The Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU)’s College of Law and Public Policy (CLPP) is set to host a conference on ‘The Promise of Hybrid Dispute Resolution Fora’ on November 18 and 19, building on its mission to address legal issues of importance for the country from a comparative and transnational perspective.
Qatar is one of the countries that have established an international court, the Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre (QICDRC), to address private and commercial law matters, mostly coming out of the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC).
The QICDRC is unique in that it brings together renowned world jurists to adjudicate the cases before the court.
CLPP, in collaboration with the Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre and Queen Mary University London School of Law, is set to host the world’s first major conference to discuss domestic, international or hybrid courts.
The conference is sponsored by the Qatar National Research Fund, as well as White & Case, Doha and 3VB (3 Verulam Buildings/Gray’s Inn, London). It will examine the rationale behind the creation of these courts and analyse the relationship between hybrid courts and more established forms of dispute resolution, such as ordinary domestic courts, arbitration and mediation, HBKU has said in a statement. 
HBKU’s CLPP dean Susan L Karamanian said, “The conference topic is an important one given the increase in number of these courts and the significant role they play in the world’s commercial centres, such as Doha. Also, HBKU CLPP is uniquely situated to host this event as the comparative approach of the conference to hybrid courts is in line with the teaching method HBKU CLPP faculty members use daily in the classroom.”  
Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, the new president of the QICDRC; Sir William Blair, judge at the QICDRC; Sir Rupert Jackson, Justice at the AIFC Court, and Christopher Vajda, judge at the European Court of Justice, will be among the conference speakers.
“This is an important conference because there are an increasing number of international commercial courts globally and this is having an impact on dispute resolution. The latest to be established is the China International Commercial Court earlier this year. Qatar has been a leader in this field with the Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre and a strong arbitration presence in the State. Qatar is to be congratulated for having hosted this event,” said Sir William.
“We are extremely happy to be hosting a conference on a new form of court that is proliferating around the world, and that has its origins in the Gulf. Moreover, we are delighted to have Lord Thomas, Sir William Blair as well as the leadership of the QICDRC among other distinguished guests with us for the conference,” said Georgios Dimitropoulos, assistant professor of law at HBKU CLPP and the conference co-chair.
Stavros Brekoulakis, professor in International Arbitration and Commercial Law at Queen Mary University London and conference co-chair, noted: “The rise of the new ‘international commercial courts’ is one of the most significant developments in the field of international dispute settlement. We are delighted that a group of leading international lawyers will discuss the implications of this new development in November.”
The conference will be held at the Minaretein Building (formerly known as the College of Islamic Studies Building) in Education City.
For more information about the event, one can visit clpp.hbku.edu.qa