California Arbitration

Webinar: ADR Legislative and Case-Law Update
2025-01-30 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual, Singapore
The speakers will provide synopses of significant ADR cases decided and legislation introduced during 2024. The speakers include CalArb Second VP Marcus Quintanilla who serves as an arbitrator, mediator, and counsel in domestic and international disputes. Also speaking will be Paul Dubow who was trained as an arbitrator in 1972 and as a mediator in 1994, becoming a full-time neutral in December 2000, following his retirement after 26 years as director of litigation at Dean Witter Reynolds; and James R. (Jim) Madison who is an arbitrator, dispute resolution board neutral, and expert in arbitrator ethics. He specializes in construction, employment, technology, and other business disputes. Jim is a member of the Large Complex Case, Employment, International and Mediator Panels of the American Arbitration Association.

CalArb New Year Celebration - San Francisco
2025-01-09 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | One Market Street Restaurant, 1 Market Street, San Francisco, 94105, United States
Please join us in San Francisco to celebrate the New Year! We are planning a gathering in San Francisco as an opportunity to network with our colleagues and talk about the year to come. This is a NO-HOST event and no reservation is required. Both CalArb members and non-members are welcome.

Civility in the Legal Profession: Civility for Arbitration Practitioners
2025-01-07 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
This program for litigation counsel, corporate counsel and arbitrators meets the new California CLE Civility requirement. The program will address ethical guidelines and practices with respect to civility among arbitration practitioners, including the link between civility and bias, incivility directed at opposing parties, and incivility directed to administrators, arbitrators and the judiciary. Presenters include CalArb Board Members Gary Benton and Ruth V. Glick. For more information and to register, click here.

Day in the Life of an Arbitration Practitioner
2024-11-18 12:15 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | UCLA Law, 385 Charles E Young Dr E, Los Angeles, California, 90095, United States
Learn about a day in the life of an arbitration practitioner in Los Angeles, in collaboration with Young California Arbitration. Featuring CalArb members TJ Auner, Giorgio A. Sassine, and Tuyana Molokhoeva.
Lunch provided with RSVP by 11/13/24. Register here.

Enforcement of Arbitral Awards: Theory and Practice - Part 5: USA (Virtual Edition)
2024-10-22 17:00 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual, Singapore
The efficacy of arbitration as an effective dispute resolution mechanism depends to a large extent on whether the integrity of the award will be protected by the national courts in enforcement and annulment proceedings and treated as final and binding save in limited circumstances.
The “Enforcement of Arbitral Awards: Theory & Practice” global series seeks to provide an overview of the arbitration law in different jurisdictions, with a focus on the theory and practice of the enforcement of arbitral awards in those jurisdictions. The definition of an “arbitral award”, the grounds for non-enforcement of awards, the grounds for annulment of awards, as well as the national court’s attitude and approach in applying these grounds, will be examined. Some of the practical aspects on identification of assets of an award debtor within these jurisdictions will also be discussed.
In the fifth installment of this series, we focus on the theory and practice of enforcement of awards in the USA.

Young CalArb Happy Hour in Los Angeles
2024-10-08 17:00 - 19:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Citizen Public Market Rooftop, 9355 Culver Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, 90232, United States
Join Young CalArb for a happy hour in Los Angeles. Grab food and drinks from one of Citizen Public Market’s many vendors and join us on the rooftop for an evening of networking with young practitioners and law students. All CalArb and Young CalArb members are welcome. Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options are available. Advance registration is encouraged but not required. We look forward to seeing you there!

