Małgorzata Surdek-Janicka appointed Vice-President of the ICC International Court of Arbitration in Paris

Małgorzata Surdek-Janicka, a Polish qualified advocate and partner leading the dispute resolution practice at CMS Poland, has taken up the position of Vice-President of the International Court of Arbitration at the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Paris. Effective 1 July, together with its new President, Claudia Salomon, and the other Vice-Presidents from across the world, Małgorzata will be at the helm of the  largest arbitration institution with a global reach and over 100 years of experience in resolving international commercial disputes. Małgorzata Surdek-Janicka will be the first person from Poland to serve as Vice-President of the Paris-based ICC Court. The appointment is a sign of appreciation for the work she has done during her three-year term as ICC Court member from 2018 until 2021. 

At the same time, Małgorzata Surdek-Janicka will continue to lead one of the top dispute resolution practices offering CMS clients support in international and domestic arbitration. 

“Participation in the work of the ICC International Court of Arbitration consists of taking important procedural decisions as required by the ICC Arbitration Rules in disputes involving parties from around the world. These may concern such issues as a challenge of an arbitrator or approval of draft awards submitted by arbitral tribunals resolving individual disputes under the ICC Arbitration Rules. Taking up the Vice-Presidency of the ICC Court means that I will have additional duties such as chairing the Court’s sessions and participating in key decision-making concerning the Court’s strategy, development and promotion. This nomination is a distinction not only for me personally, but above all for the Polish National Committee of the ICC and - more broadly – the entire arbitration community in Poland”, says Małgorzata Surdek-Janicka. “What’s important for the business community is the expeditious and cost-effective conduct of arbitration by independent and impartial arbitrators – specialists in various areas, as well as the prompt delivery and the enforceability of arbitral awards, which, in respect of international arbitration, is safeguarded by the 1958 New York Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards, of which Poland is also a signatory.”

The ICC International Court of Arbitration in Paris is the most frequently chosen arbitral institution that administers arbitration proceedings commenced to resolve both cross-border disputes and those involving parties from the same country. Last year alone, ICC received nearly 1,000 new cases, which confirms the growing popularity of alternative dispute resolution methods and their efficiency for the business world. Arbitrations conducted by international arbitrators warrant high quality and effectiveness of the process. Arbitrators are required to be impartial and independent of the parties, and to have expert knowledge, many years of arbitration practice behind them and the ability to run the proceedings efficiently.  

The ICC Court in Paris consists of the President, 17 Vice-Presidents and 178 members from 119 countries, elected for three-year terms. One country can have a maximum of two members (member and alternate member), not including the President and Vice-Presidents. Election of members reflects the principle of diversity in terms of gender, geographic and ethnic origin, age, etc. For the first time, Poland will have three representatives in the ICC Court: apart from Małgorzata Surdek-Janicka as Vice-President, the Court will have the following new members from Poland: Maciej Jamka, Partner at DWF Poland, and Bartosz Krużewski, Partner at Clifford Chance.

For many years, Małgorzata Surdek-Janicka has held top positions in the Chambers Europe and The Legal 500 EMEA international law firm rankings in the dispute resolution, most-in-demand arbitrator, and insurance categories. The nearly 20-lawyer strong dispute resolution team she leads at CMS is one of the largest teams in Poland, which is attested by top positions in international legal market rankings.