Dr. Ole Jensen on "Secretaries to the Arbitral Tribunal"
On November 24th, the LL.M. Class of 2023/24 was delighted to welcome Dr. Ole Jensen to deliver a lecture on the role of secretaries to arbitral tribunals. Dr. Jensen is a senior associate in the Litigation/Controversy Department of WilmerHale and has authored a range of publications on topical issues of arbitration and international commercial law.
During Dr. Jensen’s lecture, he shared his valuable experiences as both a secretary and an arbitrator. He highlighted the qualifications, backgrounds and pivotal authority of secretaries in the decision-making process for cases. Furthermore, the lecture emphasized the intricate relationship between secretary and other members of the arbitral tribunal.
His lecture also included a comprehensive explanation of the secretary's specific roles and tasks, mentioning that when the secretary's involvement is seen as excessive within the scope of the work, he or she undertakes to assist the arbitral tribunal.
Addressing the essentiality of secretaries, their role was highlighted in streamlining case administration, providing assistance to arbitrators, conducting research and drafting awards.
One student raised an inquiry about whether AI services could potentially offer comparable work quality resulting in fruitful discussions on how the integration of AI technology will influence the roles and responsibilities of the tribunal secretaries in the future.
Furthermore, the lecturer pointed out the significance of gaining experience as a secretary, given the lack of formal training for arbitrator appointments, it proves to be an effective path towards establishing a career as an arbitrator.
We would like to extend our gratitude to Dr. Ole Jensen for dedicating his valuable time to share his knowledge and expertise with our class.
Mohammed Keshtari IDR LL.M. Candidate, Class of 2023/2024