Arbitration in the Pacific Rim
2024-09-13 09:00 - 18:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, 333 South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 90071, United States
Join us in Los Angeles on September 13, 2024, for the highly anticipated 8th Annual USC-JAMS Arbitration Symposium with SIAC and CalArb: Arbitration in the Pacific Rim. Enjoy a full day of networking and interactive programming including a keynote address by Samaa Haridi, Global Disputes Partner at King & Spalding, Vice-President of the ICC International Court of Arbitration and Former Co-Chair, IBA Arbitration.
Panel discussions will cover critical topics affecting international arbitration such as International Human Rights and Arbitration, International Sanctions and Arbitration, and the latest developments in the New York Convention—exploring whether enforcement is becoming more challenging. Additionally, we will examine Arbitration in the Pacific Rim, focusing on bridging legal landscapes between the US and Asia. Among the panelists will be CalArb President Laura C. Abrahamson, FCIArb, CalArb Second Vice President Marcus S. Quintanilla, FCIArb, CalArb Treasurer Brody K. Greenwald, CalArb Secretary Giorgio Sassine, CalArb Officer at Large Nilufar Hossain, and CalArb Board Member Dr. Nicolas Wiegand, Young CalArb Co-chair Katie Connolly, and CalArb Member Amb. (Ret.) David Huebner, FCIArb, C.Arb, FCollArb.
The Symposium will also feature the Young Arbitration Program and Opening Reception on September 12, at the JAMS Los Angeles Resolution Center, presented by Young Cal-Arb, Young SIAC, and Young ITA. Please note that separate registration is required for this event, please click HERE to register.

The Future Speaks: Young Practitioner Perspectives on the International Arbitration of TomorrowJAMS
2024-09-12 17:30 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | JAMS Los Angeles Office, 555 W. 5th St., 32nd Floor, Los Angeles, 90013, United States
A panel of dynamic young international arbitration practitioners, including CalArb members Katie Connolly and Giorgio Sassine, will explore their vision for the future of international arbitration in 2034and beyond. Panelists will cover a wide range of critical topics, providing insights into how upcoming changes and innovations will shape the field, with the objective of inspiring future conversations. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the evolving landscape and the role young lawyers will play in driving these transformations. Potential topics will include a brief conversation around technology, procedural updates, emerging hubs of arbitration and specialty courts, progress in diversity, and the growing role of mediation and bespoke ADR mechanisms within dispute resolution.

Future Dispute Resolution Conference
2024-09-05 08:30 - 19:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Stanford University Paul Brest Hall, 555 Salvatierra Walk, Stanford, CA, 94305, United States
The American Arbitration Association® (AAA®), its international division, the International Centre for Dispute Resolution® (ICDR®), and ODR.com are proud to co-host “Future Dispute Resolution” with Stanford Law School, CodeX (The Stanford Center for Legal Informatics), System.Legal and ITECHLAW.
This pivotal conference will delve into the critical integration of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) into judicial systems, spotlighting the transformative role of generative AI and other technologies in arbitration and dispute management. Don’t miss your opportunity to hear from judges, leading in-house counsel and other experts!
Conference Highlights:

Judicial System Integration: Strategies for incorporating ADR into judicial frameworks.
Generative AI: Insights into how AI is revolutionizing dispute resolution.
In-House Counsel Perspectives: Impact of technology on dispute management.
ICDR Working Group Insights: Survey results and recommendations on tech disputes.
Online Dispute Resolution: Trends and challenges in the digital domain.

Webinar: Foreign & International Legal Research 101
2024-07-17 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
In this webinar, the speakers will unveil essential tools and rare resources for navigating the complexities of foreign and international law. Moderated by CalArb Board Member Jeffery Daar.

Webinar: Drafting US and International Arbitration Clauses for Complex Commercial Contracts
2024-06-26 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
What terms should transactional lawyers include in business arbitration clauses? And what should litigation lawyers know about arbitration clauses? Learn best practices and tips from the American Arbitration Association (AAA) and a leading independent arbitrators Aaron Gothelf and Gary Benton (CalArb board member).

2024 Arbitration Training Institute
2024-06-06 08:00 - 2024-06-07 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Miles Mediation & Arbitration, 115 Perimeter Center Place, Suite 1100, Atlanta, GA, 30346, United States
Presented by nationally recognized experts, the Institute features comprehensive sessions on every stage of the arbitral process examined from the vantage point of neutrals, advocates, and in-house counsel. Substantive sessions address specific areas of arbitral practice. Small group break-out discussions follow, which allow participants to interact in depth with the faculty and each other.
Scholarships are available here but must be applied for no later than April 24, 2024.

