Legal Plus annual summit on arbitration & corporate crime summit

On February 28, 2023, Legal Plus hosted an in-person event on ‘Dubai & Middle East: 8th Annual International Arbitration & Corporate Crime Summit – Through The Looking Glass for 2023’ at the Shangri-la in Dubai, UAE. The event focused on the changes and new trends that affected businesses during and after the pandemic as well as how arbitration, crypto disputes and corporate crime affects the business in the present and in the future. Paul Key QC of Essex Court Chambers London, chairman of the event, led the opening address sharing his thoughts on new and emerging technology that will have an impact on the dispute resolution and the business landscape in general, in the years to come. He was followed on by the welcome address by Jehad Kazim, board of directors of Dubai International Arbitration Centre. The keynote session was delivered by Alexis Mourre of MGC Arbitration. He provided an update in global arbitration in 2032. Victor Leginsky of Arbitralis and Dr. Mingchao Fan of the Shanghai Arbitration Commission and Chinese Football Association presented comparisons of the Middle East and China for dispute settlements, sharing practical guidance on what companies who do business in both regions need to be cognizant of. Mohamed El Mahdy of Shahid Law Firm discussed from a MENA perspective, the effects of time and cost after the pandemic and if technology has helped in M&A disputes. It was great to hear from Dr. Michael Hwang, former chief justice of the DIFC Courts, currently senior counsel and chartered arbitrator of Michael Hwang Chambers. Along with Mark Cheng and Arvin Lee of Wee Swee Teow, he participated in a discussion on questions not to ask in cross-examination in commercial arbitration – providing insightful information from both experience and expertise on the do’s and don’ts in their presentation. Julian Cohen of Resolution Chambers International followed shortly after with his presentation on construction disputes – differences between the civilian and common law worlds. Before lunch, the event hosted its first grand panel discussion on ‘Expert Witness – Crossborder Issues – has the rise in the use of technology been a help or hindrance to parties’ moderated by Sean Hugo of CBBG Group along with panel members Saad Hegazy of Resolve International, Sadaff Habib, an independent arbitrator and Adrian Cole of Adrian Cole FZ LLE. The second half of the session focused on international arbitration developments in India, asset tracing and recovery – regional and cross border issues, protecting against crypto fraud in the Middle East and panel discussions on expedited and emergency procedures in international arbitration after the pandemic, use of technology in arbitrations and antitrust and economic regulatory compliance. The one-day event was a resounding success with attendance from leading legal minds and practitioners from across the region.