Prince’s Chambers member Olga Boltenko recently participated as a speaker at The Asia Civil Law Summit 2026 in Seoul, joining an international panel discussion on “Non-Signatories in Multi-Party Arbitrations“. The Summit’s focus was on civil law jurisdictions specifically, including mainland China, Korea, Germany, Switzerland, France, and Russia

Hosted as part of the Seoul ADR Festival 2026, the session brought together leading arbitration practitioners and academics from a range of disciplines to examine the circumstances in which arbitration agreements may extend beyond their signatories.

The panel explored a number of issues that continue to generate significant debate in international arbitration, including the role of consent as the foundation of arbitral jurisdiction, the legal doctrines used to bind non-signatories to arbitration agreements, and the practical challenges presented by complex multi-party disputes.

With modern commercial arrangements frequently involving groups of companies, subcontracting structures, financing arrangements and other multi-party relationships, tribunals and courts are increasingly required to consider whether parties that have not executed an arbitration agreement may nonetheless participate in arbitral proceedings or be affected by their outcome.

Discussion also addressed joinder mechanisms, the treatment of implied consent, and the differing approaches adopted by courts and tribunals across civil law and common law jurisdictions. These issues remain particularly important where procedural efficiency must be balanced against the fundamental principle that arbitration is based on party consent.

The session formed part of a broader programme examining current developments in international dispute resolution throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

Prince’s Chambers is pleased to support ongoing engagement with developments in international arbitration practice across the region.

For more information please visit Olga’s profile.