The Arbitration Snake – From Clause to Enforcement: The In-House Counsel’s Practical Roadmap to Arbitration
EVENT OVERVIEW
Vinson & Elkins LLP proposes to host a practitioner-led seminar during Dubai Arbitration Week 2026, designed specifically for in-house counsel across all industry sectors with limited exposure to International Arbitration who would benefit from a high-level view of the process and junior International Arbitration practitioners seeking a wide-ranging understanding of the basics. The event will be sponsored by Vinson & Elkins and held at the [Ritz Carlton DIFC or Waldorf Astoria DIFC], with speakers drawn from V&E’s Dubai and London offices. The session will offer attendees a practical walkthrough of the entire lifecycle of an international arbitration case — from the moment a dispute resolution clause is drafted through to the issuance of the final Award and its enforcement.
EVENT FORMAT AND CONTENT
The event will be structured as a practitioner-led presentation with Q&A, running from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM on Thursday 12 November 2026, followed by a networking drinks reception. The session will be divided into three principal segments:
1. GETTING THE FOUNDATIONS RIGHT: ARBITRATION AGREEMENTS AND INSTITUTIONAL RULES
The session will open with an examination of where arbitration begins: the arbitration agreement. Topics will include:
• What makes an arbitration agreement enforceable, and what common drafting errors to avoid
• Choosing a seat and governing law: what it means legally and practically, and why it matters
• Institutional versus ad hoc arbitration: an overview of the major institutions (ICC, LCIA, DIAC, SIAC and others) and how their rules differ in practice
2. THE PRE-DISPUTE WINDOW: STRATEGY BEFORE PROCEEDINGS COMMENCE
This segment will address the critical and often underestimated period between the emergence of a dispute and the formal commencement of arbitration. The decisions taken in this window frequently determine the strength of a party’s position throughout the proceedings. Topics will include:
• Identifying and preserving the claim: the importance of contemporaneous records, contractual notices, and reserving rights under the contract
• Pre-conditions to arbitration and escalation mechanisms: dispute boards, mandatory negotiation and mediation periods, and what happens if they are not properly followed
• Mediation as an alternative: when it is appropriate, how it works alongside arbitration, and why it is increasingly encouraged by tribunals and courts
3. THE ARBITRAL PROCESS: FROM REQUEST TO AWARD
The core of the session will take attendees through the full procedural lifecycle of an international arbitration, stage by stage. The presenters will explain what happens at each step, what choices need to be made, and what in-house counsel and junior practitioners should be doing at each stage to support the proceedings effectively. The stages to be addressed will include:
• Filing the Request for Arbitration: what it must contain and what strategic choices are involved at the outset
• Constitution of the arbitral tribunal and the preliminary meeting
• Pleadings v memorials; typical steps in a timetable
• Factual and expert witness evidence: when and how technical and quantum experts are used, the role of cross-examination at the hearing
• The final hearing: structure, preparation, oral advocacy, and what to expect in the room
• Post-hearing submissions and the Award: how it is enforced, and the limited grounds for challenge