What is the Private Arbitration Court?

The Private Arbitration Court (PAC) is a collaboration between Hunt ADR and The Barrister Group,  developed to meet the growing demand for arbitration as the preferred method of resolving commercial disputes.

With a global panel of highly experienced arbitrators, all trained, tested, and accredited by leading institutions, PAC offers parties a trusted and efficient alternative to litigation.

The Private Arbitration Court ensures swift and enforceable outcomes, empowering businesses to resolve disputes in a confidential and cost-effective manner while minimizing risks to reputation, protecting intellectual property, and avoiding the lengthy delays and cost associated with traditional court systems.

Key Features & Benefits

Key features and benefits of The Private Arbitration Court include:

  • Private and confidential resolution that protects intellectual property, reduces reputational risk, and removes litigation exposure.
  • Fixed, capped fees of £2,500 plus VAT for documents only cases or £5,000 plus VAT for cases requiring a hearing, with recoverable costs limited to each party’s own fee and the other party’s fee, capping maximum exposure to £20,000.
  • Experienced arbitrators appointed within 10 days, selected from a panel of professionals, trained and tested through live cases and mandatory CPD.
  • Streamlined submissions with statements and documents (including witness statements) limited to 2,500 words per submission (where PAC rules are adopted).
  • Quick resolution with an Award issued within 90 days of receiving all relevant information or the hearing date (where PAC rules are adopted)..
  • Legally binding Award with international enforceability under the New York Convention, carrying the same weight as a court judgment.
Branding shows The Private Arbitration Court with scales of justice and blue colours

Experienced, active arbitrators

Any arbitration service is ultimately judged on the quality of its arbitrators, and we only use arbitrators drawn from the Private Arbitration Court Panel of Arbitrators – the most active, tested and monitored panel of arbitrators in the UK today.

We not only make sure that we test our arbitrators on live cases before they achieve panel recognition, but we keep them active by providing them with live cases and by ensuring that their CPD is up to date.

All our arbitrators have had 10 awards published as an absolute minimum, and all must undertake consistent CPD programmes provided by Hunt ADR and The Barrister Group.

You will not find a more active and constantly monitored group of arbitrators anywhere in the UK today.

Artemis: Technology Driving Arbitration

When choosing arbitration with the Private Arbitration Court, parties can select an arbitrator from our panel below or ask us to appoint where the parties cannot agree. Once appointed the arbitrator may take control of the administration of the arbitration, using Artemis, our specially designed Arbitration Portal provided by our technology partners, ODRPlat.

Graphic showing Artemis, goddess of the hunt

View the Panel and Apply for Arbitration

Scroll down to view the current Private Arbitration Court Panel of Arbitrators.

To apply under the Private Arbitration Court Rules (2024 Edition) click here to access the Rules and Arbitration Notice.

To apply for an arbitrator to be appointed using the fixed fee but not using the Private Arbitration Court Rules (2024 Edition), or for any general enquiries, including how to apply to be an arbitrator on the Private Arbitration Court Panel, click the “Get in Touch” box to the right.

Arbitrator. Mediator.

John Abbott

Based: London & South East

Languages: English

Arbitral Appointments and Areas of Expertise

Arbitral Appointments: 1 to 10 | 11 to 20 | 21 to 50 | 50 to 100 | 100+

 

Areas of expertise in arbitration:

General commercial disputes

Defective goods and services

Supply chain and ESG

GP Practices

Construction

Training and Professional Memberships

Law Society

CIArb (international arbitration; London School of Mediation (as was)

LLB Solicitors' Finals

Practicing as an arbitration lawyer 35 years +

Arbitrator. Barrister.

Tope Adeyemi

Based: London

Languages: English

Arbitral Appointments and Areas of Expertise

Arbitral Appointments: 1 to 10 | 11 to 20 | 21 to 50 | 50 to 100 | 100+

 

Areas of expertise in arbitration:

Commercial law

Sanctions

Financial Regulation

Art and Cultural Heritage

Training and Professional Memberships

Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb)

Barrister called to the Bars of England & Wales and Nigeria

Arbitrator. Mediator. Contracts Compliance Manager.

