Thomas Dillon is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. He is Chairman of the Film Complaints Panel, an industry-created alternative dispute resolution system to address potential competition law or unfair trading disputes.
Arbitration offers an efficient, private way to resolve disputes which cannot be settled. The arbitrator tailors the process to the needs of the parties, so as to reach a final and legally binding decision in the most economical and efficient way.
Cross-border cases are particularly well suited to arbitration, as the decision can be made by an independent tribunal with no connection with the home jurisdiction of either party and the resultant award is enforceable around the world, often more easily than the judgment of a national court.
Under bilateral investment treaties, investors are given the right to seek protection for their foreign investments through arbitration. These Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) cases involve questions of international law, including rights granted under human rights treaties, as discussed in this 2023 article.