{"id":379276,"date":"2026-03-25T09:00:06","date_gmt":"2026-03-25T03:30:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/?p=379276"},"modified":"2026-03-24T18:28:10","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T12:58:10","slug":"settlement-privilege-without-prejudice-international-arbitration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2026\/03\/25\/settlement-privilege-without-prejudice-international-arbitration\/","title":{"rendered":"Without Prejudice to the Spirit of Arbitration Settlement Privilege in International Arbitration"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;\">\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%; text-align: center; font-style: italic;\">Parties to an arbitration must be encouraged to settle their disputes. However, the lack of a settlement privilege acts as a deterrent to genuine settlement.<\/p>\n<h2>Introduction<\/h2>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">Settled rather than decided outcomes increase the efficiency of dispute resolution.<a id=\"fnref1\" href=\"#fn1\" title=\"1. Gabrielle Kaufmann-Kohler, &#8220;When Arbitrators Facilitate Settlement: Towards a Transnational Standard&#8221;, (2009) 25 Arbitration International 187, 197.\"><sup>1<\/sup><\/a> Indeed, it is said that the settlement of a dispute through the agreement of parties &#8220;is of the essence of the spirit of arbitration&#8221;.<a id=\"fnref2\" href=\"#fn2\" title=\"2. Fali S. Nariman, &#8220;The Spirit of Arbitration: The Tenth Annual Goff Lecture&#8221; (2000) 16(3) Arbitration International 261, 267.\"><sup>2<\/sup><\/a> Attempts to settle entail the exchange of proposals for settlement by the parties. Such proposals contain vital concessions of either party&#8217;s respective position in the dispute. Attempts to settle may fail. A party may feel inclined to introduce into subsequent arbitration admissions made by the other party during the settlement negotiations. The latter will object to such an endeavour. If well advised, it will argue that its statements made during settlement negotiations should not be admitted as evidence in the subsequent arbitration because they are privileged.<a id=\"fnref3\" href=\"#fn3\" title=\"3. Klaus Peter Berger, &#8220;The Settlement Privilege: A General Principle of International ADR Law&#8221; (2008) 24 Arbitration International 265, 265-66.\"><sup>3<\/sup><\/a> &#8220;Settlement privilege&#8221; or &#8220;without prejudice&#8221; privilege excludes evidence of negotiations containing admissions against a party&#8217;s interests when those negotiations were aimed at the settlement of a dispute between the parties to those negotiations.<a id=\"fnref4\" href=\"#fn4\" title=\"4. International Bar Association Arbitration Committee Task Force on Privilege in International Arbitration, Report on Uniform Guidelines on Privilege in International Arbitration 11 (2024).\"><sup>4<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">The paper proceeds in five parts. Part II provides an overview of the state of law and practice in civil and common law jurisdictions. While tracing its origins in England and Wales, settlement privilege is now well established in common law jurisdictions. However, it is rarely addressed and developed in civil law jurisdictions. Part III highlights possible issues given the conflicting understanding of the principle in these jurisdictions. Part IV discusses various approaches to resolving the issue. Part V concludes the analysis by submitting that a transnational settlement privilege exists and is desirable for a fair and efficient running of arbitral proceedings.<\/p>\n<h2>The state of law and practice<\/h2>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">Arbitration is not bound by the trappings of litigation procedure. However, parties&#8216; legitimate expectations from arbitral procedure may be gauged based on their common or civil law origin. Set out below is a brief overview of the treatment of settlement privilege in the civil procedure in common and civil law jurisdictions.