Ekundayo Akande

Based: London & Essex

Languages: English

Arbitral Appointments and Areas of Expertise

Arbitral Appointments: 1 to 10 | 11 to 20 | 21 to 50 | 50 to 100 | 100+

Areas of Expertise in Arbitration:

Travel

Commercial

Training and Professional Memberships

Fellow - Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

Arbitrator. IT System Analyst / Architect.

Damian Croker

Based: Bournemouth

Languages: English

Arbitral Appointments and Areas of Expertise

Arbitral Appointments: 1 to 10 | 11 to 20 | 21 to 50 | 50 to 100 | 100+

 

Areas of Expertise in Arbitration:

Intellectual Property and Licensing

Software Development/Outsourcing

Agency and Distribution

Sale of Goods and Services

International Trade

Training and Professional Memberships

Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

Society for Computers and Law

Arbitrator. Chartered Quantity Surveyor. Chartered Construction Manager. Adjudicator. Mediator. Dispute Boards Practitioner.

Matthew Finn

Based: London

Languages: English

Arbitral Appointments and Areas of Expertise

Arbitral Appointments: 1 to 10 | 11 to 20 | 21 to 50 | 50 to 100 | 100+

Areas of Expertise in Arbitration:

Commercial disputes

Matters of quantum (damages)

Construction and Engineering disputes

Consumer and travel disputes

Training and Professional Memberships
  • Certified civil and commercial mediator (Hunt ADR)
  • Master of Law Degree (LLM) in Construction Law, Arbitration & Adjudication
  • Bachelor Degree of Science with First Class Honours (BSc Hons) in Construction
  • Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb)
  • Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (FRICS)
  • Fellow of Chartered Institute of Building (FCIOB)
  • Member of the Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (MCInstCES)
  • RICS Accredited Expert Witness
  • Accredited and practising Member of the Academy of Experts (MAE)
  • Member of Expert Witness Institute (MEWI)
  • Member of the Society of Construction Law
  • Legal Experience Training Advanced Professional Award in Expert Witness Evidence (LETAPAEWE)
Arbitrator. Adjudicator. Solicitor.

Suryen C. Nullatamby

Based: London, Essex & South East

Languages: English & French

Arbitral Appointments and Areas of Expertise

Arbitral Appointments: 1 to 10 | 11 to 20 | 21 to 50 | 50 to 100 | 100+

 

Areas of Expertise in Arbitration:

Construction & Engineering Disputes

Commercial Disputes

Debts Claims

Financial Disputes

Breach of Contract claims

Training and Professional Memberships

Training:

Diploma in Adjudication in the Construction Industry, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

MSc in Construction Law and Dispute Resolution, King’s College London

Bar Vocational Course, The City Law School, City University

LLB (Honours), University of East London

 

Professional Memberships:

Institute of Civil Engineers (ICE) Dispute Resolution Committee Member

Adjudication Society Committee Member

King’s College Construction Law Association Committee Member

Fellow Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

The Society of Construction Law

The Law Society (England & Wales)

Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales

Higher Court Rights of Audience (Civil Proceedings)

Practising Barrister of all Courts in the Republic of Mauritius

Member of the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn

Arbitrator. Mediator. Barrister.

Robin Somerville

Based: London

Languages: English and conversational French.

Image of arbitrator, Robin Somerville
Arbitral Appointments and Areas of Expertise

Arbitral Appointments: 1 to 10 | 11 to 20 | 21 to 50 | 50 to 100 | 100+

 

Areas of expertise in arbitration:

Business to Business Contract Disputes

Shareholder and Family Business Disputes

Partnership Disputes

Director and Board Disputes

Technology, Software and Online Business Disputes

Training and Professional Memberships

Training:

 

2024 Accredited Workplace Mediation Conversion (CEDR)

2022 Accredited Advocacy Trainer (Inner Temple)

2022 Keble Advanced International Advocacy Course

2013-14 Masters in Law (LLM) International & Comparative Dispute Resolution (Queen Mary, University of London, Merit. Arbitration, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Corporate Governance)
2011-12 Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC - Post Graduate Barrister Training), College of Law, Very Competent. Outstanding in ADR. Electives: Employment. Mediation.

