The Berlin Dispute Resolution Days were anchored around the DIS’ Autumn Conference and offered participants the opportunity to engage in a record number of 44 side events organized and hosted by a variety of international arbitral institutions and organizations, law firms, consultants, advisors, third party funders, DIS Industry Groups, and even the Indian embassy. The side events spanned across Berlin and covered a wide range of topics, from industry-, sector-, country-, and region-specific panels, to practice-oriented discussions and networking opportunities.
Highlights of the week included:
- The annual DIS Autumn Conference on “Arbitration – A Bridge over Troubled Waters”, tackling topics from enforcement challenges in times of political interference and sanctions to the consequences when states withdraw from treaties and tribunals. The event featured a keynote by former Federal Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann, with refences to Simon & Garfunkel, Star Wars, and the rule of law;
- The Humboldt Dispute Resolution Conference 2025 on “The Rule of Law and International Arbitration”, featured intense panel discussions on the rule of law from regional and sectoral perspectives, as well as in the context of bias and ethical duties. The event included a keynote by Professor Gerhard Wagner (Humboldt University Berlin) to set the stage;
- The DIS40 Autumn Conference on “Europe’s Evolving Disputes Landscape: Transforming, Ever-changing & Arbitration (Un)friendly?” with lively and interactive discussions and case labs. Topics ranged from the future of arbitration after ISU and related ECJ decisions to the EU AI Act, including a keynote by Professor Helen Keller (University of Zurich) on the intersections of arbitration and European human rights law;
- DIS Industry Groups- and sector events related to construction, ESG, franchising, and technology;
- DIS Bilateral Arbitration Groups events and other country-/regional- events related to Africa, Austria, Asia, Brazil, Finland, France, India, the Latin American region, the Netherlands, Poland, Scandinavia, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Syria, and the US;
- Practice-related events focusing on challenges and strategies in globalized disputes, collaboration between In-house legal and external counsel, cross-border enforcement of awards and judgments, default parties, document production, Germany’s commercial courts and chambers, the future of ISDS, internationality in arbitrations, sanctions, and settlements; and
- Breakfast and evening networking receptions and the traditional DIS40 early morning scenic run.
Like in previous years, in an effort to maximize green travel, affordable and flexible rail transport could be arranged for event participants allowing ticket holders the opportunity to travel up to two days before and after the conference.
This year’s organizing committee was composed of Felipo Furlani, Nadja Harraschain, Richard Happ, Franz Kaps, and Courtney Lotfi.
Save the Date: The next Berlin Dispute Resolution Days will take place from 28 September to 1 October 2026.
Nadja Harraschain