<\/p>\n<p style=\"background-image: linear-gradient(to left, #FFFFFF, rgb(236, 198, 198));\">1. <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Common law<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">Common law jurisdictions follow the adversarial legal system. Lord Denning described the adversarial system as one where<span style=\"font-style: italic;\"><\/span> &#8220;&#8230;the judge sits to hear and determine the issues raised by the parties, not to conduct an investigation or examination on behalf of society at large&#8230;&#8221;.<\/span><a id=\"fnref5\" href=\"#fn5\" title=\"5. Jones v. National Coal Board, (1957) 2 QB 55.\"><sup>5<\/sup><\/a> In effect, this entails each party submitting all documents in support of their case, and occasionally being compelled to produce documents that may not support its case. Settlement privilege is used as both a sword<\/span><a id=\"fnref6\" href=\"#fn6\" title=\"6. A party may rely on settlement privilege to seek exclusion of settlement related documentation sought to be produced by the counter-party in the dispute.\"><sup>6<\/sup><\/a> and a shield<\/span><a id=\"fnref7\" href=\"#fn7\" title=\"7. A party may rely on settlement privilege to resist disclosure of any settlement related documentation sought by the counter-party.\"><sup>7<\/sup><\/a> to repel the disclosure of settlement-related documentation. It is therefore a byproduct of the adversarial system.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">Settlement privilege emanates from English and Welsh law.<\/span><a id=\"fnref8\" href=\"#fn8\" title=\"8. International Bar Association Arbitration Committee Task Force on Privilege in International Arbitration, Report on Uniform Guidelines on Privilege in International Arbitration, Annex 5, 11 (2024).\"><sup>8<\/sup><\/a> Other common law jurisdictions too have adopted the principle.<\/span><a id=\"fnref9\" href=\"#fn9\" title=\"9. Peacock Plywood (P) Ltd. v. Oriental Insurance Co. Ltd.(2006) 12 SCC 673, (2006) 12 SCC 673; Mariwu Industrial Co. (S) Pte Ltd. v. Dextra Asia Co. Ltd., 2006 SCC OnLine SGCA 1; Yokogawa Australia Pty Ltd v. Alstom Power Ltd, (2009) SASC 377 98&mdash;[100]; Poon Loi Tak v. Poon Loi Cheung Desmond, (2020) 1 HKLRD 511 [19], [22].\"><sup>9<\/sup><\/a><\/span><!-- LE to check all the three highlighted cases in the footnote; XML to hyperlink accordingly --><\/span><\/span><\/span><!-- database not available on SCC --><\/span> Broadly, in common law, settlement privilege suggests that parties may convey in the context of good faith and genuine settlement negotiations, written or oral information, admissions and concessions with the assurance that the counter-party will not be able to disclose and use it against them in subsequent proceedings should the settlement not be reached.<\/span><a id=\"fnref10\" href=\"#fn10\" title=\"10. Rush &amp; Tompkins Ltd. v. Greater London Council, 1989 AC 1280; Cutts v. Head, 1984 Ch 290.\"><sup>10<\/sup><\/a> The communication must constitute or involve an admission against the maker&#8217;s interest.<\/span><a id=\"fnref11\" href=\"#fn11\" title=\"11. Ernest Ferdinand Perez De La Sala v. Compa&ntilde;&iacute;a De Navegaci&oacute;n Palomar, SA, 2018 SCC OnLine SGCA 1.\"><sup>11<\/sup><\/a><\/span><!-- LE to check the case XML to hyperlink --><!-- XML pls hyperlink from fn --><\/span> A dispute must genuinely exist but the parties need not be amid litigation. It suffices that during negotiations the parties contemplated, or might reasonably have contemplated litigation.<\/span><a id=\"fnref12\" href=\"#fn12\" title=\"12. Framlington Group Ltd. v. Ian Barnetson, 2007 EWCA Civ 502.\"><sup>12<\/sup><\/a><\/span><!-- XML to hyperlink --><\/span><\/span> The mere labelling of a document &#8220;without prejudice&#8221; is not enough.<\/span><a id=\"fnref13\" href=\"#fn13\" title=\"13. For instance, a letter offering to pay a lower sum than the amount claimed, labelled &ldquo;without prejudice&rdquo;, was held not to be privileged, as the defendant was asking for a concession rather than giving one: Bradford &amp; Bingley Plc v. Rashid, (2006) 1 WLR 2066 : (2006) 4 All ER 705.\"><sup>13<\/sup><\/a><\/span><!-- XML to hyperlink --><\/span><\/span> Equally, a document may still be privileged even without proper labelling.<\/span><a id=\"fnref14\" href=\"#fn14\" title=\"14. Unilever Plc v The Procter &amp; Gamble Company [1999] EWCA Civ 3027: [2000] 1 WLR 2436&#9;; Belt v. Basildon &amp; Thurrock NHS Trust, 2004 SCC OnLine EWHC 12.