Leading the Way: London as a centre for International Dispute Resolution

By Richard Bamforth, Head of the CMS International Arbitration Group; Founding Chair, LIDW; Member, CLLS Arbitration Committee

Reflections in advance of London International Disputes Week 2025

In the autumn of 2017 a small group of dispute resolution practitioners gathered in a conference room in an office high above the City of London and mused about the prospects of a London based event to celebrate and promote dispute resolution in London. The members of that small group agreed to reach out to their contacts in the London disputes community, not knowing whether anyone else would be remotely interested. No-one in that small group could possibly have imagined what that very first discussion would lead to. As a member of that first small group, and as we head into LIDW25, I have been reflecting on why LIDW has grown, what LIDW is, what it does, what it means and what the future holds.

London

London has for hundreds of years prided itself on being a centre for international and commerce and a place where international business is carried out, whether through its role as a financial services centre, its role as a centre for trade (as evidenced by the multiplicity of livery and trade companies (113 at last count) that have their magnificent halls in the City) or at the heart of the shipping and commodities trades. It is also the place where English law, a driver for the development and expansion of business, is made and continues to evolve and where the Rule of Law remains sacrosanct and respected by all. But that place in the business world comes with responsibility. That responsibility includes helping those who come to London to do business to deal with every aspect of their business. With business comes disagreement and disputes-that’s an unfortunate reality of life. And that in turn means the resolution of disputes. So, London also needs to be (and is) a leader in dispute resolution.

Disputes

The resolution of disputes comes in many forms. Whether through the Courts or Arbitration or by effective alternative dispute resolution such as mediation, adjudication or expert determination, London has established itself to be a reliable and trusted place for dispute resolution. And that is not just about the expertise of the solicitors, barristers, judges, arbitrators and mediators. A significant dispute resolution venue is nothing without an ecosystem that supports and enhances it. London provides its users of dispute resolution services with experts across every discipline imaginable. It provides first class venues and locations such as the recently established Dispute Resolution Hub at the International Dispute Resolution Centre and (coming soon) the new “Justice Quarter” in Fleet Street. That infrastructure also extends beyond the dispute resolution processes. Our universities and academic institutions are globally renowned, as we attract talent from all around the world to become part of the London disputes community.

International

We can already see how, given all of the above, why that small group in 2017 saw that there was so much to celebrate. That would have been a “London Disputes Week”.  But that doesn’t remotely do justice to London’s place and role. London is a vibrant international, diverse, multi-cultural city. Our disputes community matches that. International students and internationally qualified arbitration practitioners call London their home. Critically, English law and London dispute resolution are embraced by those who have no connection with the jurisdiction. English law, as a predictable, coherent and reliable set of rules, is adopted across the world and provides a true platform for business^₁. By the same token, international businesses come to London to resolve their disputes because they value the predictability, reliability of the processes and because they know they can rely on the high quality of the people involved². In its report spanning 2023-2024, the Commercial Court reported that approximately 75% of its cases were “international” and the London Court of International Arbitration in its report for 2023 noted that 96% of its cases were of an international nature with 79% of cases not involving UK parties.

The dispute resolution world also faces challenges. How to embrace and adapt to the technological advances that we see all around us? English practitioners and experts are at the forefront of thinking in many areas, not least in the field of crypto assets and smart contracts³. London and the UK of course do not have a monopoly on thinking and developments but can and are delighted to provide a forum for discussion on global developments. That is also exemplified by the work of and growth in the Standing International Forum of Commercial Courts⁴.

LIDW25

So much to mark, celebrate, but also continued work to be done. The inaugural LIDW took place in May 2019, a short 6 years ago. It featured a one-day conference plus a well-attended dinner and drinks and 16 events hosted by law firms. Despite a break for Covid, its growth has been rapid. Taking place in the first week of June, the 2025 event, Innovation in Dispute Resolution: Navigating Global Risks, has already attracted an impressive 13,484 registrations across LIDW’s diverse programme. That perhaps answers that first question: “Yes, there would be interest”. But the key to the growth and success of LIDW has been the enthusiasm and engagement of the international disputes community. It has flourished because of its members and stakeholders, not least its committed and engaged sponsors-some of whom have remained loyal since they took a chance on the first event, and because of the army of volunteers, contributors who give up their time willingly because they want to be part of something important. As our world changes and develops, so will LIDW, and it is important that it speaks for, represents and provides a forum for the international dispute resolution community. We look forward to seeing you at LIDW25 to discuss how we can do that together.