The China-EU School of Law’s students Huang Tingli, Lakshmi Menon and Aida Balbuena Diez together with Assistant Professor Monika Prusinowska attended a seminar conducted by the Tsinghua Law School International Arbitration and Dispute Settlement (IADS) Program. It was a two-day sessionon 9 and 10 April 2016 which focused on preparation and presentation of witnesses in international arbitration. The seminar was headed by a panel consisting of Prof. Teresa Cheng, Prof. Jane Willems, Adrian Lai and Benny Lo.
Prof. Teresa Cheng has collected her rich experience working as the Chairperson of the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre, as a senior counsel, a chartered engineer, a chartered arbitrator and accredited mediator with a distinguished record of public service in Hong Kong. Prof. Jane Willems from the University of International Business and Economics has served as counsel, arbitrator or chair in commercial arbitrations and is approved as arbitrator on the lists of CIETAC, Beijing Arbitration Commission and the Taiwan Arbitration Centre. Adrian Lai and Benny Lo from Des Voeux Chambers are both experienced litigators and arbitrators.
All four of them brought their arbitration expertise and experience in demonstrating the nuances of cross-examination of witnesses. Particular focus was given to understanding the role of expert witnesses. On Saturday, participants were shown this in great and sometimes humorous detail with the four of the panelists doing role play of different cross-examination scenarios. A mock case was handed to some of the practitioners in attendance of the seminar and they were told to prepare and cross-examine the expert witnesses on both the claimant and the respondent side. This was then demonstrated on Sunday, when the series of mock cross-examination was later analysed by the panel. The panel gave valuable feedback by correcting mistakes and praising the efforts taken. The seminar ended with a short talk by each member of the panel where they spoke of the ethical dimensions of preparing witnesses as well as the practicalities involved in the whole process.
Author: Lakshmi Menon (CESL MEIL student from 2015 intake)
