During Singapore Convention Week 2025, legal innovation took centre stage, reaffirming Singapore’s position as a global leader in international dispute resolution. The emphasis was clear: innovation must be forward-looking, purposeful, and anchored in the strong foundations of arbitration.
In the keynote address, Singapore’s Minister for Home Affairs highlighted the nation’s success as being built on long-term, future-oriented thinking. That same principle, he noted, must apply to international arbitration. It must evolve to meet new commercial demands while staying rooted in its core principles of fairness, efficiency, enforceability, and party autonomy.
Nowhere was this more evident than in the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC)’s launch of two major initiatives: the Restructuring and Insolvency Arbitration (RIA) Protocol and the announcement of the Institute of Ethics in International Arbitration (IEIA). These developments showcase how technology and innovation can future-proof arbitration without compromising its integrity.
Innovation in action: The SIAC RIA Protocol
The RIA Protocol is a pioneering effort; the first of its kind among international arbitration institutions. It responds directly to the unique needs of parties engaged in restructuring and insolvency proceedings, where timing and clarity are critical.
Key features of the Protocol include:
- Accelerated timelines for responding to notices of arbitration and for arbitrator appointments or challenges
- Requirements for early case management conferences to address preliminary issues and jurisdictional objections
- A commitment to issuing final awards within six months of tribunal constitution, unless extended
These updates speak to a broader truth: efficient proceedings require smart tools. Technology plays a vital role here, from digital case management platforms and centralised document repositories to AI-powered tools that assist arbitrators and counsel with case analysis and case management.
SIAC itself has led the way with the launch of SIAC Gateway, a digital platform that streamlines the arbitration process from case filing to final award. Meanwhile, arbitration practitioners have become increasingly comfortable with hybrid and fully remote hearings, a trend fast-tracked by the pandemic but now part of the new normal. The technology that enabled this shift—transcription services, secure video conferencing, e-bundling, evidence presentation and AI-assisted review—continue to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and widen access to international arbitration.
As the Minister remarked, embracing such change is not a risk, it is a necessity. The future belongs to those willing to adopt innovation while staying grounded in principle.
Ethics and innovation: The role of IEIA
In a second major announcement, SIAC revealed plans to establish the Institute of Ethics in International Arbitration (IEIA). This new body will focus on:
- Developing ethical standards and best practices for arbitrators and counsel
- Providing specialised training and targeted research
This is a forward-thinking initiative at a time when AI tools are reshaping legal practice and, in particular, arbitration. The IEIA could become a central hub for:
- Researching how new technologies impact arbitrator decision-making and procedural integrity
- Training practitioners on the responsible and effective use of digital tools
- Offering guidance on data privacy, cybersecurity, and AI accountability within arbitration processes
Ethics and innovation must go hand in hand, and this initiative reinforces Singapore’s commitment to leading not just through technology, but through trust and values.
Respecting foundations, embracing the future
Innovation in arbitration should never be change for the sake of change. As these developments from Singapore Convention Week illustrate, the most meaningful innovation is practical, principled, and purpose-driven.
By streamlining procedures, enhancing access to justice, and empowering practitioners with digital tools, all while strengthening ethical oversight, institutions like SIAC are creating a blueprint for arbitration’s future.
We are entering a new era of international dispute resolution, where speed and sophistication go hand in hand with integrity and independence.
A call to action for arbitration practitioners
I am particularly excited to see how the arbitration community continues to adopt innovative tools, from AI and automation to digital case management, to make processes faster, smarter, and more accessible.But we must always remember that innovation is most powerful when it supports, not replaces, the enduring values that make arbitration work.
The message from Singapore Convention Week 2025 was loud and clear: let us be bold in embracing innovation, but thoughtful in how we apply it.
