Note from the Board of Directors and the Secretary General

Last month we received sad news: on 19 December, Karl-Heinz Böckstiegel passed away at the age of 89. We invite you to join us in remembering Karl-Heinz Böckstiegel and honoring his contribution to the arbitration community.

Obituary Karl-Heinz Böckstiegel

The General Assembly has Elected a New Board

On 10 December 2025, the General Assembly elected a new board, with around 300 members casting their votes. In DIS's largest online general assembly to date, members selected 13 board members out of a total of 29 candidates.

Increase in Arbitrators' Fees for Arbitration Proceedings

At its final meeting, the former DIS Board of Directors resolved to adjust arbitrators’ fees.

Book Sprint at DIS Office in Bonn

We welcomed ADR experts from the Balkans and Caucasus at the villa in Bonn in early December to lay the foundation for a book on ADR in their home jurisdictions. 

Updated Guidelines for Reimbursement of Arbitrators’ Expenses

We have updated its Guidelines for Reimbursement of Arbitrators’ Expenses and adjusted the amounts to current price developments.

Highlights of 2025

As we look back on 2025, we are proud of our many milestones we achieved – each reinforcing our commitment to arbitration excellence. Here are some of the highlights of the year.

DIS Secretary General Elected to the IRZ Board of Trustees

The Secretary General of DIS was elected to the Board of Trustees of the German Foundation for International Legal Cooperation e.V. (IRZ) on 3 November 2025 – an important step and a great honour.

Lunch DIScussions: Taming the Beast: Users Call for Restraint and Limitations on Document Production in International Arbitration

International arbitration is often criticized for being too expensive, too slow, and overly complex. A central concern in this debate is the growing scope and intensity of document production, which many see as a key driver of rising costs, delays, and tactical behaviour.

Save the Date: Petersberg Arbitration Days 2026 (Petersberger Schiedstage)

In cooperation with publishing house C. H. Beck, DIS will again organise the Petersberg Arbitration Days in 2026. 

Save the Dates: Lunch DIScussions Series 2026

The Lunch DIScussions, established by the DIS board in 2022, have become an integral part of the DIS events calendar. We will continue the Lunch DIScussions in 2026 and are pleased to inform you about the dates early on. Save the dates!

DIS Pre-Moot 2026 (Call for Arbitrators) 

Following the success of its first two editions, we are pleased to announce the third edition of the DIS Pre-Moot Bonn, scheduled to take place from the 13 to 14 March 2026. We invite arbitration practitioners and enthusiasts to volunteer as arbitrators at the DIS Pre-Moot Bonn.

ASA Arbitration Retreat 2025 jointly organised with DIS

We finished another successful edition of the DIS-ASA Arbitration Retreat, which took place on 24 to 26 October 2025.

Lunch DIScussions: Anti-Suit Injunctions by German Arbitration Tribunals

Anti-suit injunctions issued by arbitral tribunals seated in Germany was the topic at the Lunch DIScussion on 13 November 2025.

DIS Regional Group Munich – Lawyers and Experts in Dialogue

In a lively and informed discussion, panellists highlighted the key areas of cooperation between lawyers and experts in arbitration proceedings during an event organised by the DIS Munich Regional Group.

Four-Country Conference 2025 (Vierländerkonferenz)

Jointly with the Austrian Arbitration Association (Arb|Aut), the Liechtenstein Arbitration Association (LIS), the Swiss Arbitration Association (ASA), the Swiss Arbitration Center, and the Vienna International Arbitral Center (VIAC), we hosted the first Vierländerkonferenz in Germany.

Ciarb meets DIS: Guide on Drafting a Bulletproof Arbitral Award

Ciarb meets DIS: Guide on Drafting a Bulletproof Arbitral Award”, the first “DIS meets” event took place on 25 November 2025. Hosted in Frankfurt, the event brought a topic closely tied to the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Ciarb) to Germany.

DIS Rhine/Ruhr: Enforcement of Arbitral Awards: Hot Topics on a Cold Winter Day

Attendees of the DIS Rhine/Ruhr Regional Group’s winter event on “Enforcement of Arbitral Awards: Hot Topics on a Cold Winter Day,” hosted by CMS, warmed themselves up with a multidisciplinary look at how courts, practitioners, and academics navigate the evolving landscape of arbitral enforcement.

Lunch DIScussions: The Jura Novit Curia Principle in International Commercial Arbitration

At our Lunch DIScussions At our Lunch DIScussions on 11 December 2025, the panel unpacked how far jura novit curia reaches in modern international arbitration – and where its limits lie.

Upcoming DIS-supported International Events

Swiss Arbitration Summit 2026 - Shaping the Future of Arbitration Together: 14 to 18 January 2026. 5th East Africa Pre-Moot & Arbitration Conference, hosted by Africa in the Moot: 17 to 21 February 2026.

DIS at the Japan International Arbitration Week

In the context of its intensified cooperation with the Japanese Ministry of Justice (MoJ), the Japan Association of Arbitrators (JAA) and the Japan Commercial Arbitration Association (JCAA), the DIS was represented at the Japan International Arbitration Week through its Chairman Prof. Dr. Stefan Kröll. 

DIS@Seoul ADR Festival: Wind Farm Disputes – Global Perspectives

The numerous challenges of complex wind farm projects were in focus when the DIS returned to the Seoul ADR Festival on 28 October 2025, with experts from the region. Projects of this kind are now proliferating at high speed across East Asia, as two in-house counsel on the panel confirmed.

DIS@IBA Toronto: Supply Chain Disputes

The DIS organized a panel discussion about disputes in the supply chain and the role of third-party notices during the Annual Conference of the IBA in Toronto. The event took place on 4 November 2025, at the offices of Fasken.

DIS@NYAW: Wind Farm Disputes – Global Perspectives

Three years ago, our new annual series of DIS@events started in the Big Apple! On 20 November 2025, the DIS marked its third time at New York Arbitration Week with a lively exchange including speakers from the US, Canada, Brazil, India, the Netherlands and Germany.

South Eastern Europe Arbitration Conference (SEEA 2025)

The South Eastern Europe Arbitration Conference (SEEA 2025) lit up Athens on 28 November 2025, bringing more insight into the SEE region.

Behind the Scenes

Get to know: Petra Ewenz

Get to know: Indra Hoffmann

Kluwer Arbitration Blog: DIS Autumn Conference 2025: Arbitration – A Bridge Over Troubled Waters

German Arbitration Digest (GAD) – Recent Summaries

SchiedsVZ/German Arbitration Journal, Issue 5/25