Panellists

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Recognized as one of the world's leading international arbitrators, Robert Davidson is a retired senior litigation partner of a major international law firm and the Executive Director of JAMS Arbitration Practice.

Robert Davidson has acted as sole arbitrator, chairman or member of a tripartite panel in numerous international arbitrations conducted under the rules of various institutions including the Rules of the ICC, the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, the Rules of the Netherlands Arbitration Institute, the LCIA, the CPR non-administered rules, the ICDR (AAA) International Rules, the CIETAC Arbitration Rules and the Domestic Arbitration Rules of the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre. Prior to his retirement from practice, he also acted as counsel to parties appearing before various arbitral institutions, including acting as lead counsel in eleven cases before the Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal, cases before the International Chamber of Commerce, the Netherlands Arbitration Institute, the U.N. Claims Commission and ad hoc panels. In addition, he represented clients in over 100 arbitrations administered by the American Arbitration Association and the ICDR.

Representative Mediations

• Mediated dispute between non-U.S. lessor/owner of aircraft and defaulting lessee, including claim by lessee of defective engines
• Mediated product liability dispute between insurer and minor plaintiffs injured by the ingestion of magnets contained in toys made in China
• Mediated dispute between buyer and seller of construction business over indemnification for customer claim involving alleged defects in subway cars used in the London Underground
• Mediated dispute between cruise ship operator and French/English suppliers of steering mechanisms
• Mediated distributorship termination dispute between U.S. manufacturer and Indonesian distributor
• Mediated dispute involving U.S. and non-U.S. producers of petroleum products sold worldwide (mediation resolved three L.C.I.A. arbitrations then pending)
• Dispute between investment bank and former oversees employee over correct computation of tax equalization under employment contract
• Mediated various disputes between investment bankers employed in overseas offices and U.S. or non-U.S. employers
• Mediated trademark dispute between U.S. and Korean companies involving alleged dilution under state law and Lanham Act claims
• Mediated dispute among foreign investors in adr's issued by non-U.S. company (private placement of shares of publicly traded company)
• Mediated dispute between a U.S. software licensor and European licensee
• Mediated break-up dispute between partners of hedge fund headquartered in Japan and specializing in the trading of Japanese equity securities

Representative Arbitrations

• European pharmaceutical company licensor v. U.S. licensee for damages allegedly caused by failure to obtain regulatory approvals (NAI Rules, Hague venue)
• Asian insurer v. Manufacturer (action by subrogee of computer equipment manufacturer against component supplier for loss suffered in U.S. litigation; HKIAC Rules and Hong Kong venue)
• Chinese tire manufacturer v. U.S. tire distributor (action to enforce jurisdictional and CIETAC arbitration provisions of sales agreement in defense of U.S. product liability litigation; CIETAC Rules, Beijing venue)
• Charter dispute between owner and vessel charterer
• Aircraft lessee v. Non-U.S. jet engine repair facility (dispute over return of engine)
• Non-U.S. credit card franchisees v. Successor to franchisor (dispute over diminution in value of franchise due to changes to the business imposed by successor to franchisor) (ICC Rules, London venue)
• European airline v. Software services provider (dispute over agreement to provide certain reservations functionality) (ICC Rules, London venue)
• Asian investment fund v. Entrepreneur (dispute over repayment of monies advanced) (HKIAC Rules, Hong Kong venue)
• Non-U.S. airline v. Software developer (dispute over functionality of airline reservations system)
• European resort operator v. Landlord (dispute over long term lease of resort property in Thailand) (ICC Rules, Geneva venue)
• Acquirer of international business v. Seller (proper allocation of tax liabilities among three parties created by two spin-off transactions)
• Acquirer of international business v. Seller (determination of tax allocations in accordance with terms of acquisition agreement)
• Buyer of international construction business v. Seller (quantification of post closing adjustments due in connection with sale of business)
• East Asian buyer v. U.S. seller (action by buyer of chemicals for losses incurred arising out of seller's chartering of allegedly unseaworthy vessel)
• Equity investor v. Investment partners (dispute over alleged failure to capitalize Argentine business)
• Major university v. Investors (dispute arising out of technology funding agreement)
• Oil Exploration Company v. Oil Exploration Company (action for reversal of dilution of share interest in joint venture)
• Oil trading company v. Agent for sovereign buyer (breach of contract for sale of fuel oil)
• Philadelphia importer v. Chilean grower (dispute involving alleged breach of contract for the sale of Chilean grapes)
• Private equity fund v. Placement agent (alleged breach of engagement letter between fund and capital placement agent)
• Purchaser of chemical business v. Seller (action for fraud and rescission due to seller's alleged presale participation in illegal scheme to inflate price of manufactured product)
• Shoe seller v. Asian sales agent (alleged breach of contract to arrange for manufacture of shoes)
• Offshore excess insurer v. Insured (coverage dispute under property casualty excess policy)
• Buyer of healthcare business v. Seller (dispute over post closing purchase price adjustment
• Inventor of medical device v. Major U.S. pharmaceutical company (dispute over licensee’s alleged failure to exploit invention)
• Patent holder v. Alleged infringer (dispute over enforceability of mediated settlement calling for joint efforts to develop product)
• Investor v. Asian insurance company (dispute over investor’s right to sell shares and valuation of investor’s interest
• Investment advisor v. Asian company (dispute over fees allegedly owed for merger advice and financing services rendered)
• U.S. company v. U.K. joint venture partner (dispute over performance of joint venture agreements relating to marine container business)
• U.S. insurer v. U.K. insured (action to interpret political risk insurance policy)
• Executive v. Non-US company (dispute over compensation including right to acquire stock)
• Chaired the final argument at the Vis Moot Court Competition in Vienna in 2008

