CLAIMANT v DEFENDANT

The Claimant challenged the impartiality and independence of an arbitrator under Article 22 of the AIFC Arbitration Regulations, alleging that the arbitrator’s academic affiliations, professional connections with members of the Defendant’s legal team, and several procedural decisions created a risk of bias. The AIFC Court admitted additional evidence but concluded that the alleged connections were remote, fell within the categories of professional relationships generally regarded as non-problematic under the IBA Guidelines, and did not require disclosure. The Court further held that the arbitrator’s procedural decisions reflected ordinary case management and provided no evidence of partiality. Accordingly, the challenge was dismissed, with costs to be determined separately. Download PDF