On 5 June 2025, the DIS, in partnership with A&O Shearman, hosted a thought-provoking event during the London International Disputes Week (LIDW) titled "To Be or Not to Be Sandwiched: The New DIS Supplementary Rules for Third-Party Notices."
Legal professionals, arbitrators, and scholars gathered to discuss the implications of the newly introduced DIS Supplementary Rules, which came into effect on 15 March 2024.
The event began with a warm welcome from James Freeman (A&O Shearman). Anna Masser (DIS Council Member) then took the stage to introduce the DIS, highlighting its dual role as an institution and an arbitration association. She underscored the DIS's independence, noting that it is accountable solely to its more than 1,600 members.
Reinmar Wolff (DIS) presented the DIS Supplementary Rules for Third-Party Notices (TPNR), explaining their approach, the considerations that shaped them, and the interests of the parties involved. This segment prompted an engaging discussion.
The panel discussion that followed, moderated by Jan K. Schäfer (DIS Board Member), featured insights from Manish Aggarwal (Three Crowns), Niuscha Bassiri (ArbBoutique), Jane Davies Evans KC (3VB), and Marnix Leijten (De Brauw). The panellists explored whether "sandwich situations" pose practical challenges, how they are addressed, the potential support from arbitral institutions, and the relevance of the TPNR beyond Germany.
In his closing remarks, James Freeman noted that the TPNR could significantly transform third-party situations in arbitration. The engaging discussions continued informally over sandwiches, fostering further networking and exchange of ideas among participants.
Reinmar Wolff