On 22 September 2023, the Scottish Arbitration Centre hosted the Edinburgh International Arbitration Festival (ArbFest2023). ArbitralWomen member Ana Stanič (E&A Law Director) spoke alongside co-panellists Craig Tevendale, Partner at Herbert Smith Freehills (London, UK), Dr Dora Grunwald, Partner at Osborne Partners (London, UK) and Dr Carri Ginter, Partner at Sorainen (Estonia), on ‘the Role of the Geographical Diversity and Smaller States, Emerging Seats and Institutions’.
The conference marked the inauguration of ArbFest, following the record-breaking International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA) Congress, which took place in Edinburgh last year.
The panel followed on from the keynote speech by Carita Wallgren-Lindholm, Arbitrator at Lindholm Wallgren (Finland) on ‘the Role of the Smaller States, Seats and Institutions in Arbitration’. The discussion highlighted the important role local and regional arbitral institutions play in promoting arbitration as a mechanism for resolving disputes and the emergence of new seats of arbitration given the on-going geopolitical turmoil.
Submitted by Ana Stanič, ArbitralWomen member, Founder, E&A Law, London, UK