ICC Arbitration Cases Now Administered in New York

Josefa Sicard-Mirabal (left), who heads the team in charge of marketing ICC dispute resolution services in North America, in the new office in midtown Manhattan, with (L-R) Suzanne Ulicny, Rachel Clarke and Alexandra Akerly
Josefa Sicard-Mirabal (left), who heads the team in charge of marketing ICC dispute resolution services in North America, in the new office in midtown Manhattan, with (L-R) Suzanne Ulicny, Rachel Clarke and Alexandra Akerly

The much-anticipated establishment of a presence of the International Court of Arbitration® of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in New York City has been realized with the opening last month of an office to administer ICC arbitrations in North America.

SICANA, the new U.S. corporate entity responsible for the administration of cases under ICC dispute resolution rules and for the promotion of ICC dispute resolution services in North America, is located in midtown Manhattan at 1212 Avenue of the Americas, in the same building where USCIB is headquartered.

For many years, USCIB has hosted the ICC Court’s North American marketing team, headed by Josefa Sicard-Mirabal, the Court’s longtime director of arbitration and ADR for North America, who has been named executive director of SICANA.

“This is an important milestone for ICC and the Court,” said ICC Chairman Terry McGraw, CEO of McGraw Hill Financial. “Congratulations go out to everyone involved, especially Josefa, who developed the idea and spearheaded its implementation. We look forward to continued growth in the Court’s activities, cementing its role as the premier forum for the resolution of cross-border disputes.”

Sicard-Mirabal and her team took up residence in their new offices in September. The recruitment of a case management team, which will be responsible for administering cases in the region under the well-respected ICC Rules of Arbitration, is at an advanced stage. The new team in New York will work in conjunction with ICC Secretariat case management teams located in Paris and Hong Kong. It will begin to administer existing North American cases and to register new requests for arbitration in November 2013.

“The establishment of a formal presence in one of the Court’s most important markets is a big step forward for parties in North America,” said Mark Beckett, partner with Chadbourne & Parke and chair of USCIB’s Arbitration Committee. “It reaffirms ICC’s commitment to the region and will increase the appeal of the Court’s services, which are already held in very high regard.”

North American parties made up 8.4 percent of the 759 cases filed with the Court in 2012. The new office in the heart of New York City will consolidate the Court’s market position in North America, and will allow parties, counsel and arbitrators in the region direct and convenient access to the services of the ICC Court.

On September 20, John Beechey and Andrea Carlevaris, respectively the Court’s president and secretary general, joined dignitaries from the legal and business communities at a celebratory reception at the Yale Club in midtown Manhattan.

“We are delighted to continue our ongoing close partnership with Josefa and her talented colleagues, even as they move a few floors away from us,” said USCIB President and CEO Peter Robinson.”They do an amazing job promoting awareness of ICC dispute resolution and use of the ICC Court. This move to establish a formal office of the Court here in New York is a testament to Josefa’s dedication and vision.”

Sicard-Mirabal thanked Robinson and the rest of the USCIB staff for facilitating the establishment of the new office. “We really could not have done this without strong support and guidance from USCIB,” she said.

For more information about ICC dispute resolution activities in North America, visit www.iccnorthamerica.org.

Staff contacts: Josefa Sicard Mirabal

Staff Contact:   Nancy Thevenin

General Counsel
Tel: 212.703.5047

Nancy Thevenin supports the USCIB Arbitration Committee and coordinates the work of the U.S. Nominations Committee. She works closely with USCIB’s Business Development team in ensuring a more comprehensive policy, legal and arbitration membership outreach to both law firms and corporations. Thevenin previously served as deputy director of the ICC Court of Arbitration’s North American marketing office. During her tenure, the group helped launch the ICC International Mediation Competition and developed USCIB Young Arbitrators Forum (YAF), with Thevenin drafting the proposal for the ICC to make YAF a global organization. Nancy then joined Baker & McKenzie as a special counsel in and global coordinator of their International Arbitration Practice Group. She left Baker in 2014 to start her own practice as arbitrator and mediator and continues to teach the spring semester international commercial arbitration course at St. John’s Law School.
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