\"><sup>14<\/sup><\/a><\/span><!-- LE to check the highlighted case and XML to hyperlink throughout --><!-- hyperlink from fn --><\/span> Of course, labelling it appropriately is advisable.<\/span><a id=\"fnref15\" href=\"#fn15\" title=\"15. International Bar Association Arbitration Committee Task Force on Privilege in International Arbitration, Report on Uniform Guidelines on Privilege in International Arbitration, Annex 5, 11 (2024).\"><sup>15<\/sup><\/a> The privilege applies to the whole document, and the court is not required to dissect out identifiable admissions and withhold protection from the rest, without prejudice communications.<\/span><a id=\"fnref16\" href=\"#fn16\" title=\"16. Unilever Plc. v. The Procter &amp; Gamble Co., (2000) 1 WLR 2436 : (2001) 1 All ER 783, 796.\"><sup>16<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">The privilege is, however, not absolute and as such is subject to certain exceptions.<\/span><a id=\"fnref17\" href=\"#fn17\" title=\"17. Nicolas Gr&eacute;goire, Evidentiary Privileges in International Arbitration: A Comparative Analysis under English, American, Swiss and French Law (2016) p. 87; International Bar Association Arbitration Committee Task Force on Privilege in International Arbitration, Report on Uniform Guidelines on Privilege in International Arbitration, Annex 5, 11 (2024).\"><sup>17<\/sup><\/a> Without prejudice, communications may be relied on if the existence of the terms of settlement are disputed by one party;<\/span><a id=\"fnref18\" href=\"#fn18\" title=\"18. Oceanbulk Shipping and Trading SA v. TMT Asia Ltd., (2011) 1 AC 662 : 2010 UKSC 44, 32-33.\"><sup>18<\/sup><\/a><\/span><!-- XML to hyperlink --><\/span><\/span> by a party defending itself against allegations of fraud, misrepresentation or undue influence;<\/span><a id=\"fnref19\" href=\"#fn19\" title=\"19. Unilever Plc. v. The Procter &amp; Gamble Co., (2000) 1 WLR 2436 : (2001) 1 All ER 783, 792.\"><sup>19<\/sup><\/a> to explain any delay in proceedings or an apparent consent by the counter-party; and when an offer is expressly made &#8220;without prejudice save as to costs<\/span><\/span><!-- LE to check sentence --><!-- correct --><\/span>&#8221;.<\/span><a id=\"fnref20\" href=\"#fn20\" title=\"20. Calderbank v. Calderbank, (1975) 3 WLR 586 : (1975) 3 All ER 333.\"><sup>20<\/sup><\/a><\/span><!-- XML to hyperlink --><\/p>\n<p style=\"background-image: linear-gradient(to left, #FFFFFF, rgb(236, 198, 198));\">2. <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Civil law<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">The inquisitorial system governs court procedure in civil law jurisdictions. For instance, French or Italian civil procedure do not contemplate documentary discovery or disclosure. The parties must produce their own bundle of exhibits on which they rely, which will be served on the other side and in court.<\/span><a id=\"fnref21\" href=\"#fn21\" title=\"21. Practical Law, &#8220;Privilege: A World Tour&#8221; (Thomson Reuters) available at &lt;https:\/\/uk.practicallaw.thomsonreuters.com\/2-103-2508&gt; last accessed 4-1-2025.\"><sup>21<\/sup><\/a> Further, in Germany and Switzerland, there appear to be limited means to obtain documents from the counter-party.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">A recent report by the International Bar Association Arbitration Task Force concludes that settlement privilege is absent from most civil law jurisdictions. The report concluded that although settlement privilege is an important institution, which may positively impact international arbitration, the introduction of uniform rules appears to be difficult due to the inexistence of settlement privilege in civil law jurisdictions.<\/span><a id=\"fnref22\" href=\"#fn22\" title=\"22. International Bar Association Arbitration Committee Task Force on Privilege in International Arbitration, Report on Uniform Guidelines on Privilege in International Arbitration, Annex 5, 11 (2024).\"><sup>22<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">Having said the above, communications exchanged between attorneys, whether oral or written regarding settlement cannot be produced in court in France.