California Chronicles: Exploring International Arbitration with Steve Smith
2024-05-06 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Stanford Law School Room 230, 559 Nathan Abbott Way, Stanford, 94305, United States
THIS IS AN IN-PERSON EVENT ONLY. Join us for a fireside chat exploring the origins of international arbitration in California with Mr. Steven L. Smith (CalArb board member and Of Counsel, Jones Day, San Francisco), one of the world’s leading international arbitration lawyers with expertise in energy, oil and gas, mining, defense, chemical, and life sciences industries. Mr. Smith was a Lecturer in Law at Stanford Law School for many years, where he taught international commercial arbitration. He is a longstanding member of the ICC’s Leaders Group in the United States, a Board of Directors of California Arbitration, has served in the past as the Chair of the ABA’s International Arbitration Committee and as a member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration in Paris.

ICCA 2024 Hong Kong
2024-05-05 - 2024-05-08
Registration now open! With ‘International Arbitration: A Human Endeavour’ as the theme, the Congress will provide an opportunity to discuss the state of international arbitration today, with an emphasis on the many people and stakeholders that contribute to driving the field forward. For more information and to register, click here.

Joint Virtual Accelerated Route to Fellowship (International Arbitration) Assessment Course
2024-05-02 10:00 - 2024-05-10 15:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
May 2 & 3 and
May 9 & 10, 2024 Plus Exam
Zoom via Internet
Over Four Half-Day Sessions
The Course schedule is as follows:
Tuesday, May 2 – 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Wednesday, May 3 – 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 9 – 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Friday, May 10 – 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
REGISTRATION FOR USD ONLY IS AVAILABLE ON THIS PAGE | CLICK HERE TO REGISTER AND PAY WITH CAD
DOWNLOAD BROCHURE FOR MORE INFORMATION
USD REGISTRATION:
FEES:
Non-Members: $2300 USD
NAB Members $2000 USD
Current Members of Chartered Institute of Arbitrators: $2000

Webinar: First Quarter ADR Legislative and Case-Law Update
2024-04-23 12:00 - 13:15 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
April 23, 2024, 12:00 p.m. | REGISTER HERE
1.25 Hours MCLE
The speakers will provide synopses of significant ADR cases decided and legislation introduced during the first quarter of 2024. Moderator: Marcus Quintanilla. Speakers: James Madison and Paul Dubow.

Accelerated Route to Fellowship (International Arbitration) Assessment
2024-04-18 08:30 - 2024-04-19 17:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | San Diego
Five interactive breakout workshops PLUS three plenary sessions explore the challenges of organizing and managing a complex international arbitration and the drafting of an enforceable reasoned international award.
April 18 & 19, 2024 Plus Exam
Venue: TBA

Presented and Organized by:
The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
North America Branch
DOWNLOAD BROCHURE
Thursday, April 18 – 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Friday, April 19 – 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
REGISTER

Innovation and AI: Risks and Opportunities
2024-04-17 14:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Salesforce West, 50 Fremont St., San Francisco, California, 94105
Join the ICC for this half-day West Coast program starting at 2pm, hosted by U.S. Council on International Business/ICC USA member Salesforce, featuring conversations about the risks & opportunities for businesses & the dispute resolution field as they look to foster innovation through artificial intelligence. If you are a business leader, part of a company’s legal department, or a dispute resolution professional interested in how AI will impact your business and dispute resolution practices, this event is for you. Through a fireside chat with Salesforce’s General Counsel, Todd Machtmes, and a panel featuring perspectives on AI and the dispute resolution realm, this event will examine various legal, regulatory, and ethical considerations, and how they can be managed, and their risks mitigated. Speakers will also examine how AI has already made its mark on business operations and dispute resolution, whether guidelines on its use are needed, and what we should expect in the months and years to come.

Guardians of Secrecy: Navigating Confidentiality in Arbitration Amidst the AI Revolution
2024-04-16 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
Dive into the dynamic realm of arbitration where confidentiality meets the challenges and opportunities Artificial Intelligence presents. Join us for an enlightening webinar where experts unravel the complexities of safeguarding sensitive information in arbitration proceedings amidst the rise of AI technologies.

