Womble Bond Dickinson, Alex de Gramont Take Part in Ciarb Annual Retreat

Womble Bond Dickinson’s Atlanta office hosted the 2026 Annual Retreat of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Ciarb) on May 29-30.

Ciarb is the world’s leading qualifications and professional body for dispute avoidance and dispute management. The organization has a global network of 16,000 members.

The theme of this year’s Annual Retreat was “Arbitration in Motion: Ethics, AI, and the Corporate Playbook.” Womble Bond Dickinson Partner Alex de Gramont, a Fellow of the Ciarb, spoke on an expert panel on “Case Management Tools” to promote efficiency in arbitration.

The panel explored procedural tools such as bifurcation, early dismissal mechanisms, tailored limits on discovery, and the effective use of virtual hearings. The panel shared strategic insights and real-life experiences on how tribunals and counsel can streamline proceedings without compromising due process.

Womble hosted the event as part of the firm’s participation in AtlAS (Atlanta International Arbitration Society). Womble Bond Dickinson Partner Michael Sullivan is the President Elect of AtlAS and coordinated the Ciarb event for the firm.