International Arbitration and Dispute Resolution Training Course

Duration 10 days 20 modules · 65 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends In-house Counsel, Commercial Lawyers and others
Fee from USD 2,200 KSh 190,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 9 Nov 2026 Course code SD-L-028

Before you join: Participants should understand basic contract formation, contractual obligations, breach, remedies and commercial correspondence.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

International commercial disputes can disrupt projects, delay payments, expose confidential information and damage long-term trading relationships. Parties often discover too late that their contract contains an unclear arbitration clause, their notices lack evidential support, or their dispute strategy does not match the governing law, forum and enforcement route. Legal, contract and commercial teams need a disciplined way to assess disputes, preserve rights, prepare evidence and manage arbitration from notice through award enforcement.

This course develops practical capability in international arbitration and related dispute resolution methods. Participants examine arbitration agreements, jurisdictional objections, institutional and ad hoc procedures, tribunal appointment, case management, written submissions, documentary evidence, witness evidence, hearings, awards and enforcement under the New York Convention. They also compare negotiation, mediation, dispute boards and expert determination, selecting procedures that suit the dispute, contract and commercial objective.

Teaching combines focused legal briefings with case analysis, procedural planning, document review, group work and arbitration simulations. Participants apply ICC Rules, UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, the UNCITRAL Model Law and the IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence in International Arbitration to realistic disputes involving construction delay, cross-border supply, joint ventures and professional services. They leave with a completed arbitration case file containing a dispute assessment, procedure plan, evidence strategy, submissions outline, hearing plan and enforcement assessment.

The course is suited to lawyers, in-house counsel, contract managers, claims professionals, project leaders and commercial managers who work with cross-border contracts or significant domestic disputes. It is particularly relevant where contracts use arbitration clauses, tiered dispute resolution provisions or institutional rules.

What you will be able to do

  • Assess arbitration clauses for validity, scope, seat, governing law and enforceability
  • Select negotiation, mediation, dispute boards, expert determination or arbitration for a dispute
  • Prepare an arbitration case assessment using legal, factual, procedural and commercial criteria
  • Draft a notice of arbitration and response aligned with institutional rules
  • Develop an evidence plan using the IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence
  • Construct written submissions, witness materials and hearing bundles for arbitral proceedings
  • Manage tribunal procedure, interim measures, costs and settlement opportunities
  • Produce an award enforcement assessment under the New York Convention

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Greater confidence assessing arbitration clauses before contracts are signed
  • A repeatable method for turning dispute facts into a case strategy
  • Practical experience preparing arbitration documents and procedural plans
  • Improved ability to instruct counsel, experts and external claims consultants
  • Stronger judgement when choosing settlement, mediation or arbitration routes

For your organisation

  • Earlier identification of defective dispute clauses and procedural risks
  • Better preserved records, notices and evidence for material claims
  • More consistent instructions to external counsel and appointed experts
  • Reduced avoidable cost through planned procedure and settlement decisions
  • Improved enforceability planning for cross-border awards and recoveries

Course modules

20 modules over 10 days

Participants can select a suitable dispute resolution route using legal, commercial and relationship criteria.

  • Dispute escalation mapped from contract notice through final enforcement
  • Negotiation interests, positions and BATNA assessed before formal proceedings
  • Mediation structures compared with adjudicative dispute resolution processes
  • Dispute boards applied to live construction and infrastructure disagreements
  • Expert determination selected for valuation, quality and technical disputes
  • Arbitration and litigation compared using cost, speed, privacy and enforceability

Participants can assess and improve arbitration clauses for enforceability and procedural certainty.

  • Essential arbitration agreement elements under the New York Convention
  • Pathological clauses identified through scope, appointment and seat analysis
  • Drafting institutional arbitration clauses using model clause language
  • Multi-tier dispute clauses sequenced with negotiation and mediation stages
  • Seat, venue and hearing location distinguished for procedural consequences
  • Governing law choices separated from procedural law and contract law

Participants can identify the legal and institutional rules governing an arbitration.

  • UNCITRAL Model Law structure applied to tribunal powers and court support
  • New York Convention obligations examined for recognition and enforcement
  • ICC Rules procedures reviewed from request through final award
  • UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules used for ad hoc procedural planning
  • LCIA, SIAC and ICDR features compared for institutional selection
  • Mandatory seat law requirements distinguished from party-agreed procedures

Participants can prepare an early case assessment that informs procedural and commercial decisions.

  • Issue trees built from contractual duties, breaches and available remedies
  • Chronology analysis connects events, notices, documents and legal consequences
  • Claim merits rated through facts, law, evidence and quantum
  • Counterclaim exposure assessed before correspondence and formal submissions
  • Decision trees compare settlement, mediation and arbitration options
  • Case theory framed around the strongest provable factual narrative

Participants can prepare core commencement documents and respond strategically to a claim.