What Domestic ADR Practitioners Can Learn from International Commercial Arbitration
2024-04-12 12:45 - 13:45 (America/Los_Angeles) | The Westin San Diego Gaslamp Quarter, 910 Broadway Circle, San Diego, 92101, United States
There are a number of emerging trends in international commercial arbitration that can revolutionize the way in which domestic ADR is conducted in the States. This program discusses two of those trends: transparency and third-party funding, and how they are often intertwined. While increasingly used and discussed in the international arbitral setting, historically there has not been the same dedication to these topics in the domestic ADR setting. This program seeks to bridge that gap.
Presenters:
Charles H. Dick, Arbitrator and Mediator, JAMS (CalArb Member)
Nilufar Hossain, Investment Manager & Legal Counsel, Omni Bridgeway (CalArb Board Member)
Marco Molina, Partner, BakerHostetler (CalArb Member)
Giorgio Sassine, Associate, Musick, Peeler & Garrett LLP (CalArb Secretary)
Not for CLE

Dealing with Difficult Behaviors in Arbitration
2024-04-12 10:15 - 11:15 (America/Los_Angeles) | The Westin San Diego Gaslamp Quarter, 910 Broadway Circle, San Diego, 92101, United States
What arbitrator has not had to deal with the difficult behavior of a participant in arbitration? This interactive program will discuss the challenges posed by difficult behaviors and consider strategies about how best to manage these challenges. The program will address difficult behaviors of many types, including counsel
attempts to delay or disrupt the proceedings, to intimidate the arbitrator, opposing counsel, or witnesses. And it will recommend techniques for managing difficult behaviors.
Presenters:
Gary Benton, US and International Arbitrator, Gary Benton Arbitration (CalArb Immediate Past President)
Edward Lozowicki, Arbitrator & Mediator, lozowicki ADR (CalArb Member)
Dana Welch, Arbitrator, Welch ADR (CalArb President)
Professionalism CLE Credit

ESG in Dispute: Rethinking Investor-State Arbitration in a Sustainable World
2024-04-10 14:15 - 15:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Berkeley School of Law – Goldberg Room, 2763-2719 Bancroft Way, Berkeley, California, 94704
This is a session at the 2024 Stefan A. Riesenfeld Symposium ESG & International Law
This is an in-person event only.
Join Professor (and CalArb Member) Neil Popovic and panelists in delving into the complex dynamics between ESG objectives and investor-State dispute settlement mechanisms. The discussion will on the rising trend of foreign investors leverage ISDS to challenge state climate and environmental actions. Participants explore potential avenues to address this issue, considering the inclusion of ESG protections in international treaties and the emergence of new claims and defenses. Registration is required. Click here for more information on the symposium. Click here for more information on this session.

California Offshore Wind, the Challenges and Opportunities
2024-03-14 08:00 - 09:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Hyatt Regency San Francisco (Embarcadero Center), 5 Embarcadero Center, San Francisco, CA, 94111, United States

GAR Live: Technology Disputes 2024
2024-03-13 | Cooley, San Francisco, 3 Embarcadero Ctr, 20th Floor, San Francisco, 94111, United States
Global Arbitration Review is pleased to announce the launch of the first edition of GAR Live: Technology Disputes, taking place as part of California International Arbitration Week.
Our inaugural year in San Francisco will bring together leading practitioners from the US and internationally to discuss the notable developments happening in the world of technology and the increased risk of disputes likely to follow. Expect a full day of high-level discussion, with topics including how we define a tech dispute, drafting suitable clauses, ISDS and tech and a GAR debate on blockchain arbitration.
Join an audience of arbitrators, counsel, in-house practitioners, expert witnesses and more to network, debate and analyse the pressing developments in a sector that’s potentially ripe with disputes.

