FIAA is a Swiss foundation with charitable and educational purposes. The seat of FIAA is in Geneva, Switzerland, which has a long tradition as one of the world’s leading centres for international arbitration.

FIAA has a three-tier structure:
(a) The Board of Trustees is responsible for general oversight of FIAA’s activities and assets and provides support for FIAA in the international arbitration community.
(b) The Executive Committee is responsible for the planning and operation of FIAA’s activities and programs.
(c) The Advisory Council provides the Board of Trustees and Executive Committee with access to the experience and advice of highly-regarded professionals in the fields of international arbitration or advocacy.

These three bodies bring internationally renowned advocacy instructors together with a prestigious group of leading arbitration practitioners representing jurisdictions worldwide and major arbitral institutions.

The Founders of FIAA are Sheila R. Block, Gabrielle Kaufmann-Kohler, David Roney and James H. Seckinger.

Sheila R. Block is the senior litigation partner with Torys LLP in Toronto and is widely recognized as one of the leading advocates in Canada. She has appeared as counsel at all levels of court in Ontario and before the Federal Court and the Supreme Court of Canada as well as before international arbitral tribunals. Ms. Block has spoken and written extensively on trial advocacy. She has taught advocacy for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy (NITA) and for various leading law firms and other organizations in Canada, the U.S., El Salvador, England, France, New Zealand, Scotland and Switzerland, as well as for the U.N. War Crimes Tribunal in Rwanda and the Special Court in Sierra Leone.

Gabrielle Kaufmann-Kohler is a founding partner of Lévy Kaufmann-Kohler in Geneva and a professor of private international law and dispute resolution at the University of Geneva Law School. She has acted in over 120 international commercial and investment arbitrations, either as presiding, sole or party-appointed arbitrator or as counsel. Professor Kaufmann-Kohler was President of the Swiss Arbitration Association (ASA) from 2001 to 2005 and is now an Honorary President and Board Member of ASA. She is a member of the International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA), the ICC International Court of Arbitration, the Board of the American Arbitration Association and the Board of the Swiss International Law Society.

David Roney is Co-Leader of Sidley Austin LLP’s Global Arbitration, Trade and Advocacy Practice, based in Geneva. He is admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor, Ontario, Canada and as a Solicitor, England and Wales. Mr. Roney has acted as counsel before international arbitral tribunals in a broad range of commercial and investment treaty disputes and has served as arbitrator in numerous international arbitrations under the ICC Rules, the LCIA Rules, the SCC Rules, the Swiss Rules and in ad hoc arbitration, including under the UNCITRAL Rules. He is active in a number of international arbitration organizations, including the ICC Commission on Arbitration, and is an Adjunct Faculty Member at the Geneva LL.M. in International Dispute Settlement Program jointly offered by the University of Geneva Law School and Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies.

James H. Seckinger is one of the leading trial advocacy instructors in the USA and has been a faculty member at the University of Notre Dame Law School since 1974. He has been involved with the National Institute of Trial Advocacy (NITA) since its inception in 1972 and was the Director of NITA from 1979 to 1994. Professor Seckinger is a much published author of advocacy books and articles, as well as materials on teaching and learning lawyer skills through simulated learn-by-doing exercises. Professor Seckinger has directed and taught in workshops on trial and arbitration advocacy skills at prestigious law firms and legal organizations around the world. He organized and taught advocacy skills for the U.N. War Crimes Tribunal for Rwanda and the Special Court for Sierra Leone. Professor Seckinger has conducted in advocacy skills programs throughout the U.S. and Canada, and in Australia, El Salvador, England, France, New Zealand, Panama, Scotland, Singapore and Switzerland.

FIAA wishes to extend its sincere thanks to Ernst & Young (Switzerland) for agreeing to serve as auditor of the foundation: www.ey.com