The site, called DisputesLoop.com, is encouraging firms to put appointments out to tender, then monitor the results through published peer reviews. Legal journalist and founder of the site, Matthew Rushton, believes that it offers the most efficient route to making an informed choice of arbitrator. “We’re saying don’t waste time head hunting arbitrators – put out an alert over the site, and let those who can meet your requirements find you.”
“Impartial information about arbitrators’ skills, availability and standards of service are hard to come by,” Rushton says. “This site is totally independent and offers professionals the opportunity to read word-of-mouth recommendations from those with first-hand experience.”
He continued, “Over-trading has been exacerbated by the recent upturn in work, and those seeking to appoint arbitrators owe it to themselves and their clients to know if arbitrators have a track record of responding promptly to emails, producing awards within respectable timeframes, being available when required, and whether they have the leadership skills necessary to steer the process and the teams involved to a timely and satisfactory conclusion. DisputesLoop is designed to facilitate such discussion alongside more traditional concerns over legal competence and cost.”
Responding to anticipated concerns the site might raise among arbitrators, Rushton offered, “Inaccurate, misleading and defamatory comment serves nobody, and we have a robust set of procedures in place should any such eventualities arise. The larger issue is transparency, from which all sides agree that the community has vastly more to gain than it has to fear.”
Ends
For further comment, please contact Matthew Rushton E matthew.rushton@disputesloop.com T +44 8444 871 172
Notes
- DisputesLoop.com is published by Empirical Publishing, founded in 2007 by Matthew Rushton
- Other publications include The Mediator Magazine (www.themediatormagazine.co.uk) and The Mediator Directory, (www.themediatordirectory.co.uk) which will be amalgamated into DisputesLoop
