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19 oct. 2026
Event
Hong Kong
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer is proud to support Hong Kong Arbitration Week 2026, taking place from 19 to 23 October.
Bringing together members of the international arbitration community from Hong Kong, Asia and around the world, the week will feature a programme of conferences, seminars and networking events addressing key developments shaping arbitration and commercial dispute resolution.
We are also proud to be the Platinum Sponsor of the ADR in Asia Conference, HKIAC’s flagship conference on Thursday 22 October. Under the theme ‘Arbitration: Recalibrating for the future’, the conference will examine some of the most pressing questions facing the profession, including the quality of arbitral decision-making, ethical challenges, AI and the future of legal practice, and the international character of arbitration.
Throughout the week, members of our international arbitration practice will be hosting, speaking at and attending events across Hong Kong. Further details are provided below.
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1. Emergency Arbitration in Asia: The Evolving Landscape
Join our panel for a practical discussion on the evolving use of emergency arbitration across Asia.
The session will explore urgent relief, enforcement challenges, parallel court strategies and the relationship between emergency proceedings and the main arbitration. The panel will draw on perspectives from private practice, arbitral institutions and independent arbitrators to consider how emergency arbitration is being used in practice and what parties should consider when seeking urgent relief.
Date: Tuesday 20 October 2026
Time: 9:30am–10:30am
Venue: HKIAC
Host: Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
HSF Kramer speakers: Kathryn Sanger, Partner, Head of Private Capital, Asia and Aaron McDonald, Of Counsel
Details: https://hkaweek.hkiac.org/calendar
2. De Damnis: Hong Kong 2026
Organised by Delos Dispute Resolution, De Damnis: Hong Kong will bring together practitioners and experts for a debate focused on damages and valuation in international arbitration.
Helen Tang, Partner, will join the jury considering the motion: “This House believes that, in a DCF, risk should be accounted for in the cash flows rather than the discount rate."
Date: Tuesday 20 October 2026
Time: 3:20pm–6:30pm
Venue: China Club, Hong Kong
Organiser: Delos Dispute Resolution
Further information: https://delosdr.org/delos-events-calendar/
3. Hong Kong Summit on Commercial Dispute Resolution in China
Co-organised by the Beijing International Arbitration Court Hong Kong Center and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators East Asia Branch, this full-day summit will explore developments in commercial dispute resolution and cross-border business.
The programme includes six sessions spanning international arbitration, mediation, intellectual property and emerging technologies, investment, energy and international trade. Murphy Mok, Partner, will participate in the session ‘The Changing Global Landscape and Energy Transition: New Trends in Energy Transactions, Investment and Dispute Resolution'.
Date: Tuesday 20 October 2026
Time: 10:00am–7:00pm
Venue: BIAC Hong Kong
Organisers: BIACHK and CIArb East Asia Branch
Further details: https://annualreport.bjac.org.cn/m/en?year=2026&e=108
4. French-language event with Francarbi
HSF Kramer and Francarbi will host a French-language breakfast discussion examining a classic but consequential question: when interpreting or supplementing a contract, where does an arbitrator’s power end?
Bringing together academic, arbitral, counsel and institutional perspectives, the panel will explore this fundamental question across different legal traditions. The discussion will also consider HKIAC’s engagement with the francophone arbitration community.
Date: Wednesday 21 October 2026
Time: 8:00am–10:00am
Venue: Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, Hong Kong
Hosts: Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer and Francarbi
Moderator: Joris Bertrand, Senior Associate, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
If you are interested in attending, please email [email protected].
5. KCAB Next Drinks
HSF Kramer is pleased to host an evening reception with KCAB Next during Hong Kong Arbitration Week.
Join members of the next generation of arbitration practitioners for an informal evening of conversation and networking, bringing together familiar faces and new connections from across the international arbitration community.
Date: Wednesday 21 October 2026
Time: 6:30pm–8:00pm
Venue: Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, Hong Kong
Hosts: KCAB Next and Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
If you are interested in attending, please email [email protected].
6. ADR in Asia Conference: Arbitration – Recalibrating for the future
HSF Kramer is proud to be the Platinum Sponsor of HKIAC’s flagship ADR in Asia Conference.
The conference will bring together leading practitioners, arbitrators, academics and in-house counsel to explore how arbitration can respond to changing user expectations, technological advances and an increasingly diverse global landscape.
Simon Chapman KC, Managing Partner, Disputes, Asia and Australia, will participate in The Great Debate, addressing the motion: ‘This house believes that ‘recalibrating for the future’ is an illusion; without radical change, international arbitration will inevitably be replaced by specialised courts and AI processes.
Date: Thursday 22 October 2026
Time: 8:30am–4:30pm
Venue: Grand Ballroom, Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong
Organiser: HKIAC
Key contacts
Simon Chapman KC
Managing Partner, Disputes, Asia and Australia, Hong Kong
Kathryn Sanger
Partner, Head of Disputes, China and Japan and Head of Private Capital, Asia, Hong Kong
Murphy Mok
Partner, Hong Kong
Antony Crockett
Partner, Hong Kong
Weina Ye
Partner, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Kewei Joint Operation, Mainland China and Shanghai
Dana Kim
Senior Registered Foreign Lawyer, Hong Kong
Helen Tang
Partner, Hong Kong
Legal Notice
The contents of this publication are for reference purposes only and may not be current as at the date of accessing this publication. They do not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. Specific legal advice about your specific circumstances should always be sought separately before taking any action based on this publication.
© Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer 2026