<\/span><a id=\"fnref23\" href=\"#fn23\" title=\"23. D&eacute;cision du 12 juillet 2007 portant adoption du r&egrave;glement int&eacute;rieur national (RIN) de la profession d'avocat, Art. 3.1 (Fr).\"><sup>23<\/sup><\/a><\/span><!-- LE to check if this is to be hyperlinked --><!-- No --><\/span> This rule appears to be one of legal privilege. However, this rule does not seem to apply to communications exchanged between parties that were not created by their attorneys.<\/span><a id=\"fnref24\" href=\"#fn24\" title=\"24. Nicolas Gr&eacute;goire, Evidentiary Privileges in International Arbitration: A Comparative Analysis under English, American, Swiss and French Law (2016) p. 87.\"><sup>24<\/sup><\/a> Switzerland bears a similar position.<\/span><a id=\"fnref25\" href=\"#fn25\" title=\"25. Nicolas Gr&eacute;goire, Evidentiary Privileges in International Arbitration: A Comparative Analysis under English, American, Swiss and French Law (2016) p. 87.\"><sup>25<\/sup><\/a> Critically, France and Switzerland recognise a general mediation privilege;<\/span><a id=\"fnref26\" href=\"#fn26\" title=\"26. Nicolas Gr&eacute;goire, Evidentiary Privileges in International Arbitration: A Comparative Analysis under English, American, Swiss and French Law (2016) pp. 90-91.\"><sup>26<\/sup><\/a> such proceedings are considered confidential and not to be produced in subsequent proceedings. The conflicting understandings of the privilege in civil and common law jurisdictions give rise to various issues. These are explored in the next section.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<h2>The issue<\/h2>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">Some reasons for the issues relating to settlement privilege arising in practice are: the nature and concept of evidentiary privileges being different in civil law and common law; the differences in the qualification of privileges as substantive or procedural matters in civil law and common law; and the lack of established conflict-of-laws rules for the determination of the law applicable to privileges in international arbitration.<\/span><a id=\"fnref27\" href=\"#fn27\" title=\"27. Klaus Peter Berger, &#8220;Evidentiary Privileges: Best Practice Standards versus\/and Arbitral Discretion&#8221; (2006) 22 Arbitration International 501, 502.\"><sup>27<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">Certain situations where conflicts as to the treatment of privilege claims may arise are inter alia: the parties to the arbitration are in different jurisdictions; the parties have not determined the rules applicable to privileges; the allegedly privileged communication originates from one jurisdiction and was received in another jurisdiction; and those jurisdictions may be different than those of the domicile of the parties and the seat of the arbitration.<\/span><a id=\"fnref28\" href=\"#fn28\" title=\"28. Nicolas Gr&eacute;goire, Evidentiary Privileges in International Arbitration: A Comparative Analysis under English, American, Swiss and French Law (2016) p. 4.\"><sup>28<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">To illustrate, consider a software services agreement between an Indian software services provider and a Swedish sports apparel manufacturer for the development of an app and a website. The agreement is governed by Indian law. The parties have agreed to resolving disputes by arbitration by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), seated in Paris. Disputes arise between the parties for non-payment of invoices. With a view to settle matters, parties engage in settlement discussions and arrive at a reduced figure for settlement. However, no final settlement agreement is signed between the parties. In the circumstances, the Indian service provider now commences arbitration for recovery of the original invoiced amount. The Swedish party wishes to rely on the settlement discussions between the parties as evidence of the reduced sum agreed by the service provider. It states that a settlement agreement was concluded by conduct. Signing of the settlement agreement was a mere formality. Accordingly, it is liable to only pay the reduced sum and not the originally invoiced amount. The Indian party objects. It states that the discussions are covered by &#8220;without prejudice&#8221; privilege under Indian law. No agreement was concluded between the parties. The settlement discussions cannot be relied on by either party in the arbitration unless the privilege is expressly waived. The Swedish party states that no such privilege exists under Swedish law (law of its domicile) and\/or under French law (law of the seat). In this situation&#8212;which is the applicable law for determining whether the settlement discussions ought to be excluded from the record of the Tribunal?