London International Disputes Week 2025
Members of 3VB are pleased to be taking part in several events across London International Disputes Week 2025, which takes place from 2-6 June.
The theme of LIDW25 is “Innovation in dispute resolution: navigating global risks”.
London International Disputes Week (LIDW) is a leading global forum for international dispute resolution, launched in 2019. Drawing over 8,000 participants from 100+ countries in 2024, LIDW fosters collaboration across arbitration, litigation, and mediation. It unites global professionals to discuss key issues, promote best practices, and highlight London’s commitment to diversity, inclusion, and the rule of law in dispute resolution.
3VB are supporting LIDW25 with several member-hosted events
Click below for full details
Wednesday 4th June
Fraud, arbitration and the Indian litigant – battle before and carnage after?
9.00 – 10.30 (BST)
Hosted by 3VB and RPC
Rajesh Pillai KC and Amit Sibal SA will join the panel to explore issues arising from allegations of fraud in a range of arbitration contexts involving Indian parties or arbitrations seated in India.
Arbitration and Insolvency: Whose Insurgency?
09:00 – 10:30 (BST)
Hosted by Freeths LLP and CMS
Miriam Schmelzer will join the panel to explore key developments at the intersection of arbitration and insolvency, including the Privy Council’s decision in Halimeda, the IBA Toolkit on Insolvency and Arbitration, and the SIAC Insolvency Arbitration Protocol. The session will offer forward-looking perspectives and invite lively audience engagement on this evolving area of law.
Insights from the East: What London Can Learn from the Latest Innovations and Trends in China-Related Disputes
11:00 – 12:30 (BST)
Hosted by 3VB and RPC
Panellist Judy Fu joins the discussion on emerging trends in China-related disputes, the sectors they stem from, and strategies for addressing key challenges. The session will also include an institutional perspective on the HKIAC’s 2024 Administered Arbitration Rules and its role in managing cross-border disputes.
The Rise of International Commercial Courts: What It Means for the Rule of Law, English Lawyers, and the Standing of English Law Worldwide
11:00 – 12:30 (BST)
Hosted by Baker McKenzie and South Square
Sir William Blair joins the panel to discuss the growing role of International Commercial Courts in cross-border disputes, their impact on the Rule of Law, and the expanding opportunities for English law and practitioners. The session also highlights the work of SIFoCC and practical insights from appearances in overseas courts.
Protecting Family Wealth – It’s All Fine… Until It’s Not
14:00 – 15:30 (BST)
Hosted by 3VB and Trowers & Hamlins
Panellist Yash Bheeroo joins the discussion on how asset protection strategies for ultra-high-net-worth families can quickly unravel when disputes arise. The session will explore the challenges of managing wealth across multiple jurisdictions, the unintended consequences of global structuring, and key lessons from real-world cases involving trusts, family arrangements, and enforcement.
The Power of the Search Order in International Fraud Cases
16:00 – 17:30 (BST)
Hosted by 3VB, Pinsent Masons LLP, and Walkers
Tom Montagu-Smith KC joins a panel of fraud experts to explore the strategic use of search orders in international fraud litigation. The discussion will examine how these powerful interim remedies help uncover hidden assets and critical evidence, particularly in cross-border contexts.
The session will cover the process of obtaining search orders in England, their availability in jurisdictions such as the DIFC and the Channel Islands, and the practical challenges faced by supervising solicitors during execution.
The 3 As: Africa, Arbitration and AI
17:00 – 18:30 (BST)
Hosted by 3VB, Keating Chambers, and Combar Africa
David Quest KC will join this talk, which will focus on Africa, arbitration, and AI, considering the likely impact of technological advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning on African arbitrations.
Thursday 5th June
Fraud and Corruption in International Arbitration: Navigating the Challenges in Disputes Involving State Parties
09:00 – 10:30 (BST)
Hosted by 3VB, Peters & Peters and StoneTurn
Rajesh Pillai KC will join this expert panel to discuss how fraud and corruption issues arise in arbitrations involving state parties, including both commercial disputes and bilateral investment treaty (BIT) claims. The discussion will cover recent case developments, evidentiary challenges in proving fraud and corruption, and the strategic use of parallel civil and criminal proceedings.
3rd Edition of ICA International Conference
Arbitrating Indo-UK Commercial Disputes – Synergizing India-UK Arbitration Practices
Session 2: 11:30 – 12:30 (BST)
Hosted by the Indian Council of Arbitration (ICA)
Amit Sibal SA will join this high-level conference bringing together leading legal minds, policymakers, jurists, and business leaders from India and the UK to discuss the evolving landscape of cross-border dispute resolution. Key topics will include institutional cooperation, hybrid dispute mechanisms, and the role of arbitration in fostering investor confidence between the two nations.
