Fieldfisher Belgium partner Maxime Berlingin nominated first Chair of the Benelux Arbitration and ADR Group

On September 8, the main arbitration bodies in the Benelux region signed a cooperation agreement at The Peace Palace in The Hague, establishing the Benelux Arbitration and ADR Group.

Fieldfisher dispute resolution partner Maxime Berlingin has been nominated its first Chair, and will preside over the Group's steering committee, composed of the president and/or the secretary general of each party. His appointment will last for two years.

Maxime acts as a representative of the Belgian Centre for Arbitration and Mediation, CEPANI. The cooperation agreement also includes the Netherlands Arbitration Institute (NAI), the Chamber of Commerce of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Dutch Arbitration Association (DAA) and the Luxembourg Arbitration Association (LAA).

The group will strengthen and promote arbitration and other ADR mechanisms in the Benelux area.

Head of our disputes resolution practice, Colin Gibson, said: "It's a great honour for us to have one of our disputes partners nominated to such a position. As a European law firm, BeNeLux is at the heart of Fieldfisher's practice and I am delighted that Maxime will be part of shaping the future of arbitration and ADR in the region."

Jean-François Germain, head of disputes in Belgium, said: “We are very pleased and proud of Maxime's appointment as the first Chairman of the Benelux Arbitration and ADR Group. This appointment demonstrates the active and continuous involvement of our firm in the development of arbitration and other ADR mechanisms in Europe. We wish the new Group all the best and are confident that it will be a great success! “