As his Arbitration Policy and Professional Practice internship at Ciarb draws to a close, we spoke to Mohamed Sadiq ACIArb about why he applied, what he’s learned, his personal highlights, and what he plans to do next.  

What led you to apply for an internship at Ciarb?   

My application for an internship at Ciarb was the result of a series of happy coincidences. My path in law began with my undergraduate studies at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, followed by a master’s degree at King’s College London. When I started my master’s degree, I had no idea that disputes could be resolved outside of the courts. This is why I initially chose international business law as my specialty, rather than dispute resolution. 

It wasn’t until I began selecting courses that I stumbled upon a few terms that piqued my interest: international commercial arbitration and international investment arbitration. I signed up for these courses, but my interests evolved and, in the end, 90% of my classes focused on dispute resolution. My thesis focused on the Section 67 challenges of arbitration awards under the then-proposed Arbitration Bill. 

It was during my international arbitration course that I first heard about Ciarb. Mercy McBrayer FCIArb, Head of Arbitration Professional Practice at Ciarb, came to speak to our class and gave a presentation about Ciarb. This was my first introduction to its prestigious post-nominals and Chartered status, its Branches, its range of courses and the option of student membership.  

A few months later, I noticed the course professor had shared a post from Mercy on LinkedIn regarding internship applications at Ciarb. It was exciting to first discover arbitration, then Ciarb, and then the internship opportunity. The stars seemed to align, so I applied. A month later, Mercy reached out to schedule a screening call, followed by an in-person interview just a few days after that. 

What did you learn through your responsibilities as an intern? 

Being a part of the Policy and Professional Practice team, my responsibilities varied depending on the issues most relevant to the alternative dispute resolution (ADR) community at the current time. I was given the opportunity to research and write on a range of pressing issues, such as anti-corruption, expert witnesses, and the role of ADR in the energy transition. Additionally, I prepared reports for United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Working Groups, wrote articles and case notes, and contributed to one of Ciarb’s upcoming Professional Practice Guidelines, which will be published later this year. 

Throughout my internship, I’ve served as Production Editor for several issues of Ciarb’s Journal, Arbitration: The Journal of International Arbitration, Mediation, and Dispute Management. My responsibilities have been broad in scope, from ensuring submissions are received on time to reviewing submissions and sharing my thoughts with the Assistant Editors and Editor-in-Chief.  

One opportunity arose early on in my internship that I had not expected. As I’m currently preparing for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), I was eager to gain more hands-on experience in legal practice. Mandy Gill, former General Counsel and Director of Legal Services at Ciarb, asked if I’d like to support the Legal team. With the approval of Cristen Bauer, Ciarb’s Head of Policy, I’ve been able to dedicate one day a week to working with the Legal team in addition to my responsibilities with the Policy and Professional Practice team. Through this, I’ve gained valuable insights into areas ranging from data protection to compliance. 

How was your experience contributing to the Guideline on Third-Party Funding?    

Being a relatively specialised area, third-party funding was not something I was familiar with. Independent study was required to build my knowledge of how funding works from the various perspectives of all parties involved. Looking at each perspective was fascinating, as was exploring different aspects of law and finance.   

I was lucky that one of the Co-Chairs of the Drafting Group for the Guideline on Third-Party Funding, Dr Hasan Tahsin Azizagaoglu, invited me to spend a week working at his funding firm, Bench Walk Advisors. This opportunity was valuable, both to my work on the Guideline through having firsthand experience with third-party funding, but also to my general career goals. It enabled me to network and meet people from a range of backgrounds, practice areas and fields within the legal side of ADR as well as the commercial and financial side.  

What are your personal highlights from your time at Ciarb?  

A personal highlight has been working with Sir Robin Knowles CBE on his recent Roebuck Lecture, ‘Damages and Remedies – Responsibilities and Reputation’. I was able to brainstorm topics and assist with research for this lecture, and see everything come to fruition. That was a big thing for me. Generally, it’s getting to meet people who I’ve only ever read about. For example, I got to chat with Jonathan Wood FCIArb, Ciarb’s former President (2024), who I cited in my dissertation, so that was a fanboy moment for me. It was also a joy to interact with Claudia Salomon FCIArb, President of the ICC International Court of Arbitration, at her Alexander Lecture in 2024.  

Attending London Pre-Moot events with my Ciarb intern colleagues, both in-person and virtually, has certainly been another highlight for me.    

Would you recommend Ciarb internships to other graduates?  

The internship is designed as a starting point for people who are new to international dispute resolution. It’s a wonderful entry point - you’ve done your master’s, and now you get hands-on experience.   

There is flexibility - what you do depends on what you want to do. At the start of my internship, I was asked if I wanted to focus on more academic activities or engage in outreach. I’m pleased that I’ve been able to get involved in outreach and attend major flagship ADR events such as London International Disputes Week and GAR Live. It’s the same with getting to work with Ciarb’s Legal team – there was a need, I asked, and the opportunity was given to me.    

This internship is great for people who are at the very start of their career. If there is something in arbitration that you want to learn about or do, you can experience it; if you don’t know, then you can figure it out as you go along.   

I’ve also found the culture at Ciarb to be happy and supportive. The people I’ve worked with across both the Legal and Policy and Professional Practice teams – shoutouts to Mercy, Cristen, and Ciarb’s Senior Dispute Resolution Advisor (Arbitration) Aruna de Silva – have set a fine example at the top and created a positive working environment. I’ve really appreciated that.   

What are you planning to do next?  

With my internship at Ciarb coming to an end, I will be spending a good portion of my time studying for the SQE to qualify as Solicitor. 

Read Mohamed Sadiq ACIArb’s work:   

The UK Supreme Court's decision in UniCredit Bank GmbH v RusChemAlliance LLC