Scottish Arbitration Centre reports on legal and dispute resolution services group meeting

The group brings together representatives of the legal profession, the alternative dispute resolution sector, government, business organisations, and international agencies. The following bodies are currently represented on the group:

· Faculty of Advocates

· Law Society of Scotland

· Office of the Advocate General (UK Government)

· Scottish Arbitration Centre

· Scottish Council for Development & Industry (SCDI)

· Scottish Development International (SDI)

· Scottish Financial Enterprise (SFE)

· Scottish Government Justice Department

· UK Ministry of Justice

· UK Trade & Investment (UKTI)

· VisitScotland

The group meets quarterly, and has started sharing information on opportunities for such promotion and agreeing core messages.

The group has already provided Scottish material for use by different agencies in promoting Scottish and UK legal and dispute resolution services internationally.

The group met on 22 April, where discussions included the importance of the group in ensuring a Scottish presence at the Global Law Summit in London in February, where sessions were led by the Scottish Arbitration Centre, the Faculty of Advocates, and the Law Society of Scotland.

These bodies also reflected on their involvement in the recent Commonwealth Law Conference in Glasgow.

The Scottish Arbitration Centre updated the group on its recent international promotion, which included the hosting of a visit of the lord mayor of London, where members of the group were able to provide the lord mayor with messaging on the promotion of Scottish legal and dispute resolution services for his international trade missions.

The centre also reported on its attendance at the IBA Arbitration Day and being short-listed for up and coming international arbitration institution of the year; its hosting of a four nation arbitration debate, with speakers from Dublin, London and Paris; and its Scottish arbitration event at the Vis Moot.

Mr Mackenzie said: “The Scottish Arbitration Centre is delighted to be very much at the heart of this group, which has already seen an unprecedented level of cooperation and partnership in the promotion internationally of Scottish legal and dispute resolution services.

“We will keep our members updated on matters discussed at these meetings and, for those in Scotland, relevant international events and trade missions.

“It It is important that these key bodies work together to ensure that Scotland maximises the international opportunities to promote these services, and Scotland as a seat and venue for international arbitration.”