11 November 2014: Distinguished lawyer Michael Hwang SC [1] will deliver the 2014 Clayton Utz International Arbitration (IA) Lecture in Sydney tonight on the topic "Commercial Courts and International Arbitration - Competitors or Partners", drawing on his experience as a former judge of the Supreme Court of Singapore and Chief Justice of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts.
Michael will examine different legal perspectives on the relationship between commercial courts and arbitral tribunals, and the legitimacy of the arbitral process. With Singapore to launch the Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC) in January 2015 to hear international commercial and offshore cases, Michael will consider the likely impact on the work and reach of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), using the DIFC Courts as an example.
He will also discuss the impacts of a new Practice Direction for public consultation which seeks to provide a protocol for conversion of DIFC Courts judgments into arbitration awards.
Michael continues the tradition of distinguished members of the legal profession providing their unique insights to the global legal community on current trends and challenges in international arbitration via the Clayton Utz IA Lecture, now in its thirteenth year.
International arbitrator and Clayton Utz partner, Professor Doug Jones AO RFD, said the Clayton Utz IA Lecture continued to make a valuable contribution to the growing body of thought leadership in the area. "We are delighted to welcome Michael to Australia to deliver this year's lecture. He joins a distinguished group of guest speakers including our own Chief Justice Allsop, Debevoise & Plimpton's David W. Rivkin, GE Electric senior counsel Jean-Claude Najar and respected mediator Sally Harpole who over the years have shared their diverse and considered perspectives on key challenges and developments in international arbitration."
The annual Clayton Utz IA lecture is supported by the University of Sydney. For further information visit http://www.claytonutz.com/ialecture. This year's lecture will again be live streamed globally to registered attendees.
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[1] During his distinguished legal career, Michael Hwang SC has served in many senior positions including as Judicial Commissioner of the Supreme Court of Singapore, President of the Law Society of Singapore, Vice-President of the International Council for Commercial Arbitration, and Council Member of the International Council of Arbitration for Sports. He also served as Commissioner of the United Nations Compensation Commission which assessed claims against Iraq arising from the First Gulf War. He has two law degrees from Oxford University, where he was a College Scholar, and in 2014 he was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws by the University of Sydney. Back to article