The purpose of this book is to provide an overview of the world of international commercial arbitration. It is a world that needs to be understood by both legal practitioners and their clients, as well as by students and others who may participate in resolving disputes privately, outside a national court system.

This book is designed to help the reader obtain an understanding of international commercial arbitration quickly but comprehensively. Although there are many fine treatises available on international commercial arbitration, there are few that are short. This book is compact and readable, but comprehensive in its coverage of the basic requirements, including the most recent changes in arbitration laws, rules, and guidelines. In writing the book, I have had input from many practitioners and arbitrators, who took time to meet with me to share their insights and experience. The resulting benefit is that the principles of arbitration are supported by the practice. Thus, the book provides not only the legal and regulatory framework, but also a practical sense of how international arbitration works, and how some of the better strategies and practices can lead to both procedurally efficient and substantively reasonable resolutions.