Parties sometimes prefer litigation to arbitration because court proceedings offer summary judgment, which can dispose of unmeritorious claims or defences at an early stage. In response, arbitral institutions such as SIAC, HKIAC and (most recently), the ICC have introduced procedures for early or summary determination. Broadly speaking, these procedures allow a party to seek the determination of issues of fact or law at an early stage where a claim or defence is manifestly without merit,…
In Singapore, international arbitration is governed by the International Arbitration Act (IAA), the Arbitration Act (AA) and the…
The Hong Kong Arbitration Ordinance (Cap. 609) is largely based on the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial…
On 17 December 2026, HKIAC announced an increased threshold for its Expedited Procedure and a fee update for cases administered under the HKIAC Administered Arbitration Rules. Together with its announcement, HKIAC published a Report on Hourly Rate of Arbitrators in HKIAC Administered Arbitrations. The monetary changes are applicable to all cases submitted to HKIAC under its 2024 Administered Arbitration Rules (2024 Rules) from 1 January 2026. Expanded scope for Expedited Procedure HKIAC has expanded the…
On 12 September 2025, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of the PRC has passed the…
On the first day of the 2025 Hong Kong Arbitration Week, Baker McKenzie and Control Risks jointly hosted a…
Introduction In his recent keynote address at the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (“SIAC”) Symposium, Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs Mr Edwin Tong SC remarked that “for [arbitration] to remain relevant, it must therefore remain responsive to evolving commercial needs, while steadfastly upholding on its foundational values of fairness, transparency and neutrality. This means continually enhancing how disputes are resolved – making the process more efficient, reliable and enforceable”.[1] One important driver…
Introduction Article 8(1) of the UNCITRAL Model Law, adopted in Hong Kong under section 20(1) of the Arbitration…
Giving due and fair notice of arbitral proceedings is critical when commencing an arbitration, as a failure to…
Effective from 1 March 2025, the Pilot Scheme on Facilitation for Persons Participating in Arbitral Proceedings in Hong Kong has been regularised with refinements. The Pilot Scheme was launched in June 2020. It allows relevant persons to participate in arbitral proceedings in Hong Kong as visitors without an employment visa if they obtain a letter of proof issued by a designated (i) arbitral and dispute resolution institution, or (ii) venue provider, confirming that they are…