Honours, Memberships, and Professional Activities

• Listed as one of the Leading International Arbitrators in the 2010 and 2011 Chambers USA Guides
• Listed as a New York “Super Lawyer” for alternative dispute resolution since 2006
• Listed in various Who’s Who publications including the 2007 and 2008 Int’l Who’s Who of Commercial Arbitrators and the Int’l Who’s Who of Business Lawyers 2007 and 2008; various Marquis Who’s Whopublications, incl. Who’s Who in the World, in America, and in American Law; Cambridge Who's Who; “av” rating from Martindale Hubbell
• Past Chair, Committee on Arbitration, New York City Bar Association; Member of NYCBA Committee on International Commercial Disputes
• Fellow and Past Board Member, College of Commercial Arbitrators
• Fellow, American Bar Foundation
• Member, Maritime Law Association of the United States (since 1979)
• Member, American Bar Association and its Sections on Dispute Resolution and International Law
• Member, New York State Bar Association and its Committee on International Commercial Arbitration
• Panel Memberships: JAMS panel; HKIAC (Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre) arbitrator and mediator panels; CPR New York, International and Insurance Panels; ICC arbitrator panel; CIETAC (China) Arbitrator Panel; Beijing Arbitration Commission (BAC) panel of arbitrators; panel of mediators for the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York; panel of arbitrators, Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration 
• Regularly sit as arbitrator in AAA, ICDR, ICC, JAMS, CPR, and ad hoccases; have also sat in LCIA, HKIAC (Hong Kong), CIETAC and NAI (Netherlands Arbitration Institute) arbitrations
• Member, Inter-Pacific Bar Association and its Dispute Resolution Committee
• Editor for Arbitration Law and Practice, World Arbitration and Mediation Report(WAMR)
• Member, ICC Task Force on Reducing Time and Cost in International Arbitration
• Member, CEDR Task Force on Settlement in International Arbitration
• Published articles have appeared in legal publications throughout the country including, among others, the New York Law Journal, The National Law Journal, Middle East Executive Reports, Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, World Arbitration and Mediation Report, The American Review of International Arbitration, and Mealey's International Arbitration Report 
• Contributing author to both editions of International Arbitration Checklists, (Juris Pub. 2003 and 2009), and both editions of the College of Commercial Arbitrators’ Guide to Best Practices in Commercial Arbitration (Juris Pub. 2006), and Practitioner’s Handbook on International Arbitration and Mediation(2d Ed. Juris Pub. 2007) (Chapters on International Mediation)
• Frequent lecturer to bar associations and CLE programs on arbitration topics. Guest lecturer on international and other legal topics at University of Georgia Law School, Fordham Law School, Columbia Law School, Yale Law School, New York Law School, and Tulane University

Background and Education

• Retired Partner, Baker & McKenzie, (Partner 1979-2003; Associate 1972-1979), former co-head of the litigation department in New York
• Significant experience in commercial contract and shareholder disputes, including post-closing adjustment disputes, valuation exercises, and the like; regularly acts in securities, insurance, licensing, joint venture, construction, and IP arbitrations and mediations 
• Admitted to the Bar of the State of New York in January of 1973; although practicing ADR full time, still a member of the Bars of the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, the United States Tax Court, and various of the United States Courts of Appeal
• Former Director of The Wall Street Fund (a mutual fund)
• Peace Corps Volunteer (Philippines), 1968-1970
• J.D., Columbia School of Law, 1972 (Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar)
• B.S., in Economics, cum laude, The Wharton School of Finance and Commerce, University of Pennsylvania

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