2010-11 Batchelor of Laws (LLB/GDL, College of Law. Distinction in Coursework. (Topic: ADR).

2010 Accredited Mediator, Civil & Commercial, Family (ADR Group).

1995-99 BA (Hons) / Diplome de Commerce (Dual Award - 2 Years in France) European Business Studies 2:1. Oxford Brookes University & Ecole Superieure de Commerce La Rochelle.

 

Memberships:

  • Fellow - Chartered Institute of Arbitrators;
  • Fellow - Civil Mediation Council;
  • Honourable Society of Lincolns Inn;
  • Society of Computers and Law;
  • Board Member - Arbitration Club - Technology Branch (20015-19);
  • Chartered IT Professional - British Computer Society (2014-17).

 

Arbitrator. Solicitor-Advocate.

Alexander Trukhtanov

Based: London

Languages: English, Russian, German (read only), French (read only)

Arbitral Appointments and Areas of Expertise

Arbitral Appointments: 1 to 10 | 11 to 20 | 21 to 50 | 50 to 100 | 100+

 

Areas of expertise in arbitration:

Consumer (travel, credit)

General commercial and contractual

Private mergers and acquisitions

Shareholder and company

Secured and unsecured loan and debt finance (corporate, asset, project)

Training and Professional Memberships
  • Solicitor-Advocate, England and Wales
  • Fellow of Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
Arbitrator. Mediator. Barrister.

James Tumbridge

Based: London & Eastern England

Languages: English

Arbitral Appointments and Areas of Expertise

Arbitral Appointments: 1 to 10 | 11 to 20 | 21 to 50 | 50 to 100 | 100+

 

Areas of expertise in arbitration:

Intellectual Property (IP)

Brand Protection (IP – Defamation – Regulatory Compliance)

Contracts concerning IP or licences

Music, Sport & Live Entertainment

Software

 

General expertise as a lawyer in AI, Intellectual property, Data protection, Commercial litigation & dispute resolution, Mediation, Arbitration, Patents, Trade marks, Copyright, Databases.

Training and Professional Memberships
  • Barrister of England & Wales since 2001
  • Advocate (temporary admission) in Ohio, USA and Ontario, Canada 2001-03
  • Mediator since 2004, including listing with the UK Intellectual Property office
  • Arbitrator since 2006
  • Tribunal Judge 2014-2024

Memberships

American Bar Association (ABA)

Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA)

Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (CITMA)

Intellectual Property Bar Association

Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO)

International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI), UK Council Member

International Bar Association (IBA), ADR Committee Member

International Intellectual Property Law Association (IIPLA)

Committee Member at International Trade Mark Association (INTA) – former chair of ADR and in charge of the panel of trade mark mediators

International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys (FICPI)

Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitration (MCIArb.)

UNION of European Patent Attorneys

The Intellectual Property Lawyers’ Organisation (TIPLO)

 

Publications

Author of Tumbridge’s Guide to Legal Qualification: The Common Law World (published by Carswell)

Co-author of Drafting Patents for Litigation and Licensing (published by Bloomberg)

Contributing author of Privilege and Professional Confidences: An International Review (published by Bloomberg)

Co-author of A Practical Guide to the Ownership of Employee Inventions – From Entitlement to Compensation (published by Law Brief)

Contributing author to Sweet & Maxwell UK Trade Marks Handbook in association with CITMA, on trade marks and the internet.

Arbitrator. Mediator. Professor of Law.

Professor Cam Wareham

Based: London

Languages: English

Arbitral Appointments and Areas of Expertise

Arbitral Appointments: 1 to 10 | 11 to 20 | 21 to 50 | 50 to 100 | 100+

 

Areas of expertise in arbitration:

General Commercial

Licencing breach and dispute

Healthcare

Life Sciences/Biotechnology

Partnership disputes

Training and Professional Memberships

LLM (Distinction), FCIarb, CMC Mediator, DMedSc, BSc, FRCPodS, FF RCPS (Glasgow)

 

Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

 

Fellow of the Arbitrators and Mediators Institute of New Zealand

 

Panel Member:

Hunt ADR

CIArb

ICC

LCIA

WIPO

JCAA

CAC

ADCC

AHLA