On May 25, 2013, the International Bar Association (IBA) adopted the Guidelines on Party Representation in International Arbitration. Ilya Nikiforov, Managing Partner of the St. Petersburg Law Office of EPAM, was part of the team in charge of drafting the Russian version of the guidelines, which was released in October 2013.
Ever since it was first established, one of the IBA’s main functions has been the preparation and distribution of materials pertaining to the IBA’s own activities, as well as to legal practices in various fields of law.
Despite the popularity of international arbitration, until recently, there had been no regulations for the conduct of the parties to an international arbitration. Due to this fact, the parties’ representatives would be guided by their respective national rules. However, national rules of professional ethics vary substantially, which complicated the process at both the national and international levels.
The international guidelines clarify controversial issues regarding the representation of parties. The guidelines do not restrict the flexibility inherent in international arbitration. The parties and constituents of the arbitration can tailor them to the specific circumstances of each arbitration proceeding.
The Russian version of the IBA Guidelines on Party Representation in International Arbitration is available via the Wikirules portal at the following link.
