Deminor Wiki – Baltic Arbitration Days (BAD)

History

The conference was inaugurated in May 2012 as the DIS Baltic Arbitration Days, organised by the DIS-Baltikum (the Baltic Regional Group of the German Institution of Arbitration), in association with local legal practitioners and the Riga Graduate School of Law. The first event was held on 10–11 May 2012 at the Riga Graduate School of Law, featuring keynote speakers including Professor Jan Ramberg, the first Rector of the Riga Graduate School of Law and Professor Emeritus of Stockholm University, and Dr Rolf Trittmann, then Chairman of the DIS Advisory Board.

Since its inception, the conference has grown substantially. Early editions attracted approximately 100 legal practitioners and academics from more than 15 countries; by recent years, attendance has expanded to over 175 participants. The event has established itself as one of the most well-regarded arbitration forums in the Baltic region and is now led by a Baltic law firm with offices across Riga, Tallinn, and Vilnius.

Conference Structure and Format

Baltic Arbitration Days typically takes place over two days in June each year. The programme consists of panel presentations, keynote addresses, and discussion sessions covering a range of arbitration-related topics. While Central and Eastern Europe remains the geographic focus, the conference designates rotating focus regions each year, which have included Central Asia, East Asia, the Americas, and the DACH region (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland).

The event has been held at several prestigious venues in Riga, including the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga and the National Library of Latvia. In addition to the main conference sessions, the programme includes social events such as a seaside dinner in the resort town of Jūrmala, riverboat cruises on the Daugava River, and pre-conference networking events. A Young Arbitrators Forum was introduced in 2025, organised jointly by the DIS40 (the young practitioners' group of the German Arbitration Institute) and the ICC Young Arbitrators Forum (ICC YAAF).

Topics and Themes

Conference topics have evolved to reflect contemporary developments in international arbitration. Recurring themes include investment arbitration updates, construction and public procurement disputes, energy arbitration, and the impact of regulatory changes on arbitration practice. The conference has also addressed the intersection of technology and arbitration, including sessions on legal technology, artificial intelligence, and IT applications in dispute resolution. Brexit's implications for arbitration practitioners was among the subjects examined at the 2019 edition.

Third-party funding in arbitration has featured prominently in the conference programme. The 2020 edition included a dedicated panel examining third-party funding practices across CEE jurisdictions, with speakers comparing regulatory approaches in Russia, Ukraine, Switzerland, and Finland. Similar discussions continued at subsequent conferences, reflecting the growing importance of funding mechanisms in international arbitration.

Litigation Funding Context

Baltic Arbitration Days holds particular relevance for the litigation funding industry. The conference provides a platform for funders, legal practitioners, and academics to examine the regulatory landscape for third-party funding across CEE jurisdictions, which presents both opportunities and challenges for the funding sector.

Panels at the conference have addressed the fact that many CEE jurisdictions, including Russia and Ukraine, do not directly regulate third-party funding, with no express limitations or prohibitions on funding claims in civil and commercial proceedings. Speakers have noted varying levels of market awareness and acceptance across the region, with some markets more developed than others for funded arbitration. The Baltic States themselves present an evolving arbitration landscape; Latvia's 2015 Arbitration Act aimed to address historical concerns about institutional independence, while the region has seen growing interest in arbitration as foreign investment has increased.

Investment arbitration, a significant area of funded dispute resolution, is consistently addressed at the conference. This is particularly relevant given the Baltic States' position as EU Member States subject to recent developments regarding intra-EU bilateral investment treaties following the CJEU's Achmea judgment. Litigation funders have participated in conference proceedings, contributing to discussions on the role of third-party funding in both commercial and investment arbitration across the region.

Supporting Organisations

The conference benefits from the support of numerous arbitration associations and institutions. Supporting organisations have included the Vienna International Arbitral Centre (VIAC), the Azerbaijan Arbitration Association, the Ukrainian Arbitration Association, the Russian Arbitration Association, and the CIS Arbitration Forum. Various economic consultancies and law firms have served as sponsors. The conference also provides stipends to enable participation by state court judges and students from CIS countries, Ukraine, Georgia, and Turkmenistan.

Conclusion

Baltic Arbitration Days has established itself as the foremost arbitration conference in the Baltic region and an important forum for CEE arbitration practice more broadly. For litigation funders, the conference offers insights into the regulatory environment for third-party funding across emerging markets in Central and Eastern Europe, where arbitration frameworks continue to develop alongside increasing foreign investment. The event's focus on investment arbitration and its examination of funding practices make it a valuable platform for stakeholders in the litigation funding industry seeking to understand opportunities in the region.