Launch of ICAA: The International Construction Arbitrators Association

ICAA, the International Construction Arbitrators Association, has been launched. ICAA is the brainchild of Edward Corbett, consultant to Howard Kennedy’s international construction team in London.

ICAA lists arbitrators who are specialists from the international construction industry, whether lawyers or other professionals.

The ICAA list includes many names well known in international construction, such as Sir Robert Akenhead, a former judge of the TCC, Professor Doug Jones AO and 6 King’s Counsel from the British construction bar. The list is multi-national and multi-lingual and includes Prof. Dr. Mohamed S. Abdel Wahab, the current Global President of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

The founders believe that international construction disputes need specialist international construction arbitrators. But no such list currently exists. So ICAA is modelled on the London Maritime Arbitrators Association which lists shipping specialists for maritime disputes.

Parties, their lawyers, party-nominated arbitrators and institutions making appointments need a reliable list of suitable specialists. The arbitrators listed will be long-time specialists in construction, will have expertise in FIDIC-type contracts and will be experienced in international arbitration. In short, the right choice for international construction disputes.

Edward Corbett says: “Construction is a very specialist field: it needs specialist arbitrators. Our list will have 30- 40 arbitrators listed. In our view, they represent the sort of arbitrators who should be deciding international construction disputes.”

The list is a mix of construction lawyers and engineers. They come from common and civil law countries. So far there is no Turkish arbitrator on the list. ICAA is gathering a list of candidates and welcomes suggestions.

The list is available on the ICAA website at www.intcaa.org. ICAA will nominate arbitrators on request.