Online Arbitration: Best Practices and Avoiding Pitfalls – Full Course
TrainingThe global pandemic has forced global arbitration to move online in just a matter of months and Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) has gone from being a novelty to mainstream. In this sense, CRCICA has co-organized with “Arbitrate.com” an online course titled " Online Arbitration: Best Practices and Avoiding Pitfalls - Full Course" to give arbitrators a deep and profound exploration in the ODR world. Four Leaders in the arbitration field gave the course, Professor Benjamin Davis (University of Toledo), Mirèze Philippe, Special Counsel at the ICC International Court of Arbitration; Colin Rule CEO of Arbitrate.com and Professor Amy Schmitz, Professor of Law at the University of Missouri School of Law.
Three Foundational Mediation Training Courses in Alexandria and Cairo
Noting the importance of spreading the Mediation knowledge as an important amicable tool to settle disputes, CRCICA organized three rounds of Foundational Mediation Training courses. The courses were conducted respectively on 15-16 November 2020 in Alexandria, and on 18-19 and 22- 23 November 2020 at CRCICA’s premises in Cairo. The trainings were delivered by Mr. Fehmi Karami, Mediator, International Arbitrator, and Trainer on Mediation (Lebanon) and Ms. Fatma Ibrahim, Mediation Special Advisor at CRCICA. Dr. Ismail Selim, Director of CRCICA, gave the opening speech of the trainings.
The trainings attracted a wide audience spectrum comprised of lawyers, judges, university professors, diplomatic, engineers, and high-level business executives. The trainings covered fundamental concepts of mediation (12 hours interactive training on the Basics to Mediation) – such as the difference between mediation and other types of dispute resolution, negotiation styles, the mediation process, mediator’s duties, etc. The training received a high satisfaction rate and will be followed in 2021 with an Intermediate Training round.
Online Training Course on “International Commercial Arbitration as a Dispute Settlement Mechanism”
CRCICA and the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT) organized an online Training Course for the students of the AASTMT on “International Commercial Arbitration as a Dispute Settlement Mechanism” during 6-17 September 2020.
The opening speech was delivered by Prof. Dr. Ismail Abdel Ghafar Farag, President of AASTMT, Dr. Ismail Selim, Director of CRCICA and Dr. Rasha Abo El- Gheit, Acting Dean of the International Transport and Logistics Institute.
The training was conducted by eight lecturers with a wide spectrum of expertise in arbitration. Dr. Ismail Selim, Dr. Mohamed Abo El Seoud, Founding Partner, MASS Attorneys at Law, Dr. Mohamed Hafez, Counsel and Legal Advisor to the Director of CRCICA, Mr. Yasser Mansour, Attorney at Law and Principal, Mansour Law Office, Mr. Abdullah Al-Shehabi, Senior Partner and a Member of the Executive Committee at Ibrachy Legal Consultancy, Mr. Sameh Abdelsamad, Founding Partner at MASS Attorneys at Law. Ms. Heba Salem, Case Manager and Legal Researcher at CRCICA, and Mr. Samer Badran, Managing Partner, Badran Law Office.
The agenda of the training highlighted interesting topics related to arbitration practice, inter alia; arbitration and alternative dispute resolution methods, drafting arbitration clause, the arbitral tribunal and administering institutional arbitration. Other interesting topics were addressed including sports arbitration, arbitral proceedings, virtual hearings, arbitration awards and the enforcement and annulment of arbitration awards. The training was attended by 42 students who lively interacted to the discussions and showed keen interest in attending similar trainings to learn more about Arbitration
First AlexandriaU-CRCICA International Vis Pre-Moot and International Commercial Arbitration Conference
On 4-7 March 2020, the Alexandria University and CRCICA co-organized the First AlexandriaU-CRCICA Pre-Moot for the Willem C.vis and International Commercial Arbitration Conference at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina Conference Center (BACC), Alexandria, Egypt. The AlexandriaU-CRCICA Pre-Moot is an international legal education event and a “Sponsor Pre-Moot” for the international long-standing moot competitions of “the Willem C. Vis and the Willem C. vis East International Commercial Arbitration Moots”, which are held annually in the Republic of Austria and Hong Kong SAR. The international conference on International Commercial Arbitration and International Trade Law was held along with the Pre-Moot. The events were sponsored by Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy Law Firm, Shahid Law Firm, and El Dib Advocates Law Firm. The Strategic Partners were the African Arbitration Association (AfAA), the Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP), and the Center for International Legal Education (CILE), University of Pittsburg School of Law. THE LAW was the Media Partner, Adsero – Ragy Soliman & Partners Law Firm was the Supporting Institution, and Andalusia Hospitals were the Medical Care Partner.
