About us

• Who We Are
  • The Institute's Royal Charter
  • Our members
  • Governance and structure
  • History
  • Working for CIArb
• What We Do
• Who's Who
• Where We Are
• Working with CIArb

Who We Are

Who we are

The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) is the world's leading professional body for promoting the settlement of disputes by arbitration, mediation and other private dispute resolution methods.

Founded in 1915, CIArb was granted a Royal Charter in 1979. Today it is the only membership body that covers the entire range of private dispute resolution methods on a global basis and has 12,000 members.

CIArb seeks to ensure the highest standards of knowledge and practice in private dispute resolution through its professional education and training programmes, internationally recognised qualifications, professional guidelines and codes of conduct, together with its wide range of information and other support facilities for its members.

CIArb is a leader in academic and professional thinking in the field of private dispute resolution and works closely with researchers, universities, legal authorities, governments, judges and other international organisations to help disseminate and develop best practice.

The Institute seeks to support not just arbitrators, mediators and other professional dispute resolvers, but the wide range of people involved in the field, including, professional advisers, lawyers, expert witnesses, as well, of course, as parties involved in disputes.

Through a dedicated subsidiary IDRS, CIArb also offers nominating and appointing services for arbitrations, adjudications and mediations, as well as administering rapid-resolution schemes for many types of business and consumer disputes.

The Charter and Bye-Laws

The granting of the Royal Charter means that CIArb is governed by 'The Charter and Bye-Laws of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators'.

The primary Object of CIArb in the Royal Charter is... to promote and facilitate worldwide the determination of disputes by arbitration and alternative means of private dispute resolution other than resolution by the court (collectively called "private dispute resolution").

The Charter empowers the Institute to accept candidates into membership who demonstrates "in all respects a fit and proper person" and relevant knowledge of private dispute resolution (PDR).

Membership

Membership is open to practitioners of private dispute resolution, professional advisers, and users, as well as those interested in the process of alternative dispute resolution (ADR).

Joining CIArb is a public commitment to the profession of private dispute resolution and demonstrates a quality and standard which is globally recognised.

Once in membership at any grade, CIArb provides a wide range of services, benefits and support.

Branches

Being a member of CIArb means being part of a worldwide community.

The backbone of this community is CIArb's global network of branches. Altogether, there are over 30 CIArb branches active in the United Kingdom, Europe, Africa, America, Asia, Australia and the Middle East/Indian sub-continent.

All members are entitled to attend any event organised by any branch anywhere in the world, if they are so able.

Governance and Structure

CIArb is directed by a global Board of Trustees, who are directly elected by the membership.

Routine management of the Institute is supervised by a Board of Management. The day-to-day operations and affairs of the Institute are handled by the Executive staff of around 30, headed by the Director General.

Various Boards and Committees advise on the development of CIArb policy in a range of different areas, with members drawn from among an international pool of the Institute's members and other volunteers with the most appropriate expertise.

To help represent the Institute around the world, CIArb has two ambassadorial offices of Patron and President.

The Executive

Situated conveniently in the centre of 'legal London' on leafy Bloomsbury Square, CIArb's London office is the centre point overseeing the Institute's worldwide operations.

The London-based Executive staff is responsible for providing the framework and management of CIArb's training and qualifications, member services, information services, communications and administration.

Last Updated: 02 September 2009