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Keating Chambers And International Arbitration

Members of Keating Chambers have extensive experience of providing the highest quality assistance to clients in international disputes relating a wide range of matters, from construction and engineering projects to technology and licensing agreements, sale of goods and financing arrangements.

A Global Service

Our members are pleased to offer clients a genuinely worldwide service, having acted in over 50 countries in Europe, the Middle East, southern and south-east Asia, north America, Australia and Africa.

Members routinely travel all over the world to conduct meetings and hearings, while our telephone conferencing, video link and electronic document transmission facilities mean Chambers' contact with overseas clients and instructing law firms can be maintained at all times. We regard close liaison with instructing lawyers and clients as an essential part of Chambers' service.

Appointments As Counsel

While early expert advice is often critical to success in international arbitration, so too is ongoing advice, document preparation and skilful advocacy. Members of Chambers are experienced at assisting with all stages of an arbitration and have represented clients at arbitrations worldwide. Recent examples of members' work as counsel include:

• advising and drafting documents for an Italian contractor in a claim against a Dubai sub-contractor regarding a Qatari offshore contract
  
  
• advising and appearing in an arbitration concerning claims by an international consortium in Hong Kong relating to bridge construction
  
  
• advising a development bank on dam and road contracts in Africa
  
  
• pleadings and interlocutory work in an ICC arbitration relating to a petro-chemical plant for a Caribbean state government and

• advising a plant contractor in connection with international arbitration proceedings relating to the upgrading of a Middle Eastern power station.

Appointments As Arbitrator

Eight senior members of Keating Chambers (all Queen’s Counsel) have been appointed as arbitrator in international arbitrations under the ICC and LCIA schemes as well as under other regimes, such as the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and the Kuala Lumpur International Arbitration Centre.

Members of Keating Chambers are frequently appointed as sole arbitrator, as Chairman of  a panel/tribunal and as co-arbitrators in disputes involving contractors, sub-contractors and suppliers and clients from both private and government sectors in the Far East, the Middle East, the Caribbean and Europe.

The Capacity To Provide A Global Service

The scale of international arbitrations arising from major construction and engineering projects requires resources to match the heavy demands.  Keating Chambers has those resources.  The key is strength in depth.  Over half the members of Keating Chambers have currently or recently been instructed in international work.

Consequently, even though its specialists are in demand, Keating Chambers has the ability to meet the requirements of international clients.  This can, on occasion, involve members of Chambers on both sides.  This is possible because of the independent status of each barrister and the rigorous procedures which ensure confidentiality and security.  This is sometimes an unfamiliar idea to overseas clients, whose wishes are always respected in such matters, but the confidence of the international construction community in the integrity and independence of the English Bar is such that it is a relatively routine occurrence.

Keating Chambers is geared to the provision of a global service.  Its members travel frequently to all parts of the world at the request of clients to conduct meetings and hearings, but telephone conferencing, video links and electronic transmission of material mean contact can be maintained as easily as in a domestic case.  Instructions often come from foreign law firms who require specific assistance in a matter in which they will continue to be involved.  Close liaison with instructing lawyers and clients is an essential part of the Keating Chambers service.