The International Arbitration Centre Alliance, an international association of arbitral hearing centres, has launched a new initiative to encourage users to access each other’s facilities.
Launched as the IACA Global Passport at the International Bar Association’s annual Arbitration Day, this year in Abu Dhabi, the initiative aims to enhance the professional mobility of arbitrators and arbitration lawyers by leveraging its members’ worldwide network.
The Global Passport allows recognised members to access shared lounges, facilities and services at partner hearing centres, providing a consistent, high-quality and trusted environment wherever their work takes them. This offers an alternative to the use of law firm offices, meeting rooms in chambers or hotels, whose facilities may be in use or inappropriate for the discussions at hand.
While institutions liaise regularly, including at last year’s Arbitration Day in London and at London International Disputes Week, the initiative views hearing centres as collaborating rather than competing, marking a new stage in IACA’s evolution.
The participating hearing centres include the ADGM Dispute Resolution Hearing Centre (DRHC) in Abu Dhabi, which is hosting a series of ICC and London Court of International Arbitration side events to the IBA programme, alongside Arbitration Place in Toronto, which did likewise during the recent IBA annual conference.
It also includes Kazakhstan’s International Arbitration Centre; the International Dispute Resolution Centre (IDRC) – which hosts the LCIA and other London arbitral and mediation bodies – the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC); Singapore’s Maxwell Chambers, its flagship hearing centre; and the Paris Arbitration Centre, operated by Delos.
Under the Global Passport, members of IACA benefit from reciprocal access to facilities at participating centres (subject to availability), concierge support when working away from their home centre, networking opportunities and invitations to partner-hosted events across IACA member venues, and exclusive member discounts on selected services.
The initiative will arguably benefit arbitrators the most, while also supporting boutique firms that may not have a presence in one or more of the locations mentioned, as well as larger law firms wanting to use it.
“At its heart, the Global Passport is about hospitality, ensuring that wherever practitioners travel, they feel at home in a trusted environment,” said Karen Tan, chief strategy officer of Maxwell Chambers. “It also represents the next step in building an interconnected world for dispute resolution practitioners, one where collaboration and access are seamless across borders.”
Damian Hickman, chief executive officer of the IDRC, said: “As a member of the IACA, which includes the world’s finest centres, [we] look forward to welcoming all holders of IACA Global Passports to use selected working facilities at the IDRC, further increasing connectivity within the arbitration community. This initiative facilitates the availability of dedicated working environments around the world, allowing arbitrators and practitioners to streamline their working practices when travelling.”
Linda Fitz-Alan, registrar and chief executive of ADGM Courts, said: “The initiative exemplifies how forward-thinking collaborations can elevate international dispute resolution. As a founding member, the DRHC is proud to contribute to building this network that champions connectivity, trust and the highest standards of service across jurisdictions.”
Jeffrey Mandell, chairman and CEO of Arbitration Place, added that the passport “enables arbitrators to seamlessly access world-class facilities across jurisdictions, strengthening cohesion within the global community”.
Joanne Lau, secretary-general of the HKIAC, said: “By linking our facilities with other leading centres, practitioners can stay productive wherever they are and grow their networks – strengthening the sense of community and shared purpose across international arbitration.”
The 27th annual IBA Arbitration Day, this year entitled ‘New Horizons’, will examine the influence of new technologies, sectors and geographies on the evolution of international arbitration – of which this initiative is a part.
The main programme commences tomorrow (29 January) with an address by His Excellency Abdullah bin Sultan bin Awad Al Nuaimi, the UAE’s Minister of Justice, alongside remarks from IBA officers including the new 2026 IBA president, Claudio Visco, and co-chairs Kate Brown de Vejar of DLA Piper and Dietmar Prager of Debevoise & Plimpton.
The Global Legal Post is a media partner of the IBA and publishes its annual conference magazine, the IBA Daily News, most recently at the Toronto conference. Contact Claudia Tan for more details on how to participate.
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