INTERVIEW WITH KEISHA WILLIAMS
CD: Could you outline some of the main reasons why parties might consider turning to the CIArb’s Dispute Appointment Service (DAS)? What, in a nutshell, are the unique benefits offered by DAS?
Williams: CIArb’s Dispute Appointment Service (DAS) provides quick, confidential and cost effective methods of settlement or resolution of domestic and international disputes. We offer a complete range of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods, including arbitration, adjudication, mediation and independent expert determination, and we deal with both civil and commercial disputes in a diverse range of areas. Parties regularly approach DAS to act as an appointing body, through its Presidential Appointments Service, but DAS can also recommend suitable dispute resolvers for party agreement, and also offers institutional rules and bespoke ADR schemes for specialist areas or low value disputes. DAS is particularly popular with users as it charges for its services on a fixed cost basis, as opposed to ad valorem or time based charges, giving the parties certainty about the administrative costs from the outset. The charge for a Presidential Appointment – an appointment by the President of CIArb – is between £360 and £600. DAS will particularly appeal to parties who do not want the cost of administered proceedings, but want the benefit of a reputable and neutral appointing body to select their dispute resolver. A further attraction for users is the diverse pool of dispute resolvers DAS can offer. Drawing on CIArb’s membership of 14,000 worldwide, comprised oflawyers, engineers, accountants, architects and surveyors, users are assured that the candidate we appoint will be the most suitable for the job. We have also established specialist panels, under our various schemes and for our Presidential Appointments Service, dubbed Presidential Panels, to assist us in selecting the most highly qualified and experienced practitioners for appointment.
Apr-Jun 2016 issue
Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb)