Virtual

UNCITRAL WGIII: Do States Really Need An Advisory Centre?

12 Jul 2024

Location: 1:00pm - 2:30pm UK Time Virtual Event (Zoom)
Members: Free to attend - Book by 12 Jul
Non Members: Register above as a member and attend for free - Book by 12 Jul

UNCITRAL WGIII: Do States Really Need An Advisory Centre?

Highlights

UNCITRAL is pitching an independent advisory centre as one of the key elements of ISDS reform for the 21st century. Join our panel of experts as we examine the rationale behind such a centre, how it might work in practice, and the hurdles it will need to overcome to be a valuable addition to the investor-State dispute settlement system. 

Questions to be answered by our panellists will include:

  • Is the Centre needed, and what services would it provide? 
  • Will financing of the Centre prove contentious?
  • Can investors and non-members be involved?
  • Will it provide State-to-State dispute settlement advice?
  • Where will it be located and under whose auspices?
  • Is the establishment of the Centre a meaningful step for ISDS reform or window dressing? 

 

Baiju Vasani
Arbitrator and Barrister
Twenty Essex

For well over 20 years, Baiju has focused exclusively on international arbitration matters. He has served as counsel and arbitrator (sole, wing, and chair) in international arbitrations involving ICSID, ICC, LCIA, ICDR, SIAC, HKIAC, UNCITRAL Rules, bilateral investment treaties (BITs), the Energy Charter Treaty, NAFTA, DR-CAFTA, and public international law. He has also advised states on the negotiation and drafting of investment treaties, and investors on the (re)structuring of their investments for maximum treaty protection consonant with tax and corporate governance strategies.


Baiju Vasani
Baiju Vasani Arbitrator and Barrister
Twenty Essex
Jae Sung Lee
Senior Legal Officer
UNCITRAL

Jae Sung Lee
Jae Sung Lee Senior Legal Officer
UNCITRAL
Sarah Vasani
Partner & Co-Head of International Arbitration
CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro

Sarah is Co-Head of International Arbitration at CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP, a role covering the U.K., Central and Eastern Europe, the UAE, Singapore, Turkiye, China, Brazil and Mexico. She is a seasoned international arbitration lawyer specialising in both international commercial arbitration and investor state disputes, representing clients before all key arbitral institutions including the LCIA, DIFC-LCIA, ICC, ICDR, SIAC, HKAIC, SCC, ICSID, and in arbitrations conducted under the UNCITRAL Rules, and foreign investment laws.


Sarah Vasani
Sarah Vasani Partner & Co-Head of International Arbitration
CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro
Professor Emilia Onyema
Professor of International Commercial Law
SOAS University of London

Emilia Onyema is a Professor of International Commercial Law at SOAS University of London where she teaches international commercial arbitration, international investment law and commercial law in a global context. She is qualified to practice law in Nigeria, as a Solicitor in England & Wales, Fellow of Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and independent arbitrator. She is a member of the Cairo Regional CICA Advisory Committee, LACIAC Court member, among others. She convenes the SOAS Arbitration in Africa conference series and leads the SOAS Arbitration in Africa biennial survey research project; she co-authored the African Promise and founded the Arbitration Fund for African Students (AFAS) a registered charitable organisation in England. Her research interests focus on the development of international arbitration in Africa and the engagement of Africans in international arbitration. She publishes widely in her areas of expertise. She has experience as presiding, co and sole arbitrator, and acts as legal expert witness in international arbitration.


Professor Emilia Onyema
Professor Emilia Onyema Professor of International Commercial Law
SOAS University of London
HE Thabo Chakaka-Nyirenda
Attorney-General of the Republic of Malawi

HE Thabo Chakaka-Nyirenda
HE Thabo Chakaka-Nyirenda Attorney-General of the Republic of Malawi
Shane Spelliscy
Director General
Trade Law Bureau of the Government of Canada

Shane Spelliscy is currently the Director General of the Trade Law Bureau of the Government of Canada. As the Director General, he is the Government’s most senior international trade lawyer, responsible for all international trade related legal advice. He joined the Trade Law Bureau in 2008. He has provided advice on Canada's obligations under its trade and investment treaties and served as counsel in trade and investment treaty negotiations and disputes. He has acted as Canada’s delegate at UNCITRAL since 2008, including with respect to the revision of the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, the development of the UNCITRAL Rules on Transparency, and the negotiation of the Mauritius Convention on Transparency in Treaty-Based ISDS. In November 2017, he was elected by the Member States of UNCITRAL as the Chair of Working Group III, which has been tasked with considering possible reforms in the field of ISDS.


Shane Spelliscy
Shane Spelliscy Director General
Trade Law Bureau of the Government of Canada
Ayse Yazir
Global Head of Origination
Bench Walk Advisors (London)

Ayse Yazir
Ayse Yazir Global Head of Origination
Bench Walk Advisors (London)

Agenda

12:55pm
Audience log on
1:00pm
Chairs' opening remarks
Speakers:
Baiju Vasani - Arbitrator and Barrister - Twenty Essex
1:05pm
UNCITRAL WGIII: Do States Really Need An Advisory Centre?
Speakers:
Baiju Vasani - Arbitrator and Barrister - Twenty Essex
HE Thabo Chakaka-Nyirenda - Attorney-General of the Republic of Malawi -
Professor Emilia Onyema - Professor of International Commercial Law - SOAS University of London
Shane Spelliscy - Director General - Trade Law Bureau of the Government of Canada
Sarah Vasani - Partner & Co-Head of International Arbitration - CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro
Jae Sung Lee - Senior Legal Officer - UNCITRAL
Ayse Yazir - Global Head of Origination - Bench Walk Advisors (London)
2:15pm
Panel Q&A
2:30pm
Chairs' closing remarks
Speakers:
Baiju Vasani - Arbitrator and Barrister - Twenty Essex

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