  • Notice of arbitration drafted under applicable institutional requirements
  • Request for arbitration links parties, agreement, claims and relief
  • Response and answer documents preserve objections and counterclaims
  • Jurisdictional objections raised without prejudicing merits defences
  • Time limits tracked through a procedural deadline register
  • Relief sought matched to contractual remedies and tribunal authority

Participants can manage tribunal appointment, challenge and disclosure issues.

  • Sole arbitrator and three-member tribunal models compared strategically
  • Appointment procedures followed under ICC and UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules
  • Arbitrator independence and impartiality assessed through IBA Guidelines
  • Disclosure requests evaluated for conflicts and apparent bias
  • Challenge applications structured around evidence, timing and applicable rules
  • Tribunal secretary roles distinguished from arbitrator decision-making functions

Participants can plan arbitration procedure, deadlines and case-management decisions.

  • Procedural timetable designed from pleadings through hearing and award
  • Terms of reference defined under ICC Rules requirements
  • Procedural Order No. 1 drafted for document production and submissions
  • Bifurcation requests assessed for jurisdiction, liability and quantum issues
  • Expedited procedure criteria considered against claim value and complexity
  • Virtual hearing protocols set for technology, confidentiality and witness access

Participants can preserve, request and manage documents relevant to arbitral claims.

  • Legal hold notices preserve emails, records and project documents
  • Document categories mapped against pleaded issues and factual allegations
  • Redfern Schedule prepared using IBA Rules document production criteria
  • Relevance and materiality arguments framed for contested document requests
  • Privilege claims assessed under applicable law and tribunal directions
  • Document review protocols control confidentiality, redaction and version history

Participants can develop fact witness evidence that supports a coherent case theory.

  • Witness selection matched to personal knowledge and disputed issues
  • Witness statements structured around chronology, documents and first-hand evidence
  • Statement drafting separates recollection from argument and legal conclusion
  • Document confrontation techniques test witness reliability and consistency
  • Witness conferencing considered for overlapping factual evidence
  • Preparation protocols address confidentiality, coaching risks and hearing conduct

Participants can instruct experts and assess quantum evidence in arbitration.

  • Expert appointment criteria cover independence, expertise and report quality
  • Instructions to experts define assumptions, documents and questions
  • Damages models distinguish expectation loss, reliance loss and restitution
  • Delay analysis methods compared for construction and project claims
  • Joint expert reports isolate agreed matters and disputed assumptions
  • Hot-tubbing procedures planned for concurrent expert examination

Participants can structure persuasive written submissions supported by evidence and authority.

  • Statement of claim organised through issues, facts, law and relief
  • Memorial structure connects propositions, evidence citations and legal authorities
  • IRAC method applied to disputed contractual and procedural questions
  • Authorities bundles prepared with pinpoint citations and source verification
  • Reply submissions address new arguments without repeating earlier pleadings
  • Prayer for relief aligns remedies, interest, costs and declarations

Participants can assess and seek urgent protective measures before or during arbitration.

  • Interim measures tested for urgency, necessity and irreparable harm
  • Emergency arbitrator procedures compared with court applications
  • Asset preservation orders considered for dissipation and enforcement risk
  • Security for costs applications assessed against insolvency and merits
  • Confidentiality orders drafted for trade secrets and sensitive records
  • Undertakings and cross-undertakings evaluated when urgent relief is sought

Participants can prepare a focused hearing plan, evidence sequence and oral argument.

  • Hearing plan allocates openings, witnesses, experts and closing submissions
  • Case chronology converted into a hearing-ready factual timeline
  • Opening submissions frame disputed issues and requested tribunal findings
  • Cross-examination plans use leading questions, documents and concessions
  • Re-examination scope protects clarity without reopening cross-examination matters
  • Hearing bundles indexed for rapid tribunal and witness reference

Participants can evaluate and document settlement options during arbitral proceedings.

  • Settlement range estimated through merits, quantum, costs and enforcement risk
  • Without prejudice communications managed alongside continuing arbitral procedure
  • Mediation windows identified from procedural milestones and evidence gaps
  • Calderbank-style offers considered under relevant costs allocation principles
  • Settlement agreements drafted with releases, confidentiality and payment terms
  • Consent awards compared with private settlement agreement enforcement options

Participants can assess awards, costs decisions and available post-award actions.

  • Award requirements reviewed for reasoning, signature, date and seat
  • Costs submissions prepared using invoices, schedules and reasonableness arguments
  • Interest calculations distinguish pre-award, post-award and compound interest
  • Correction and interpretation requests assessed under applicable arbitral rules
  • Set-aside grounds examined under seat law and procedural fairness
  • Award review identifies enforcement risks before recognition proceedings commence

Participants can plan award recognition and enforcement in relevant jurisdictions.

