Ben Beaumont was called to the English Bar in 1978 and the Hong Kong Bar in 1992. He is a Chartered Arbitrator and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators since 1982. He is a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors - general practice. He is a founding member and Fellow of the Hong Kong Institute of Arbitrators. He is also Junior Vice Chair of the Adjudication Society.

His first appointment as arbitrator was in 1980. He acts as Counsel in all aspects of Arbitration, from initial drafting to representation at hearing. His first instruction was in 1979. Ben has been appointed as arbitrator in more than 140 international and domestic disputes.

Ben has also been a member of three member tribunals situated in Hong Kong or China under the UNCITRAL arbitration rules and the CIETAC arbitration rules in Beijing. These appointments included:

Ad Hoc Rules

At least 4 Disputes between various Chinese manufacturers and Chinese registered Foreign Investors on issues such quality, performance and human rights.

At least 2 Disputes between various Chinese manufacturers and Foreign Investors on issues such quality, performance and human rights.

At least 8 Disputes between various Chinese manufacturers and European or American distributors on issues such quality, performance and nonconformity to Bills of Lading.

At least 8 Disputes between Hong Kong parties and Mainland Chinese parties on such issues as Performance bonds, bills of lading, alleged kidnapping of directors, reasons for incorrect position entire first phase of driven piles, concealed interests and alleged corruption in a whole range of contractual situations.

CIEATC Rules

At least 3 disputes between Chinese manufacturers or suppliers and non-Chinese parties relating to performance, fraudulent certificates, failure to make timely investment contributions.

UNCITRAL Rules

At least 5 Disputes between various Chinese manufacturers and Foreign Investors and Third parties on issues such as quality, performance, fraudulent basis for investment, malfeasance by local directors or failure of international compliance with EU Directives and guidelines.

He was appointed on various occasions Examiner by the Courts of Hong Kong at the request of Courts in the USA to hear the taking of depositions from witnesses outside the USA prior to the main hearings.

He was instructed by the Hong Kong government to represent Hong Kong at WTO meetings in Singapore.

UNCITRAL Representative appointed as Rapporteur for all cases relating to Model Arbitration law as implemented in Hong Kong.

He was co-opted by the International Trade Centre (ITC), part of UNCTAD and WTO, to a series of multinational high powered working groups, drafting:

• soft fruit model contracts
• international joint venture model contracts.

This work continues in 2009.

Ben has been appointed as Mediation in a series of engineering disputes. He has advised in many different types of matters which have resulted in disputes being settled or withdrawn.

Ben has spoken on arbitration and dispute resolution at conferences and workshops since 1980 and workshops throughout the world including those organized by the CIArb, AMINZ, Hong Kong Institute, CIETAC and others.