Register here.
Navigating Sanctions and Trade Controls in a Sea of Global Uncertainty: Recent Cases, Regulatory Update, and Reading the Runes on the Shifting Geopolitical Sands
09:00 – 10:30 (BST)
Hosted by 3VB and Peters & Peters
Moderated by Sir Ross Cranston, with panellist Saima Hanif KC, this session will explore how the global sanctions landscape is adapting to shifting geopolitical developments in the US, EU, Asia Pacific, and beyond.
The panel will examine recent UK court decisions—including the Mints and Dalston Projects Supreme Court appeals—provide updates on enforcement approaches from OFSI and OTIS, and offer insight into how in-house teams, particularly in banking, are managing the challenges of complex, overlapping global sanctions regimes.
Global Perspectives on Enforcement of Judgments and Arbitral Awards: Insights from the MENA Region
11:00 – 12:30 (BST)
Hosted by 3VB and Enyo Law LLP
Sir William Blair, Tom Montagu-Smith KC, and Saima Hanif KC will join this panel examining the evolving enforcement landscape across the MENA region. With arbitration increasingly favoured in the region, the session will explore how robust enforcement mechanisms support international trade, combat corruption and financial crime, and respond to emerging challenges such as cybercrime and digital fraud.
Designed for an international audience, this event will provide valuable insights into the growing importance of enforcement practices in one of the world’s most geopolitically and commercially significant regions.
To Catch a Thief: Recovering the Proceeds of Fraud in England and DIFC/ADGM
11:00 – 12:30 (BST)
Hosted by 3VB, Trowers & Hamlins, and Quadrant Chambers
Matthew Watson will join this panel to discuss recent developments in English, DIFC, and ADGM case law concerning interim remedies available to victims of fraud.
Key topics include:
- Freezing orders in England in support of DIFC proceedings
- Norwich Pharmacal orders and differing approaches between the DIFC and English courts
- Legal remedies in crypto fraud cases
- The “immovables rule” and jurisdictional limits on foreign courts
- Claims for knowing receipt and the proprietary interest requirement
The Frontline Against Fraud: Common Law, Government Policy and Regulation – How the UK Is Fighting Fraud
16:00 – 17:30 (BST)
Hosted by 3VB and Stevens & Bolton LLP
Catherine Gibaud KC will join a panel of world-leading experts, including a senior member of the Home Office Fraud Policy Unit and the former head of the Payment Systems Regulator, to explore the UK’s multi-faceted approach to fraud prevention.
Topics will include recent case law on APP fraud, the new Failure to Prevent Fraud Offence, the government’s fraud strategy, future regulatory directions, and the implications of the APP reimbursement scheme—highlighting how the UK is setting global standards in the fight against fraud.
To Be, or Not to Be Sandwiched – The New DIS Supplementary Rules for Third-Party Notices
16:00 – 17:30 (BST)
Hosted by A&O Shearman, King & Spalding, and DIS
Jane Davies Evans KC will join this panel to explore how the new DIS Supplementary Rules aim to address the challenges faced by parties caught in the middle of complex disputes—those “sandwiched” between conflicting contractual obligations.
The discussion will consider when this risk arises, how it can be managed, and whether arbitration institutions can overcome perceived disadvantages compared to litigation. The panel will also examine whether the DIS model could be a suitable framework for the UK.
Putting the Case or Challenging the Truth: Effective Cross-Examination in International Trials and Arbitrations
18:00 – 19:00 (BST)
Hosted by Inner Temple
Moderated by Richard Salter KC, this panel of international practitioners and judges will examine cross-examination across international criminal cases, arbitral proceedings, and civil trials. Topics include strategies for examining witnesses of fact vs experts, witness proofing, procedural fairness, and evidentiary standards.
Each speaker, including panellist Jane Davies Evans, will present a case study on a particularly challenging or instructive aspect of cross-examination. These will be shared in advance to encourage open discussion during the event.
Friday 6th June
Domestic Courts and State Immunity: A Golden Age?
11:00 – 12:30 (BST)
Hosted by 3VB, Saadeh Rahman, and Twenty Essex
Cameron Miles and Catherine Drummond will join this panel to discuss the surge in state immunity cases and how courts in the UK and beyond are responding. The discussion will draw on recent decisions from the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, as well as key rulings from the Federal and High Courts of Australia, to consider the evolving legal landscape and the future of state immunity.