Ethical Conundrums Faced by Parties and Arbitrators in International Arbitration
2024-03-12 09:15 - 10:45 (America/Los_Angeles) | Hyatt Regency San Francisco (Embarcadero Center), 5 Embarcadero Center, San Francisco, CA, 94111, United States
International arbitration is rife with tricky ethical issues as the standards governing lawyers in other countries often differ from those governing US lawyers. For example, can a party interview a prospective party-appointed arbitrator and, if so, what questions are off limits, such as hypotheticals that include key facts from the arbitration? What obligations does an arbitrator have when becoming aware that a co-arbitrator has failed to disclose important information such as financial connections with one of the parties? How far and for how long can an arbitrator lean toward the party who appointed them: during the hearing, and then during deliberations? A legitimate role of a party-appointed arbitrator is to ensure that the tribunal understands the positions taken by the party who appointed them. But some arbitrators go further by asking pointed questions of only one party or of “advocating” for the position of the appointing party during deliberations. Opposing counsel in an arbitration may also be subject to conflicting ethical obligations regarding important aspects of the proceeding. When faced with a request to produce documents in the arbitration, a US-barred lawyer is obligated to produce inculpatory documents that may harm the lawyer’s client’s position, yet a civil law practitioner is prohibited from doing so. The privilege rules between the common law and civil law systems can also vary widely. For example, privilege protections can extend to the internal communications of in-house counsel in common law jurisdictions but not normally in civil law jurisdictions. Similarly, an English barrister is not allowed to review testimony with witnesses before they take the stand, yet a US lawyer is free to “horse shed” that same witness. How are these disparities in the professional responsibilities of opposing counsel to be resolved without giving one side an advantage and hence “an inequality of arms”? What disclosure or other obligations arise when an arbitrator is a partner of a global law firm that receives third party funding, or is the actual recipient of funding in an arbitration?

2024 California International Arbitration Week
2024-03-11 - 2024-03-14 | Hyatt Regency San Francisco (Embarcadero Center), 5 Embarcadero Center, San Francisco, CA, 94111, United States
Join California Arbitration (CalArb), the California Lawyers Association (CLA) and leading arbitration institutions and organizations from around the world in a week-long series of complimentary in-person/hybrid and virtual programs celebrating international arbitration in California.

Recent Trends in International Arbitration - Saudi Arabian, US and English perspectives
2024-03-03 14:30 - 17:00 (Asia/Riyadh) | Hilton Riyadh Hotel and Residences, 6623 Eastern Ring Rd, Ghirnatah, Riyadh, 13241, Saudi Arabia
As part of Riyadh International Disputes Week, Harasani & Alkamees and CalArb present, in collaboration with Monckton Chambers, Musick Peeler, and Chaffetz Lindsey, a deep-dive into cross-border enforcement of GCC, UK and US arbitral awards under the New York Convention, with a particular focus on issues that may arise and what in-house counsel and practitioners should be aware of in drafting arbitration agreements and enforcing or challenging arbitral awards.

A Day in the Life of an International Arbitration Practitioner (Pepperdine)
2024-02-15 12:30 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Pepperdine Caruso School of Law in Malibu, 24255 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, 90263, United States
Join us for an insightful discussion about life as an attorney practicing commercial international arbitration. Hear from TJ Auner, an associate with Jones Day, Peter Durning, senior counsel with The Boeing Company, and Barbara Reeves, a practicing arbitrator and mediator. The panel willbe moderated by Stepan Sultanov, an LLM student at Pepperdine. The event is free, but registration is required.

ITA Arbitration Institutions Series: Internationa Center for Dispute Resolution (ICDR)
2024-02-15 06:00 - 07:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
The Institute for Transnational Arbitration is excited to present its new project – The ITA Arbitral Institutions Series! Save the date for February 15, 2024, for an insightful discussion of Rules of the International Center for Dispute Resolution (ICDR). This webinar includes CalArb member Steve Anderson.
This series is designed to raise the awareness of “arbitration” users as to the right choice of Arbitration Rules, and to reinforce cooperation between the arbitral institutions. These webinars will present, one by one, institutions such as LCIA, ICC, SCC, ICSID, ICDR, HIAC and many others. Our goal is to reach beyond the ordinary and bland description of main features and give the audience a practical tool facilitating the choice of the set of rules appropriate for each individual case.
The webinars are free for ITA Advisory Board and Correspondent members.
Mark your calendars and make your plans now to join us!
Webinar begins at 8:00 am Houston/ 9:00 am New York
Duration: 1 hour

Gulf echoes: A global dialogue on energy developments
2024-02-06 18:00 - 19:30 (Europe/London)
In the broader context of the COP and the continued implementation of the Paris Agreement, the significance of energy is heightened. With a worldwide focus on reducing carbon emissions and transitioning to sustainable, clean energy sources, the expertise found in the MENA region is particularly relevant, evidenced by the surge in foreign investments, particularly from South Korean companies. The energy is simultaneously central for the region, the global industry, and the international arbitration community. This webinar can be viewed on the CalArb YouTube channel here.