The AlexandriaU-CRCICA International Pre-Moot and Conference was initiated by virtue of a Protocol of Cooperation between Alexandria University and CRCICA concluded on 23 December 2019.
The AlexandriaU-CRCICA Pre-Moot was meant to enable law students from Egypt, the African continent and the Middle East region to have an unparalleled experience to be well prepared for the Vis Moots, through workshops and lectures, in addition to pleading in the presence of highly experienced arbitrators who will be judging the teams. The competing teams were from Al Azhar University and Alexandria University (Egypt), the University of Jordan (Jordan), and the University of Carthage (Tunisia). The winning team was the University of Jordan, the first Runner-up was the University of Carthage, and the second Runner-up was the Alexandria University.
List of names of arbitrators, teams, and winners
Dr. Selim and the professors of the Alexandria University delivered the opening speech and introductory remarks of the conference. The conference agenda focused on the various types of arbitration, the role of the party autonomy in drafting arbitration agreements, the CISG as fair contract law, the CISG applicable law and choice of Forum, the application of the CISG in international commercial arbitration. The last session on “How to start a career in arbitration” addressed the young practitioners and law students.
Dr. Selim spoke at the session on the application of the CISG is an international arbitration case under the Rules of the CRCICA. The event included two workshops to develop the legal skills of the participating teams: oral advocacy, argument management, and pleading strategies. The workshops also included five oral hearing rounds.
It is worth mentioning that within CRCICA’s role in supporting career beginners, CRCICA hosted the Alexandria University Vis Internal Moot on 15 October 2019
IBA Workshop on Soft Laws in International Arbitration
On 25 November 2019, the International Bar Association (IBA) and CRCICA organized the IBA Workshop on Soft Laws in International Arbitration at CRCICA’s auditorium. The event provided an in-depth look at the IBA three instruments in international arbitration: IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence, IBA Guidelines on Conflicts of Interest; and IBA Guidelines on Party Representation in International Arbitration. The Keynote speech was presented by Mr. Alexander G. Fessas, Secretary General, ICC International Court of Arbitration.
The agenda comprised of three panels; the first panel focused on IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence and the panelists were Dr. Ismail Selim, CRCICA’s Director, and Ms. Samaa Haridi, Vice-Chair of IBA Arbitration Committee and Co-Chair of IBA Africa Arbitration Network.
The second panel related to the IBA Guidelines on Party Representation by Prof. Dr. Mohamed Abdelwahab, Founding Partner & Head of the International Arbitration, Construction, Oil & Gas and Projects Groups, Zulficar & Partners, and Ms. Samaa Haridi.
Mr. Girgis Abdel Shahid, Managing Partner, Shahid Law Firm, and Ms. Sofia Martins, IBA Arbitration Committee Member were the panelists of the third panel addressed IBA Guidelines on Conflicts of Interest.
Discussions raised lively questions related to, inter alia, acceptance and application of IBA rules worldwide, role of IBA rules in improving arbitration and arbitration laws in the ME, and the stance of national courts and arbitration institutions towards the IBA rules.
134 participants attended from China, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Germany, Jordan, KSA, Morocco, Palatine, Sudan, Syria, the UAE, and the UK and had various backgrounds and professions, including law firms, universities, public and private sectors, construction and petroleum industry as well as members the Public and Administrative Prosecution.
