Editor, Solicitors Journal

Global ADR institute signs up its 14,000th member

19 Aug 2015Feature

Achievement marks a major milestone for the institute, especially during its centenary year

Monday 10 August 2015 saw the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) admit its 14,000th member. This achievement follows on the back of CIArb's well received global conferences this year in Europe, Africa, and Asia marking its 100th anniversary.

Founded in England in 1915, CIArb received chartered status in 1979. Today, CIArb's members are spread across 133 countries worldwide.

The Young Members Group (YMG) for those aged 40 and under is continuing to gain in popularity with over 3,000 members in more than 90 countries. It has its own annual conference, Facebook group, and regular e-newsletter. Its steering committee comprises representatives from all CIArb member regions.

This year, the YMG will be holding its Centenary Celebration Conference on 6 November in Paris, at the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). The event will examine the next 100 years and the future of investment treaty arbitration.

Commenting on reaching 14,000 members, the CIArb Director General, Anthony Abrahams, said:

'This is a major milestone for the institute, especially during its centenary year. It puts us in a unique position among other institutions in the [alternative dispute resolution] field worldwide. CIArb's history, global network, and continuous expansion set it apart from the rest. Moving forward, CIArb will continue to drive the expansion of dispute avoidance and dispute management.

'We remain fully committed to our members around the world and would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their support, without which we wouldn't be celebrating today.'

14,000th member Gustaaf Reerink, based in Indonesia, added:

'It's an honour for me to become the 14,000th member of CIArb. I have just been awarded a diploma in International Commercial Arbitration after completing an instructive course program organised by the institute's Australia branch. One cannot imagine a better introduction to the law and practice of international commercial arbitration, which in Indonesia - where I work as a foreign lawyer - is becoming an increasingly effective and hence popular mechanism for resolving disputes. l Iook forward to participating in and benefiting from the Institute's other activities and contributing to its further development.'

Gustaaf Reerink is CIArb's 14,000th member