COVID-19 and Technology in International Arbitration

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of technology in international arbitration, especially in the form of virtual or hybrid hearings. Initially, some parties opted to postpone and reschedule in-person evidentiary hearings hoping that the pandemic would be short-lived. However, with continued lockdowns and international travel restrictions, it soon became evident that fully-remote proceedings were unavoidable during the pandemic.