Arbitrator Intelligence is Delighted to Announce the 2020 Arbitrators of the Year!

Arbitrator Intelligence has gathered unique, valuable feedback about hundreds of arbitrators through the AIQ. These insights are analyzed and presented in our Reports, valuable tools to assist parties in the arbitrator appointment process. Our Reports provide information about arbitrators’ procedural preferences, reasoning and soft skills. 

There is a particular type of feedback that stands out – positive evaluations coming from a party or counsel who found the award unfavorable, and self-identifies as the losing party in the arbitration. Such feedback is fairly rare, but speaks volumes of the impression made by the arbitrator on the party providing feedback.   

The criteria that we used to select our Arbitrators of the Year appears in our recent Kluwer Arbitration Blog post.

Meet the Arbitrator Intelligence Presiding Arbitrator of the Year

Professor Dr. Nayla Comair-Obeid

Prof. Comair-Obeid’s Report is based on overwhelmingly positive feedback provided by a self-identifying losing party about a DIAC commercial arbitration seated in Dubai, in which she was appointed as the presiding arbitrator:

  • The duration of the oral hearings was characterized as appropriate for the case;
  • The tribunal’s procedural rulings were characterized as generally promoting fairness and efficiency in the proceedings;
  • The award was characterized as balanced and well-reasoned;
  • Prof. Comair-Obeid’s questions were characterized as: fair and respectful, demonstrating familiarity with the record and legal issues, and helping to clarify factual or legal issues; and
  • The party or counsel who completed the AIQ strongly agreed that they would be comfortable appointing Prof. Comair-Obeid as sole arbitrator in a future, unrelated case.

Prof. Comair-Obeid’s Report includes further valuable insights, including information about the tribunal’s interpretation of contractual and statutory issues, the award on costs, lawyers’ fees and interest.

Meet the Arbitrator Intelligence Co-Arbitrator of the Year

Alfredo Fernandez-Lopez

Mr. Fernández López’s Report is based on positive feedback provided by a self-identifying losing party about a commercial arbitration seated in Costa Rica, in which he was appointed as a co-arbitrator, including: 

  • The duration of the oral hearings was characterized as appropriate for the case
  • The tribunal’s procedural rulings were characterized as generally promoting fairness and efficiency in the proceedings 
  • The award was characterized as persuasively written and well-reasoned 
  • Mr. Fernández López’s questions were characterized as: demonstrating familiarity with the record and legal issues and helping to clarify factual or legal issues 
  • The party or counsel who completed the AIQ agreed that they would be comfortable appointing Mr. Fernández López’s as sole arbitrator in a future, unrelated case

Mr. Fernández López’s Report includes many further insights, including information about the tribunal’s interpretation of contractual issues, the award on costs, lawyers’ fees and interest.