Is COVID -19 driving a new approach to dispute resolution?

Known for hosting powerful speakers that deliver business-critical information, The Lawyer’s GC Strategy Summit taking place between 30^th September and 2^nd October is a must-attend event. The 3-day virtual conference provides highly interactive and engaging formats including keynote presentations, TED-style talks, panel debates and more intimate roundtable discussions enabling effective learning and peer-to-peer knowledge sharing.

Attendees have over 20 different sessions to choose from, including this 60-minute virtual roundtable discussion on whether COVID -19 is driving a new approach to dispute resolution, taking place at 14:00 BST on Wednesday 25th November and again on Wednesday 2nd December. .

The discussion will focus on the ways in which COVID-19 has been a catalyst for innovative, flexible and smarter approaches to the resolution of commercial disputes.

Topics discussed will include:

• Effective decision-making to drive resolution in challenging market conditions
• Effective execution including ADR and winning cases on a virtual basis
• De-risking litigation through the use of innovative legal costs arrangements

The facilitators will share their insights and experiences of litigation and dispute resolution in the COVID-19 environment including lessons learned from the first virtual trial in the commercial court in the case of the National Bank of Kazakhstan and the Republic of Kazakhstan v The Bank of New York Mellon, Anatolie Stati and others [2020] EWHC 916 (Comm).

Facilitators:

Robert Ivens, Legal Consultant & former Head of Legal, M&S Group

Robert qualified as a solicitor in 1983, spending most of his legal career at Marks & Spencer. As Head of Legal, he was responsible for all legal advice provided to the M&S Group worldwide during a period that included two failed bids by Philip Green and a seven year battle with Interflora over the use of Google adwords. He retired from M&S in 2016 and is currently working as a legal consultant on interim assignments.

Julian Chamberlayne, Partner and Head of KM and Compliance, Stewarts

Julian Chamberlayne is a partner, head of KM & Compliance at Stewarts and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee and Risk & Funding Committee. Julian is the architect of the firm’s cost and funding arrangements for clients across all practices.  He also spearheads a number of technology and process initiatives at the firm, focusing on improving working practice, client service and outcomes.

Sean Upson, Partner, Commercial Litigation, Fraud and Securities Litigation, Stewarts

Described by The Legal 500 and Chambers as “a brilliant strategist”, “innovative” and “always on top of the detail” Sean specialises in complex commercial High Court and arbitral disputes. He acts for corporate claimants (including hedge funds, financial institutions and pension funds) in complex financial disputes and fraud work. He has recently completed the claim against Tesco Plc in respect of its £450m accounting mis-statements.

Stuart Dench, Partner and Head of Business Development, Stewarts

Stuart is a partner of the firm, Head of Business Development and member of the management team overseeing the rapid growth of Stewarts as the UK’s largest litigation-only law practice. As a lawyer, Stuart was top ranked within Chambers and was noted as a leading litigator in The Legal 500. Chambers noted that he “deals with incredibly complex, high-value cases”. He has been involved in a number of high-profile trials in London as well as cases in the United States and Europe.