繁體中文
仲裁員做啲乜
仲裁員按雙方仲裁協議審理爭議：審閱文件同證據、主持聆訊、聽取雙方陳詞，再作出對雙方有約束力嘅裁決，並處理程序同裁決執行等事宜。仲裁強調獨立、公正同效率，裁決一般不可上訴，除非涉及有限度嘅法律問題。聆訊可以用文件方式進行，亦可以傳召證人，視乎程序安排。仲裁員亦要披露可能影響公正嘅情況，並遵守機構嘅行為守則。
香港仲裁嘅法定框架
《仲裁條例》（第609章）並無就仲裁員訂立法定資格要求。條例第24條訂明，除非雙方另有協議，否則任何人唔會單憑國籍而被排除出任仲裁員。呢個設計體現咗仲裁嘅契約性質：資格由當事方按爭議嘅需要自行約定，例如要求特定專業背景、行業經驗或語言能力；當事方亦可交由常設機構嘅規則去決定委任。同法院法官唔同，仲裁員係由當事方揀選，佢哋亦可以決定由幾多位仲裁員審理案件。
點樣加入機構名冊
香港國際仲裁中心（HKIAC）設有仲裁員名冊（Panel）同仲裁員名單（List）。申請列入名冊者，須展示豐富嘅仲裁員經驗、曾以獨任或仲裁庭成員身分草擬多份國際仲裁裁決，同具備顯著嘅裁決書撰寫經驗；名單就適合喺仲裁領域有相當經驗、但未必有好多委任嘅人士。名冊任期五年、名單任期三年，同樣要提交推薦同確認沒有失當行為；申請由HKIAC委任委員會評審，委員會亦有權將仲裁員從名冊或名單中移除。
English
What arbitrators do
Arbitrators hear disputes under the parties' arbitration agreement: reviewing documents and evidence, running hearings, hearing submissions, and issuing an award binding on both sides, while handling procedure and enforcement. Arbitration emphasises independence, impartiality and efficiency, and awards are generally not subject to appeal save on limited questions of law. Hearings may proceed on documents only or with witnesses, depending on the procedure adopted. Arbitrators must also disclose circumstances that might affect their impartiality and follow the institution's code of conduct.
The statutory framework in Hong Kong
The Arbitration Ordinance (Cap. 609) imposes no statutory eligibility criteria on arbitrators. Section 24 provides that, unless the parties agree otherwise, no person is precluded from acting as an arbitrator by reason of nationality. This reflects the contractual nature of arbitration: qualification is agreed by the parties to suit the dispute, for example a particular professional background, industry experience or language, and the parties may leave appointment to the rules of an institution. Unlike court judges, arbitrators are chosen by the parties, and the parties may decide how many arbitrators will hear the case.
Joining an institutional panel
The Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) maintains both a Panel and a List of Arbitrators. Panel membership is for those who have demonstrated particular experience acting as arbitrator, been appointed in multiple disputes and have significant experience in award drafting; the List suits people with significant experience in arbitration who may not yet have had many appointments. Membership runs for five years (Panel) or three years (List), ending on 31 December of the final year, and applicants must provide references and confirm no misconduct. Applications are assessed by HKIAC's Appointments Committee, which may also remove an arbitrator from the Panel or List.
