Scottish Arbitration Centre – News Release – Domestic and International Panels and Launch of Initial Panels

The Scottish Arbitration Centre has opened up its domestic and international panels for applications from arbitrators and launched an initial panel of invited arbitrators, ensuring that small, but credible, domestic and international panels exist in the meantime.

The following arbitrators will be listed on the initial panel.

Domestic

• Shona Frame, Solicitor, CMS
• Janey Milligan, Chartered Quantity Surveyor, Construction Dispute Resolution
• Susanne Tanner KC, Advocate, Ampersand
• Sheila Webster, Solicitor, Davidson Chalmers Stewart

International

• Chiann Bao,Arbitrator - Singapore/Hong Kong
• Juliet Blanch, Arbitrator - England and Wales
• Philippa Charles, Arbitrator - England and Wales/Republic of Ireland
• Anne K. Hoffmann, Arbitrator - UAE/Germany
• Ndanga Kamau, Counsel/Arbitrator - Kenya
• Prof Dr Gabrielle Kaufmann-Kohler, Arbitrator - Switzerland
• Lindy Patterson KC, Arbitrator - England and Wales/Scotland
• Lucy Reed, Arbitrator - USA
• Patricia Saiz, Arbitrator - Spain
• Melanie Van Leeuwen, Counsel/Arbitrator - France/The Netherlands
• Carita Wallgren-Lindholm, Arbitrator - Finland/Sweden
• Galina Zukova, Arbitrator - France/Latvia

The initial panel was launched by Andrew Mackenzie, CEO of the Centre, at the “Diversity in Arbitration: Practical Proposals for (Real) Progression” event on 18 May. The event was part of LIDW and hosted by Vinson & Elkins and supported by ArbitralWomen and REAL.

Lord Glennie, Chairman of the Centre, said:

“We are now inviting arbitrators to apply to be on our panels. We hope that a panel model will provide clients with further confidence in our services, given the calibre of our arbitrators.”

Andrew Mackenzie, CEO of the Centre, added:

“We decided to invite an all-female initial panel in a bid to ensure we have a head start in reaching greater gender equality as the panels are populated. This move further supports the ground-breaking provision in our Rules that forces consideration of diversity and inclusion in respect of arbitral appointments.

We have taken account of wider diversity and inclusion with our initial panel too, with a list of practitioners that ensures a geographical and experience mix. We also have a variety of professions involved, with advocates, barristers, solicitors and surveyors on the panels.”

Louise Woods, President of ArbitralWomen, commented:

“ArbitralWomen welcomes this bold decision from the Scottish Arbitration Centre, which follows on from the launch of the Centre’s Rules containing provision on diversity and inclusion. It is an excellent example of a practical proposal for progression in respect of gender equality in arbitration, which is the focus of our event tonight.”