A Practical Guide to International Arbitration in London

Chapter 15 Challenges to an Award and Appeals Generally

Introduction

London has become an increasingly more attractive venue for arbitrations since the 1996 Act, which together with its sensible interpretation by the English courts, has made challenges to and appeals from an arbitration award relatively rare.¹ Thus, extra costs and delay are avoided in the vast majority of cases, yet there remains the safety net for the rare case when the arbitral process goes radically wrong for some unforeseen reason.

Three sections of the 1996 Act are of particular relevance, namely: section 67 (challenging substantive jurisdiction of the tribunal); section 68 (serious irregularity in the arbitral process); and section 69 (appeal on a point of law). Sections ...