Caroline THOMAS

Counsel, Arbitrator

Hong Kong (HK)

(+852) 6112 8516

cct2146@columbia.edu

Languages

English, French, German, Italian, Mandarin, Spanish


Practice area

  • Agency / Distribution / Franchising
  • Competition Law
  • Contract Law
  • Finance and Banking
  • Insurance
  • Investment Dispute
  • Investment Funds
  • Joint Ventures / Consortia / Shareholder Agreements
  • Maritime / Shipping
  • Metals and Mining
  • Oil and Gas
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Power / Energy
  • Sport
  • Telecommunication
  • Transport

Biography

Educational/ Current position / Professional Experience

Educational Experience

  • Baccalaurate (1999, European School of Luxembourg)
  • Diplôme du Programme International (2001-2, Sciences Po Paris)
  • MA Economics and History (2003, Trinity College Dublin)
  • Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) Diploma in Insurance
  • LL.M (2021, Columbia University) with focus on arbitration

Admissions 

  • Solicitor England & Wales (2008)
  • Solicitor Hong Kong (2010)
  • Admitted New York (2022)

Relevant Board Memberships

  • Board member of Hong Kong Insurance Law Association Limited since 2012
  • Board member of Chartered Institute of Arbitrators East Asia Branch since 2023
  • Board member of ARIAS Asia since 2023 (AIDA (Association Internationale de Droit des Assurances) Reinsurance and Insurance Arbitration Society)

Current Positions

  • Director, Arbitratio & Concilium Limited
  • Partner, Hauzen LLP affiliated with DWF Law LLP and associated with Anjie Broad Law Firm LLP

Previous Professional Experience

  • Senior Manager at the Insurance Authority of Hong Kong (2018-20).
  • Formerly partner at international insurance, shipping and trade firm in HK (2016-18).
  • Previously at two further leading international insurance, shipping, trade law firms.
  • Prior to becoming a lawyer, I worked at two fund managers (in Luxembourg and Australia). I have also advised/ been director of insurance companies.

Arbitration Experience

Extensive experience as counsel in international arbitration (over 50 HKIAC, ICC, LCIA, LMAA, SIAC and UNCITRAL arbitrations) and included on several lists/ panels internationally. Acted as arbitrator in over 5 commercial arbitrations. Examples include:

  • Appointments as arbitrator by SIAC, HKIAC and parties to disputes.
  • As sole counsel successfully defending a SIAC arbitration (including a 3-day hearing) arising under a joint venture agreement.
  • Acting for successful Claimant in complicated ICC arbitration in Paris.
  • Acting as counsel in many commodities/ shipping/ trade disputes.

Publications and Speaking Engagements

  • Forthcoming Arbitration Law Review 2024, Lloyd’s List Intelligence.
  • Funding Arbitration, International Practices, trends and possible developments in Luxembourg, with Franziska Studer of Nivalion, LAA, 26 September 2024.
  • Arbitration Law Review 2023, Lloyd’s List Intelligence (https://www.i-law.com/ilaw/doc/view.htm?id=438047).
  • Forthcoming, introduction chapter to Nutshell on Investor-State Arbitration edited by Professors Bermann and Duggal.
  • “Paying for Arbitration” talk given for The University of Hong Kong’s LLM Arbitration and Dispute Resolution series “Insights from the Dispute Resolution Community” (2023).
  • “Reform of arbitration law: the Law Commission’s consultation on Enka”, (2023) originally published on Arbitration Law Monthly with K Duggal, and A Lee.
  • “UNCITRAL Working Group III Produces First Deliverables on ISDS Reform”, with Pijan Wu.
  • TagTime with Matthew Gearing QC – Appeals on Questions of Law – Worth the Trouble?, March 25, 2021, The American Review of International Arbitration, Columbia University https://aria.law.columbia.edu/tagtime-with-matthew-gearing-qc-appeals-on-questions-of-law-worth-there-trouble/).

Languages

English & German (native), French (fluent), Spanish & Italian (working), Mandarin (knowledge)

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Practice areas