The Swiss Arbitration Association (ASA) is organising a conference on the theme of ‘practising arbitration’, in association with the French Arbitration Committee (CFA) and the International Arbitration Institute (IAI).

This three-day conference, to be held from 20 to 22 January 2012, is aimed at those practitioners already involved in arbitration who wish to build upon their knowledge and experience of the field. Participants will not only be able to learn from the experience and expertise of the discussion leaders, but also to contribute with their own questions, ideas and experiences.

The ASA has been running similar conferences in association with arbitration associations around Europe since 1997.

The conference will take the form of sessions led by discussion leaders who are all very experienced arbitration practitioners. During these sessions the leaders will raise and discuss key legal and practical questions associated with the practice of arbitration, using examples from real cases as illustrations.

Each session will be led jointly by experts in common law and civil law, providing a good opportunity to contrast and compare a wide and diverse range of cross-cultural practices.

Prior to the conference itself, each participant will receive a CD-Rom with all the necessary documentation for the sessions, including basic legal texts and other documents used in practice.

Please note that the conference will be held in English and French, and that there will be no translation services. Participants may contribute in either language, but will be expected to understand both.

The conference will begin at 12pm on 20 January 2012 and finish at 2pm on 22 January 2012.

The conference is to be held at: Hôtel L’Impérial Palace, Allée de l’Impérial, F-74000 Annecy.

The registration fee is 1,450 € until 12 December 2011, and 1,600 € after this date. The two fees (both including VAT) include meals and accommodation at the conference venue.

Accompanying persons will be accepted with a surcharge of 250 € (incl. VAT). This includes two nights’ stay, breakfast and dinner for the duration.

Numbers are limited and applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. No refunds for cancellations are permitted, but they will accept substitutions.