maxwell Summit
Commitment to Action:
Organised by Maxwell Chambers and the National University of Singapore Faculty of Law (NUS), the inaugural Maxwell Summit is a flagship gathering that aims to revitalise international arbitration through innovation, collaboration, and thought leadership.
The first in a continuing series of conversations, Maxwell Summit recognises that despite substantial efforts by institutions, professional bodies, and practitioners, familiar challenges continue to trouble international arbitration.
The Summit seeks to contribute to ongoing efforts to refine guidance, clarify expectations, and develop practical tools that institutions, tribunals, counsel and parties can apply immediately. Its longer-term aspiration, through continued engagement with thought leaders in the field, is to upgrade arbitration’s accountability architecture, preserve its appeal as the preferred mechanism for resolving cross-border disputes, and reinforce public confidence in its integrity.
The Summit is intended not merely as a forum for discussion, but as a catalyst for meaningful, practical outcomes. Through two focused sessions, participants will collaboratively:
- develop comprehensive practical recommendations to address challenges in arbitration practice.
- establish a roadmap for reform, with concrete strategies to drive long-term improvements in arbitration processes and professional standards.
- draft best practice guidelines aimed at harmonising arbitration practices across jurisdictions.
- form interdisciplinary working groups to sustain momentum and drive progress beyond the Summit.
19 November 2025 – 1st Edition
In the inaugural meeting, attention was directed to two areas where global consensus has long remained elusive and where practical guidance is urgently needed:
The approach to witness evidence and witness preparation
The application of design thinking to improve case management
For more details, click here to see the flyer.
Resources:
An Overview of the Inaugural Maxwell Summit
Setting the Stage: Objectives and Imperative
The Maxwell Summit marked the first in a continuing series of conversations recognising that, despite substantial efforts by institutions, professional bodies, and practitioners, familiar challenges continue to trouble international arbitration. As the caseload has expanded, these difficulties have naturally grown: a larger and more diverse community of participants brings varied expectations and practices, and the stakes for users are higher than ever. These pressures have amplified longstanding concerns: rising procedural complexity; an often inefficient approach to case management by both counsel and arbitrators that increases costs, prolongs timelines, and erodes user satisfaction; and occasional conduct by a minority of practitioners that undermines confidence in the arbitral process.
News Updates:
- Global Arbitration Review – First Maxwell Summit addresses procedural challenges – Click here to read. (5 January 2026)
Contact Us:
If you would like to find out more the Summit and would like to be involved in our future editions, please email us at [email protected].
