as an international arbitration-friendly seat. Thanks to CalArb members Jeff Daar, Jeff Dasteel, Dan Kolkey and Bob Lutz for this important work.
16. CalArb Leadership
In June, the Board formalized a governance plan to limit Board service to three-year terms and rotate officers. The CalArb Board received twenty-eight nominations for Board seats and officer roles. Appointments will be made and announced in July. New Board directors and officers will begin their terms in September.
17. Who is Behind the Curtain: info@calarb.org
Questions about anything related to CalArb? Our Executive Director David Pollock is here to answer them or get you to someone who will. David is an accomplished professional. We are fortunate to have him supporting all our members. You can find David at info@calarb.org. Don’t hesitate to reach out.
18. Thanks!
Thanks again to all our members. We’re glad to have practitioners, providers, academics, and students here and beyond who support international arbitration in California. Stay tuned for announcements on our new leadership and other exciting developments! And special thanks to all of you who are making efforts to be involved.
On behalf of the CalArb Exec Team: Gary Benton, Dana Welch, Laura Abrahamson, Jeff Daar, Marcus Quintanilla, Giorgio Sassine – we look forward to great things for CalArb and California international arbitration and ADR.
If you have any questions about CalArb or suggestions on moving us forward, reach out to us at info@calarb.org. We look forward to hearing from you.