Dear members, colleagues and friends,

Spring always feels like a time of fresh energy and new beginnings – and this year there is a lot happening at the DIS.

We have just published our latest statistics, and I am particularly pleased that 2025 was a record year for the DIS: with 218 new cases, we registered more proceedings than ever before in our history.

Statement by the new Presiding Committee of the DIS Board

On 7 January 2026, the DIS Board of Directors elected its Presiding Committee, placing the leadership of the institution in the hands of President Thomas Pfeiffer, Vice-President Niuscha Bassiri and Vice-President Rouven F. Bodenheimer.

Adjustment of DIS Arbitrators' Fees Comes into Force

On 1 March 2026, an adjustment to the arbitrators’ fees in proceedings under the DIS Arbitration Rules came into force.

Growing in Berlin: DIS Doubles Office Space at Potsdamer Platz

We are pleased to share that the DIS is further strengthening its presence in Berlin by doubling its office space at Potsdamer Platz. Over the past years, we have continued to grow, and our Berlin team has now expanded to 15 colleagues.

New Draft Bill for the Modernisation of Arbitration Law – Statement by the DIS

The Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection published a draft bill for an Act on the Modernisation of Arbitration Law on 27 January 2026. 

DIS 2025 Statistics – Record Caseload in 2025

The DIS 2025 case statistics mark a record year, reflecting strong growth in caseload, an increasing number of high-value disputes, and a strong international component.

UNCITRAL Working Group II Session in New York

It was a particular honour for the DIS to participate in the 83rd session of UNCITRAL Working Group II, which took place from 16–20 February 2026 in New York. 

Lost in Translation?

Have you ever found yourself in need of language support or interpretation services in the context of an arbitration? At DIS, we are preparing a set of guidelines to aid arbitrators and counsel in addressing any problems you may have should you find yourselves, quite literally, lost in translation. 

Upcoming Event: Hamburg Arbitration Days

The Hamburg International Arbitration Days (HIAD) consist of a multitude of events that gather arbitration practitioners and academics from all around the world annually in the city of Hamburg to discuss and exchange insights on various aspects of international arbitration.

HIAD DIS Side Event: Arbitration and Enforcement Proceedings in the Age of EU-Sanctions and the Russian Lugovoy Law

You are invited to an event on sanctions in international arbitration, a topic that increasingly shapes the strategy, conduct, and even viability of arbitral proceedings.

HIAD DIS Side Event - How to Settle in Arbitration Proceedings?—Perspectives from China and Germany

We invite you to a joint event of the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC) and the DIS.

DIS Spring Conference 2026 (Frühjahrsveranstaltung)

DIS invites you to its 2026 spring event, this year dedicated to the topic ‘Everything you always wanted to know about arbitration but were afraid to ask...’.

DIS Munich: Arbitration & China: Dispute Resolution in a New Geopolitical Order

China's revised Arbitration Law came into force on 1 March 2026 – the first significant change in over 30 years. We are using this significant moment as an opportunity to examine the Chinese arbitration landscape from different perspectives.

Workshop: Mediating the Vis Case 2026

During your six months working on the Vis problem, did you ever ask yourself why the parties started with a mediation? And why it did not work out? Whether the parties could have increased the likelihood of a successful mediation by preparing differently? And whether a second mediation window in the arbitral proceedings makes sense?

DIS Summer Party 2026

You are cordially invited to this year's DIS Summer Party! Celebrate with us in a relaxed atmosphere in our beautiful gardens in Bonn.

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

The Lunch DIScussions session on 8 January 2026 focused on the problems of document production in international arbitration and the tools available to keep them in check.

Lunch DIScussions: Case Law 2025 – Two Selected Highlights

The February edition of Lunch DIScussions focused on key points of case law from 2025. Moderated by Anke Meier, Alice Broichmann and Gustav Flecke-Giammarco analysed two highly publicised decisions by German courts on arbitration.

DIS meets BUJ Regional Group Cologne/Bonn

The Cologne/Bonn Regional Group of the Federal Association of Corporate Lawyers (BUJ) came together at the DIS Office in Bonn on 26 January 2026 for a session on recent high court rulings, as well as for some downtime and networking.

Petersberg Arbitration Days 2026 – Arbitration and Liability Avoidance in M&A Transactions

Together with the publishing house C.H. Beck GmbH & Co. KG, the German Institution of Arbitration (DIS) once again organised the Petersberg Arbitration Days in 2026.

DIS at the M&A Excellence Days 2026

The M&A Excellence Days 2026 took place in Frankfurt am Main on 4 and 5 March 2026 and as a cooperation partner, the DIS played a key role in shaping the content and set important priorities, particularly in the area of Disputes in M&A.

DIS@PAW 2026: A Good Cure? Arbitrating Life Science Disputes – German and International Perspectives

The life science industry is truly global, just like arbitration. Is resolving disputes in this field with arbitration therefore a good cure? During our side event against the backdrop of the Paris Arbitration Week we will explore the dispute needs of the life science industry from different perspectives.

BAC/DIS/SAA Arbitration Group: Bridging Legal Cultures: Managing German and Serbian Approaches in Arbitration

The BAC/DIS/SAA Arbitration Group is pleased to invite you to its inaugural event on Friday, 20 March 2026, which takes place ahead of the XVI Belgrade Arbitration Conference and the Belgrade Pre-Moot.

DIS goes Vis: The Settlement Breakfast. Settlement in Arbitration – An (Un)happy Marriage?

There are numerous ways to promote settlement in arbitration. The DIS is one of the very few institutions that stipulates - in Article 26 of its Rules - an obligation for arbitrators to "seek to encourage an amicable settlement of the dispute or of individual disputed issues".

Upcoming DIS-supported International Events

In the coming months, the DIS will be supporting interesting upcoming arbitration-related events: Belgrade Open Pre-Moot, Paris Arbitration Week, DRIMAT Conference, Caucasus Central Asia Construction Forum.

Behind the Scenes

Get to know: Sabrina Heuser

Reinforcing Germany’s Position as a Leading Arbitration Hub: A Coordinated National Strategy

German Arbitration Digest (GAD) – Recent Summaries