Young Arbitrators (AJ CAM Santiago)

In 2007 the CAM Santiago created a list of Young Arbitrators (AJ CAM Santiago) comprised by a first group of 22 Chilean lawyers under the age of 40.

This initiative originated with the idea of providing an adequate resolution of conflicts in matters whose amount do not exceed 18,273 USD, through an expedited arbitration procedure (approved by the Board of Directors of the CAM Santiago in 2018) that would respond to the particular circumstances in this type of conflicts, aiming to provide speed, flexibility, immediacy and reduction of associated costs. In the same way, it seeks to promote and bring appropriate mechanisms for conflict resolution to young professionals and university students.

This group is mainly focused on the resolution of first instance domestic arbitration cases. Given the success of the initiative, the Board of Directors of the CAM Santiago has authorized an increase of the range of the amounts in dispute that can be known by the AJ CAM Santiago, which is now up  to 57,347 USD.

The AJ CAM Santiago represent a significant move forward towards the inclusion of female arbitrators. Currently, female participation in this group reaches up to 31.81% of the total number of young arbitrators.

Since its creation and until June 2019, the AJ CAM Santiago have known and managed a total of 45 arbitration cases, concluding most of them by final awards and settlements.

Regarding the nature of the disputes known by the AJ CAM Santiago, they cover a wide spectrum of business and industry sectors, such as construction and sales and confidentiality agreements, according with the versatility and competence of this group of young professional arbitrators.

Since the good results of the expedited arbitration procedure –which has been agreed in the Terms of Reference by the parties– it will  be incorporated to the new CAM Santiago Domestic Arbitration Rules in 2021, in order to formalise its use as a tool available to the parties to resolve conflicts in a more expeditious way.

Columns and papers authored by young arbitrators and published at CAM Santiago Newsletter (available only in Spanish):