CAD 2026 Program

The program will feature leading practitioners, government officials, judges, and academics, including keynote fireside chats with distinguished figures in international arbitration: Brigitte Stern, Gabrielle Kaufmann-Kohler, Bernard Hanotiau, Eduardo Zuleta (Day 1, 4:30–6:30 p.m.), and Yas Banifatemi, Carolyn Lamm, Sabina Sacco, August Reinisch (Day 2, 4:30–6:30 p.m.). 

Columbia Arbitration Day 2026 Program is as follows:

CAD Day 1 - 30th March, 2026

9:00 – 10:15 AM

PANEL I – Government Panel

Speakers: 

Samira Sulejmanović, Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Jaroslav Kudrna, Head of International Arbitration and Investment Protection at the Ministry of Finance of the Czech Republic

Muhammet Üzeyir Karabiyik, Judge in Ankara, Turkey

Eric Ives, Senior Counsel at the U.S. Department of Commerce

Moderator: Kabir Duggal, Professor of Law at Columbia Law School

10:45 AM – 12:00 PM

PANEL II – Arbitration Without Signatures: The Non-Signatory Paradox

Speakers:

Julie Bédard, Partner at Skadden (New York & São Paulo)

Luke Sobota, Partner at Three Crowns (Washington DC)

Johnathan C. Hamilton, Partner at Paul Hastings (Washington DC)

Natalie Reid, Partner at Debevoise (New York)

Moderator: Viren Mascarenhas, Partner at Mascarenhas Law (New York)

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

PANEL III – The French Arbitration Reform

Speakers:

Thomas Clay, Partner at Clay Arbitration (Paris)

Carine Dupeyron, Partner at Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier (Paris)

Eléonore Caroit, Minister Delegate for La Francophonie, International Partnerships, and French Nationals Abroad

Jacques Le Vaillant, Conseiller of the International Commercial Chamber of the Cour d’Appel de Paris (Paris)

Moderator: Samaa Haridi, Partner at King & Spalding (New York)

1:30 – 2:45 PM

PANEL IV – Arbitration in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Efficiency, Ethics, and Oversight

Speakers:

Felipe Nazar, Partner at Akin (New York)

John Fellas, Independent arbitrator (New York)

Klaus Peter Berger, Professor of Law at the University of Cologne

Jeremy Sharpe, Independent arbitrator (Ottawa)

Moderator: Rahim Moloo, Partner at Gibson Dunn (New York)

3:00 – 4:15 PM

PANEL V – The Arbitrator’s Mission: Applying the Law or Shaping Justice?

Speakers:

Ana Maria Ordóñez, Counsel at Martínez Quintero Mendoza González Laguado & De La Rosa (Bogotá)

Andrés Jana, Partner at Jana & Gil Dispute Resolution (Santiago)

José Manuel García Represa, Partner at Wordstone (Paris)

Guled Yusuf, Partner at A&O Shearman (London)

Moderator: Robert Smit, Professor of Law at Columbia Law School

4:30 – 6:30 PM

Keynote Fireside Chat

Speakers:

Brigitte Stern, Independent arbitrator (Paris)

Gabrielle Kaufmann-Kohler, Partner at Lévy Kaufmann-Kohler (Geneva)

Bernard Hanotiau, Partner at Hanotiau Tossens Goldman (Brussels)

Eduardo Zuleta, Independent arbitrator (Bogotá)

Moderator: George Bermann, Professor of Law at Columbia Law School

CAD Day 2 - March 31st, 2026

9:00 – 10:15 AM

PANEL VI – Privilege and Cross-Border Issues

Speakers:

Ari MacKinnon, Partner at Cleary Gottlieb (New York)

Catherine Carulas, Senior Associate at Covington (New York)

Frances Bivens, Partner at Davis Polk (New York)

James Hosking, Partner at Chaffetz Lindsey (New York)

Moderator: Alejandro Garro, Professor of Law at Columbia Law School

10:45 AM – 12:00 PM

PANEL VII – EU and Public Policy in Arbitration: How to Resolve the Crisis

Speakers:

Isabelle Michou, Partner at Quinn Emanuel (Paris)

Yasmine Lahlou, Partner at Chaffetz Lindsey (New York)

Roland Ziadé, Partner at Linklaters (Paris)

Doak Bishop, Independent arbitrator (Houston)

Moderator: George Bermann, Professor of Law at Columbia Law School

1:30 – 2:45 PM

PANEL VIII – Judicial Intervention and Party Autonomy: The Evolving Role of Anti-Suit Injunctions

Speakers:

Tyler Robinson, Partner at Simpson Thacher (London)

Caline Mouawad, Partner at Chaffetz Lindsey (New York)

Cristián Conejero, Partner at Cuatrecasas (Santiago)

Jorge Asali, Partner at Asali (Mexico City)

Moderator: Robert Smit, Professor of Law at Columbia Law School

3:00 – 4:15 PM

PANEL IX – Conflicts and Arbitration

Speakers:

Ank Santens, Partner at White & Case (New York)

Andrea Bjorklund, Professor of Law at McGill University

Andrew Finn, Partner at Sullivan & Cromwell (New York)

Daniel Reich, Partner at Paul Weiss (New York)

Moderator: Paris Aboro, Special Counsel at Covington (New York)

4:30 – 6:30 PM

Keynote Fireside Chat

Speakers:

Yas Banifatemi, Partner at Gaillard Banifatemi Shelbaya Disputes (Paris)

Carolyn Lamm, Partner at White & Case (Washington DC)

Sabina Sacco, Independent arbitrator (Geneva)

August Reinisch, Professor of Law at the University of Vienna

Moderator: George Bermann, Professor of Law at Columbia Law School