  • Enforcement jurisdictions prioritised through asset location and debtor analysis
  • New York Convention Article V defences assessed before filing
  • Certified award and arbitration agreement documents assembled for court filing
  • Public policy objections evaluated using narrow enforcement standards
  • Parallel enforcement actions coordinated across jurisdictions and asset classes
  • Sovereign immunity considerations addressed for state-owned counterparties

Participants can apply arbitration methods to common construction and infrastructure claims.

  • FIDIC dispute provisions mapped to notice, claim and dispute stages
  • Delay claims analysed through critical path and programme evidence
  • Extension of time arguments separated from disruption and prolongation costs
  • Variation valuation disputes tested against instructions, records and pricing mechanisms
  • Dispute Adjudication Board decisions considered before arbitration commencement
  • Project correspondence assessed for notice compliance and contemporaneous evidence

Participants can frame arbitration strategies for supply, distribution and joint venture disputes.

  • CISG applicability assessed for international sale of goods disputes
  • Delivery and acceptance evidence tested against contractual specification requirements
  • Force majeure clauses analysed through notice, causation and mitigation
  • Joint venture deadlock provisions assessed for valuation and exit remedies
  • Shareholder disputes distinguished from contractual and corporate law claims
  • Currency, exchange controls and sanctions considered in remedy planning

Participants can identify ethical, confidentiality and funding issues affecting arbitral proceedings.

  • Confidentiality obligations analysed under rules, agreements and applicable law
  • Counsel conduct concerns raised through tribunal case-management powers
  • IBA Guidelines on Party Representation applied to witness contact
  • Third-party funding disclosure assessed for conflicts and security for costs
  • Data protection controls applied to arbitration files and hearing platforms
  • Settlement authority documented to avoid unauthorised negotiation commitments

Participants can build, review and present a complete arbitration case file for a cross-border commercial dispute.

  • Case assessment integrates jurisdiction, merits, evidence, quantum and commercial objectives
  • Procedural plan sets tribunal, timetable, disclosure and hearing decisions
  • Claim or defence outline links legal propositions to supporting evidence
  • Redfern Schedule prioritises document requests using materiality and relevance
  • Settlement strategy compares negotiated resolution with arbitral award outcomes
  • Enforcement memorandum identifies target assets, jurisdictions and Article V risks

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. Arbitration clause review checklist
  2. Early case assessment template
  3. Procedural Order No. 1 template
  4. Redfern Schedule template
  5. Arbitration hearing preparation plan
  6. New York Convention enforcement assessment

Who should attend

  • In-house Counsel — manage cross-border disputes and external arbitration advisers
  • Commercial Lawyers — prepare claims, defences and procedural submissions
  • Contract Managers — protect contractual rights before disputes escalate
  • Claims Managers — quantify, evidence and present contractual claims
  • Project Directors — make informed decisions on major project disputes
  • Procurement Managers — draft and administer workable dispute resolution provisions

Skills and tools covered

Arbitration clause analysisDispute strategyEvidence managementWritten submissionsHearing preparationAward enforcement

Tools and standards

UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration, ICC Arbitration Rules, IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence in International Arbitration, Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards

How the course runs

Training methodology

The course uses short instructor briefings followed by contract review, case analysis, drafting tasks, group discussion and structured arbitration simulations. Participants work with institutional rules, procedural orders, pleadings, witness materials and documentary evidence from realistic commercial disputes. Teams assess procedural choices, prepare case documents and test arguments before a tribunal-style panel. Individual application planning connects the methods to participants’ current contracts, claims or dispute portfolios.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should understand basic contract formation, contractual obligations, breach, remedies and commercial correspondence. Experience reviewing contracts, administering projects, managing claims or supporting legal matters is useful. Participants should be comfortable reading contract clauses and structured business documents in English. Prior arbitration experience is not required, nor is admission to legal practice. The course explains procedural terminology and institutional rules before applying them. It is not designed as an introduction to general contract law or as jurisdiction-specific legal advice.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

Participants should understand basic contracts and commercial correspondence. Prior arbitration experience, legal qualification and courtroom advocacy experience are not required.

Participants may bring an anonymised arbitration clause, contract, claim scenario or current dispute question. Course materials provide the rules, case documents and templates needed for class work.

It suits legal, contract, claims, procurement and project professionals involved in cross-border commercial disputes. It is also useful for managers who instruct external counsel or approve dispute strategy.

The course focuses on private arbitral procedure, tribunal practice, institutional rules, evidence planning and international award enforcement. Litigation courses concentrate on court procedure, while contract law courses focus mainly on formation, interpretation and remedies.

Participants can review dispute clauses, improve notices, preserve records, brief counsel and prepare structured claim assessments. The templates also support earlier settlement decisions and more controlled arbitration management.

The first part establishes dispute resolution choices, arbitration agreements, procedure and evidence planning. The later part develops submissions, hearings, awards, enforcement and sector cases, ending with a complete arbitration case file capstone.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.

Ask on WhatsApp info@skillsetdevelopment.com

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