Originally from American Review of International Arbitration

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The ICC’s first major rules revision in 20 years came into effect on January 1, 1998. The AAA, likewise, introduced its new international rules in April last year.

The new rules of the LCIA, replacing rules which had been in force since 1985, also came into effect on January 1, 1998.

The previous rules had been monitored by a permanent sub-committee, and have been amended to take account of lessons learnt in their application, and of the legal reforms in many jurisdictions which have impacted on international commercial arbitration.

The new rules are in harmony with the UNCITRAL Model Law and, as one would expect, with the 1996 English Arbitration Act. Significant areas of change include greater party control; greater procedural flexibility; shorter time periods for the service of pleadings; and greater authority to tribunals. It is intended that these changes should facilitate more expeditious proceedings and reduce the opportunity for tactical stonewalling by recalcitrant parties and/or parties’ counsel. Key among the new provisions are the following.