New York Arbitration Week 2026

JAMS is a proud participant and supporter of New York Arbitration Week (NYAW). Co‑hosted by the New York International Arbitration Center (NYIAC) and the New York Branch of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArbNY), New York Arbitration Week (NYAW) is the premier annual gathering for international arbitration in New York. NYAW brings together practitioners, arbitrators, academics, institutions, and in-house counsel from around the world. New York offers a truly global perspective as a leading venue for international arbitration, consistently selected as the preferred seat in the Americas and the global hub of finance, commerce, technology, media, diplomacy, and culture.

JAMS will be presenting and hosting the panel “One Arbitration, Multiple Paths: Rethinking Resolution in Complex International Arbitration” on Wednesday, November 18, 2026, from 4:30–6:00 PM ET. JAMS neutrals Hiro N. Aragaki, Esq., J.D., Ph.D, C.Arb and Giuseppe De Palo, Esq. will join fellow panelists for a discussion on new approaches to resolving complex international arbitration matters. 

Throughout the week, JAMS neutrals Laura C. Abrahamson, Esq., C.Arb., FCollArb and Conna A. Weiner, Esq., FCIArb will also speak at NYAW programs, and Shakiya Wright-McDuffie, JAMS National Senior Practice Development Manager, will moderate a session.

JAMS Featured Panel:

"One Arbitration, Multiple Paths: Rethinking Resolution in Complex International Arbitration"

Wednesday, November 18 | 4:30-6:00 PM ET | JAMS NY Resolution Center, 620 8th Ave., 34th Fl, New York, NY

Presented by JAMS

Direct Registration Link: HERE

Should different issues within the same arbitration follow different procedural paths? International arbitration has traditionally assumed that one dispute proceeds through one arbitral process toward one final award. Yet today's complex disputes often involve distinct legal, technical, commercial, and valuation issues that may benefit from different procedural treatment. This panel explores whether the next evolution of arbitration lies in a proposal to strategically integrate issue-specific mechanisms—such as mediation, expert determination, neutral evaluation, and negotiated protocols—within a single arbitration. The discussion will examine how parties, tribunals, institutions, and third-party neutrals can employ existing procedural flexibility to improve efficiency and commercial outcomes while preserving due process, confidentiality, enforceability, and the integrity of the arbitral process. The panel will also consider the procedural architecture needed to support these approaches.

Moderator

• Hiro N. Aragaki, Esq., J.D., Ph.D, C.Arb, International Arbitrator & Mediator, JAMS – San Francisco, CA

Speakers

• Jonathan Hamilton, Partner, Paul Hastings – Washington, DC
• Giuseppe De Palo, Esq., International Mediator & Arbitrator, JAMS – New York, NY
• Rachael Kent, Partner, King & Spalding – Washington, DC
• Seema Misra, Senior Vice President, Deputy General Counsel, Arch Insurance Group – Washington, DC

JAMS-Hosted Panel:

"African Traditional Approaches to Dispute Resolution: What Modern Practitioners Can Learn"

Thursday, November 19 | 8:30-10:00 AM ET | JAMS NY Resolution Center, 620 8th Ave., 34th Fl, New York, NY

Presented by the New York State Bar Association, Dispute Resolution Section

The presentation will feature a historical overview of dispute resolution traditions on the African continent, followed by a description of how those traditions have evolved in the modern global commercial and human rights landscape. Finally, the panel will reveal what ancient and traditional African dispute resolution techniques survive today and have been, or can be, incorporated into modern dispute resolution whether or not involving African parties.

Moderator:

• Shakiya Wright-McDuffie, National Senior Practice Development Manager, JAMS

Speakers:

• Victoria Kigen, Esq., Attorney & Dispute Resolution Practitioner Licensed in Kenya and New York; Arbitrator, AAA-ICDR
• Dr. Olajide Olagunju, Ph.D. in Legal Anthropology: Researched Niger Delta; President of Jesus College; Professor of Conflict Resolution at Bakke Graduate University
• Mohamed Sweify, Esq., FCIArb, Adjunct Professor, Fordham Law School; Muslim Bar Association of New York; "40 Under 40" list, Arab American Foundation, 2024

Panels Featuring JAMS Speakers:

"Arbitrating M&A Disputes: Survey of Experiences and Lessons Learned"

Thursday, November 19 | 2:30-4:00 PM ET | Covington & Burling LLP, 30 Hudson Yards, New York, NY

Presented by Cuatrecasas and Covington & Burling

M&A transactions are designed to create value, but many end up triggering disputes pre- and post-closing. From broken negotiations and failed expectations to warranty claims, purchase price adjustments, and earn-out disputes, M&A transactions continue to generate complex and high-stakes disputes. This panel will explore the most common sources of conflict arising out of M&A transactions, drawing on real-life cases from both transactional and disputes perspectives. The discussion will address pre-contractual liability, R&W, sandbagging clauses, relationship between valuation methodologies and damages claims, and the challenges associated with the implementation and enforcement of earn-out mechanisms. Bringing together leading practitioners in M&A, arbitration, and corporate disputes, the session will provide practical insights into how these disputes arise, how they are arbitrated, and the lessons dealmakers and counsel can learn to better manage risk in future transactions.

Featured JAMS Neutral: Laura C. Abrahamson, Esq., C.Arb., FCollArb

"Expert Witnesses in International Arbitration: To What Extent Should Arbitrators Be Proactive in Shaping the Scope and Presentation of Party-Appointed Expert Testimony at the Various Stages of a Case?"

Friday, November 20 | 8:30-10:00 AM ET | Hogan Lovells Cadwalader, 390 Madison Ave., New York, NY

Discussion of what appears, from a July 1, 2026 CIArb Report, to be support for arbitrators becoming actively involved from an early stage of a case in the development of party-appointed expert testimony. The focus will be on how its survey results and practice recommendations compare with the panelists' experience of current practice in the Americas and their views of the report's recommendations in light of their experience. See ciarb.org/resources/publications.

Featured JAMS Neutral: Conna A. Weiner, Esq., FCIArb
 

For more information regarding New York Arbitration Week events, visit: https://www.ny-arbitration-week.com/