<\/p>\n<h2>Possible approaches to resolving the issue<\/h2>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">In practice, there are three approaches adopted by international tribunals, to determine which rules apply to an issue of privilege: 1) the application of a single national law determined through a choice of law approach, 2) the application of the law of the seat of the arbitration, and 3) an autonomous approach.<\/span><a id=\"fnref29\" href=\"#fn29\" title=\"29. Roman Khodykin and Carol Mulcahy, A Guide to the IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence in International Arbitration (Nicholas Fletcher QC ed., 2019) p. 437.\"><sup>29<\/sup><\/a><\/span><!-- LE to check if QC will go or not --><!-- it will go --><\/span><span style=\"Open Sans&quot;; font-size: 12.5pt;\"> Each of the above approaches are discussed briefly in turn.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"background-image: linear-gradient(to left, #FFFFFF, rgb(236, 198, 198));\">1. <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Choice of law approach<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">All major arbitration laws and rules contain general choice of law provisions with respect to the subject-matter of the arbitration.<\/span><a id=\"fnref30\" href=\"#fn30\" title=\"30. Klaus Peter Berger, &#8220;Evidentiary Privileges: Best Practice Standards versus\/and Arbitral Discretion&#8221; (2006) 22 Arbitration International 506.\"><sup>30<\/sup><\/a> However, it is generally acknowledged that there is no established choice of law rule that governs the determination of the law applicable to privileges in international arbitration.<\/span><a id=\"fnref31\" href=\"#fn31\" title=\"31. Michelle Sindler and Tina W&uuml;stemann, &#8220;Privilege Across Borders in Arbitration: Multi-Jurisdictional Nightmare or a Storm in a Teacup&#8221; (2005) 23 Bulletin ASA 610, 620; Klaus Peter Berger, &#8220;Evidentiary Privileges: Best Practice Standards versus\/and Arbitral Discretion&#8221; (2006) 22 Arbitration International 507.\"><sup>31<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">Any classical conflict-of-laws analysis (before a court) begins with characterising the relevant issue, as being procedural or substantive. Procedural issues are typically governed by the law of the forum.<\/span><a id=\"fnref32\" href=\"#fn32\" title=\"32. Lex fori regit processum.\"><sup>32<\/sup><\/a> If a matter is classified as substantive, then the ordinary choice of law rules or approaches of the forum with respect to cases involving a foreign element will be employed to determine the applicable law.<\/span><a id=\"fnref33\" href=\"#fn33\" title=\"33. Richard Garnett, Substance and Procedure in Private International Law (OUP 2012) p. 1.\"><sup>33<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">However, some common law jurisdictions tend to qualify evidentiary privileges as a substantive matter. Civil law jurisdictions favour its qualification as a procedural issue.<\/span><a id=\"fnref34\" href=\"#fn34\" title=\"34. Klaus Peter Berger, &#8220;Evidentiary Privileges: Best Practice Standards versus\/and Arbitral Discretion&#8221; (2006) 22 Arbitration International 507-508.\"><sup>34<\/sup><\/a> Therefore, the characterisation of settlement privilege itself may be complicated.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">Depending on the characterisation of settlement privilege, either the lex arbitri (if characterised as procedural) or the lex causae (if characterised as substantive), may be applicable. The ultimate choice of law applicable is therefore indeterminate and will depend on the facts and circumstances of each case. This leads to unpredictability.