Advisory Committee
CRCICA has an Advisory Committee currently consisting of a Chairperson, two (2) Vice Chairpersons, and fourteen (14) members appointed by the Director of the Centre from among the members of the Board of Trustees as well as eminent African, Asian and other personalities specialized in the fields of international arbitration, alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms and international trade.
The term of the Advisory Committee shall be four years, which may be renewed once for a similar term, unless otherwise determined due to special circumstances.
The Advisory Committee shall carry out the functions provided for in the Centre’s Arbitration Rules in force as from 15 January 2024 (the Rules) as well as any other functions that may be referred to in the Centre’s future Arbitration Rules, particularly the following:
a. Providing advice with respect to the Centre’s decision not to proceed with arbitral proceedings in whole or in part, according to article 6, paragraph 2 of the Rules;
b. Providing advice with respect to the Centre’s decision not to proceed with the appointment of any arbitrator according to article 12, paragraph 3 of the Rules;
c. Providing advice with respect to the Centre’s decision to accept or reject the Request for Consolidation in accordance with article 50, paragraphs 1 and 6 of the Rules;
d. Deciding on the removal of arbitrators according to article 13 of the Rules via an impartial and independent tripartite ad hoc committee to be composed by the Centre from among the members of the Advisory Committee without disclosing their names to the parties. The decision shall be made by the majority of votes of the members of the ad hoc Committee in writing, and shall be reasoned, final and unchallengeable;
e. Deciding on the removal of arbitrators according to article 8, paragraph 4 of Annex 3 to the Rules (Expedited Arbitration Rules) via an impartial and independent member to be selected by the Centre from among the members of the Advisory Committee without disclosing his or her name to the parties. The decision shall be made expeditiously by the member in writing and shall be reasoned, final and unchallengeable;
f. Deciding on the challenge of arbitrators according to article 14, paragraph 6 of the Rules via an impartial and independent tripartite ad hoc committee to be composed by the Centre from among the members of the Advisory Committee without disclosing their names to the parties. The decision shall be made by the majority of votes of the members of the ad hoc committee in writing and shall be reasoned, final and unchallengeable;
g. Deciding on the challenge arbitrators according to article 4, paragraph 6 of Annex 2 to the Rules (Emergency Arbitrator Rules) and article 8, paragraph 3 of Annex 3 to the Rules (Expedited Arbitration Rules) via an impartial and independent member to be selected by the Centre from among the members of the Advisory Committee without disclosing his or her name to the parties. The decision shall be made expeditiously by the member in writing and shall be reasoned, final and unchallengeable;
h. Providing advice with respect to the Centre’s decision to deprive any party of its right to appoint a substitute arbitrator according to article 15, paragraph 2 of the Rules; and
i. Providing advice with respect to the Centre’s determination, according to article 45, paragraph 13 of the Rules, of the fees of the arbitral tribunal at a figure higher or lower than that which would result from the application of the tables of fees annexed to the Rules.
Dr. Karim A. Youssef, J.S.D.
Dr. Karim A. Youssef is the founder, chairman, and head of international Arbitration at Youssef & Partners, a prominent GAR 100 firm, Egypt’s premier arbitration practice, and a regional MENA leader in dispute resolution. His practice focuses on commercial arbitration, investment treaty arbitration, complex high-value disputes, and international law, and he is world-renowned in these fields. Additionally, he heads the Firm’s high-net-worth individuals’ practice.
Karim acts as counsel, arbitrator, or legal expert in some of the MENA region’s highest-profile, largest, and most complex commercial and investment treaty claims. His docket of arbitrator and counsel work exceeds 142 international arbitrations across four continents.
Karim has received some of the highest distinctions from peers and clients, having notably been described as “a leading light in international arbitration” (Legal 500, 2018) and “the number one arbitration lawyer in Egypt” (Chambers Global, 2021). He has further been praised as “a master of strategy” who thinks “light years ahead” of other practitioners (Chambers Global, 2022) and described as a “heavyweight arbitration lawyer with extensive experience acting on multibillion-dollar claims” (Chambers Global, 2022). His distinctions also include earning the 2019 GAR Award for best global speech and writing a reputable book on multi-party arbitration and consent issues prefaced by Jan Paulsson.
Karim is ranked as Star Individual in the Chambers and Partners Global Guide and is a Global Thought Leader in Arbitration Who’s Who Legal.
Karim is a member of the Advisory Board of the CRCICA, the newly established BVI IAC Arbitration Committee, and also member of the ICCA-ASIL Task Force on Damages in International Arbitration.
Karim has law degrees from the prestigious Yale Law School (where he earned LL.M. and JSD degrees) and Paris and Cairo Universities.