Judgment day for Lovells

ARBITRATION: Web site provides free international service

City firm Lovells has launched the first free international arbitration service on the Internet.

The Web site provides three services.

First, there is an advisory scheme giving general information about arbitration institutions, rules, relevant local laws, and a step-by-step guide to the various clauses of an arbitration agreement.

Secondly, the site compares different international arbitration statutes, evaluating rules and estimating likely fees.

The third function offered by the site is an arbitration drafting engine, which can be used to prepare a complete agreement.

Users can then lift the agreement out of the site into their own contracts.

Access will not be limited to Lovells' clients and there is no charge for using the Web site or drafting arbitration agreements on it.

The site was developed by Lovells' in-house IT team with software suppliers Silverstream.

The site is the brainchild of Lovells partner Mark Huleatt-Jones.

Although it offers free advice, Mr Huleatt-Jones said: 'If, along the way, [users] realise their circumstances are more complicated than they appeared, we hope our record of expertise in international arbitration will encourage them to contact us.'

He added: 'As evidenced by the considerable influence in international arbitrations at the International Chamber of Commerce (see [2000] Gazette, 12 October, 5) it is clear that arbitration is now the favoured means of resolving disputes arising from international contracts.'

Links: www.lovells.com/Arbitration

Jeremy Fleming