DGP Partner spoke at a roundtable on arbitration at MSAL

On April 23, Vladimir Pestrikov, partner of the DGP’s Dispute Resolution practice, delivered a presentation at Kutafin Moscow State Law University (MSAL) titled "Appointment and Removal of Arbitrators in Arbitration Involving a Russian Party: How to Ensure Impartiality?" as part of a roundtable organized by the Association of Lawyers of Russia.

In his presentation, Vladimir examined in detail the issues of appointing and challenging arbitrators in disputes involving Russian parties, emphasizing the importance of transparent procedures and preventive measures to preserve the legitimacy of arbitration proceedings. He stressed the need for a systemic approach to vetting candidates, which he termed "Know Your Arbitrator."

Vladimir also addressed procedural arrangements for selecting the presiding arbitrator. According to the speaker, requests for disqualification should remain a measure of last resort, whereas the proactive identification and documented discussion of potential conflicts increase predictability and reduce the risk of belated procedural disputes.

In the context of current challenges, Vladimir noted the impact of sanctions-related pressure on arbitrator appointments: there is a redistribution of appointments in favor of specialists from certain foreign jurisdictions, while the pool of qualified Russian arbitrators is also expanding. The presentation included practical checklists for parties preparing to constitute a tribunal and recommendations for documenting the selection process.

The presentation prompted an intensive discussion among representatives of the legal community. At the conclusion of the roundtable, participants highlighted the relevance of the proposed measures and expressed interest in further developing standards for arbitrator selection and in exchanging best practices.