When one thinks of someone who had more than 10,000 students into the intricacies of international arbitration, opened the doors of teaching to a great number of teaching assistants, tailored the minds and installed a spirit of criticism and curiosity for knowledge to the Columbia Law School (CLS) international arbitration Alumni for almost five decades, there is only one name that comes to mind: Professor George Bermann.  

This new well-deserved tribute to Professor Bermann as we now present to the arbitration world is special. It is much more than a tribute. This is the first time that a Columbia Law School professor receives a book in his honor written in collaboration by such a large group of CLS Alumni from all over the world and esteemed Columbia University faculty—the book impressively has more than 100 contributors. This number reflects, among many things, a very unique approach that Professor Bermann has towards lawyers, both domestic and international.  As a Columbia Law School LL.M. alumnus himself, Professor Bermann is constantly pushing CLS faculty and students to interact deeply irrespective of their program of study, whether a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree or a Legis Magister (LL.M.) degree. As anticipated, several of Professor Bermann’s faculty at Columbia involved in international arbitration have also contributed to this volume to honor this legend.  

The editors are overjoyed to help this Columbia Law School Alumni tribute come to life, in honor of a fantastic person who has been defined as being himself a “gateway to international arbitration.”  At a personal level, Professor Bermann is like an extended family to each of us and, for that, we are eternally grateful.  

We now invite you all to go through the excellent scholarly contributions contained in this book, reading between the lines—or sometimes even in the lines—about the great appreciation and respect that our entire community feels towards our very own Professor Bermann.  

About Professor George A. Bermann

George A. Bermann, Professor of Law, at Columbia Law School, is a highly experienced international arbitrator in both commercial and investment arbitration.  He has conducted arbitration regularly since 1980 before all the leading international arbitral institutions.

He arbitrates disputes in all sectors, including general commercial contract, construction, intellectual property, energy, oil and gas, competition law, insurance, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, distributorship and franchising, transportation, and employment.

Professor Bermann also serves regularly as expert witness before international arbitral tribunals as well as before courts in cases arising out of arbitration agreements, arbitral proceedings and arbitral awards. He also serves as co-counsel and advisor to counsel in international arbitral proceedings and in arbitration-related litigation.

Professor Bermann is Chief Reporter of the American Law Institute’s “Restatement of the U.S. Law of International Commercial and Investment Arbitration” and co-author (with Emmanuel Gaillard) of the UNCITRAL Guide to the New York Convention.

He is also professor affilié at the Ecole de droit, Institut des Sciences Politiques (Paris), professor in the Geneva LL.M. in International Dispute Settlement (MIDS), and adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center.

Professor Bermann was Founding Member, Governing Board of International Court of Arbitration of the ICC (Paris).  He is currently member of the Standing Committee of International Court of Arbitration of the ICC and of the ICC Commission on International Arbitration. He co-chairs the Global Board of Advisers, New York International Arbitration Center (NYIAC) and is Council Member of the American Arbitration Association and Board Member of the Center for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (CPR). He is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (London).

Professor Bermann in Co-Editor-in-Chief (with Rob Smit) of the American Review of International Arbitration (ARIA) and editorial board member of the Revue de l’Arbitrage. He is the recipient of several university honorary degrees.