Reza Mohtashami QC, a partner in the London office of Three Crowns, has been appointed as Chair of the Steering Committee of Delos Dispute Resolution’s (Delos) Remote Oral Advocacy Programme (ROAP), following the programme’s 2020 inaugural edition (ROAP 2020). As Chair of the Steering Committee, Reza will provide strategic advice and guidance on the development of ROAP.
Elizabeth Chan and Vanessa Moracchini, associates in the London office of Three Crowns, were both finalists in the public finals of ROAP 2020, which took place on 11 December 2020. The public finals featured the most persuasive and skilled participants from each of the oral submissions and quantum expert cross-examination courses, appearing before a tribunal comprising Judge Charles Brower, Wendy Miles QC, and Professor Stephan Schill. Elizabeth was declared the winner of the oral submissions course (together with Heather Clark, Legal Advisor at the Iran-United States Claims Tribunal), and Vanessa was a close runner-up in the cross-examination course.
ABOUT ROAP
ROAP is an advanced oral advocacy training programme offered by Delos. The inaugural edition of ROAP took place over September-December 2020. The inaugural programme offered two courses: one on oral submissions and the other on cross-examination of quantum expert witnesses. In the oral submissions course, participants gave opening statements based on four commercial and investment arbitration awards. In the cross-examination course, participants were given a mock expert report and prepared a cross-examination based on the same. Participating experts came from PWC and Alvarez & Marsal. In both courses, participants had the opportunity also to act as opposing counsel, tribunal members and observers. Participants also had the benefit of learning from the ROAP faculty, comprising experienced practitioners from law firms and expert organisations. Each participant was also assigned a mentor from the ROAP faculty.
ROAP will offer three editions in 2021: Asia in English for practitioners based in Asia, EMEA in English for practitioners based in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and Latin America in Spanish for practitioners based in the Americas.
Applications for ROAP Asia – 2021 are available now through 22 January 2021. Click here for more information and the application form.
Applications for ROAP EMEA – 2021 will be available February – March 2021 and LATAM – 2021 will be available April – May 2021.
ABOUT REZA MOHTASHAMI QC
Reza has represented clients as counsel and advocate in more than 80 arbitrations conducted under a variety of arbitration rules in many different jurisdictions. He has particular expertise in disputes arising in emerging markets.
Reza is a qualified English Solicitor-Advocate and was appointed Queen’s Counsel in recognition of his advocacy skills in 2018. He is Vice-Chair of the IBA Arbitration Committee, trustee of the DIFC-LCIA Arbitration Centre, member of the LCIA Court, and an editorial board member of the ICC Dispute Resolution Bulletin and Global Arbitration Review.
ABOUT ELIZABETH CHAN
Elizabeth has represented both investors and States across various jurisdictions and has practised international arbitration in London, New York, and Hong Kong.
Elizabeth holds roles in several organisations focused on gender diversity, thought leadership in dispute resolution and prevention, and Asia, including as a Committee member of the Asia-Pacific Forum on International Arbitration, a Board Member of ArbitralWomen, a member of the Equal Representation in Arbitration Pledge’s Young Practitioners Subcommittee, and Secretary to the European Advisory Board for the International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution.
ABOUT VANESSA MORACCHINI
Vanessa specialises in international arbitration and public international law.
Her experience extends to both international commercial and investment treaty disputes, with a focus on Latin America and Spain.
She has acted for clients in the renewable energy, electrical power, petroleum and banking industries.