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">Certain other theories have been developed to resolve the issues with the classical conflict-of-law<\/span> <\/span><!-- LE to check usage of conflict of laws\/ conflict of law --><!-- conflict of law --><\/span>analysis. Some of these are the &#8220;law most closely connected&#8221;, the &#8220;most favoured nation&#8221; regime, and the &#8220;least favoured nation&#8221; regime.<\/span><a id=\"fnref35\" href=\"#fn35\" title=\"35. Roman Khodykin and Carol Mulcahy, A Guide to the IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence in International Arbitration (Nicholas Fletcher QC ed., 2019) pp. 440-441.\"><sup>35<\/sup><\/a> However, given the possibility of the application of different laws with different privilege standards, prima facie, it appears that these approaches may not satisfy the requirements of predictability and equal treatment of parties in the arbitral process. Equal treatment of parties is a fundamental principle of commercial arbitration. It finds ample recognition in almost all national arbitration laws. Similarly, predictability is one of the hallmarks of the arbitral process. Permitting the application of these conflict-of-laws rules may result in the application of the law of one nation being preferred over the other. This may mean that one parties&#8216; assertion of the application of a rule being given preference over another, depending on the discretion of the Arbitral Tribunal. This, it is submitted would fall foul of the basic guarantees of equal treatment of parties and predictability in the arbitral process.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">Due to size constraints these issues are not detailed any further. It is submitted that the policy of the conflict of laws should be the uniform reference of a situation, regardless of the forum, to the &#8220;law which most satisfies general social and economic demands.&#8221;<\/span><a id=\"fnref36\" href=\"#fn36\" title=\"36. Robert A. Pascal, &#8220;The Conflict of Laws: A Comparative Study by Ernst Rabel&#8221; (1946) Louisiana Law Review 735.\"><sup>36<\/sup><\/a> In any case, the choice of law analysis in arbitration, especially in procedural matters is different from litigation, due to the absence of a &#8220;lex fori&#8221; and the interplay between Arbitral Tribunals and the courts.<\/span><a id=\"fnref37\" href=\"#fn37\" title=\"37. Richard Garnett, Substance and Procedure in Private International Law (OUP 2012) p. 4; see also XL Insurance Ltd. v. Owens Corning, 2000 SCC OnLine EWHC 20, (Toulson, J.).\"><sup>37<\/sup><\/a><\/span><!-- LE to check the case and xml to hyperlink accordingly --><!-- hyperlink from fn --><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"background-image: linear-gradient(to left, #FFFFFF, rgb(236, 198, 198));\">2. <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Law of the seat<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">Alternatively, an Arbitral Tribunal could apply the law applicable to the arbitral procedure to the question of the existence of a settlement privilege. Usually, this would be the arbitration law at the seat of the arbitration, the lex loci arbitri. Such an approach &#8220;&#8230;has the beauty that a single law could be applied to the issue of evidentiary privileges immaterial of which party raises the privilege&#8230;.&#8221;, and &#8220;&#8230;puts parties on an equal footing&#8221;.<\/span><a id=\"fnref38\" href=\"#fn38\" title=\"38. Klaus Peter Berger, &#8220;Evidentiary Privileges: Best Practice Standards versus\/and Arbitral Discretion&#8221; (2006) 22 Arbitration International 508; see also, Roman Khodykin and Carol Mulcahy, A Guide to the IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence in International Arbitration (Nicholas Fletcher QC Ed., 2019) p. 439.\"><sup>38<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">One justification for this may be that applying the law of the arbitration is the methodologically safe approach. Adopting the procedural law of the seat to determine applicability of privilege ensures that the award will be enforceable not only at the seat of the arbitration but also abroad. One author suggests that, &#8220;arbitrators are often anxious to assure the parties that their procedural rulings and generally, the conduct of the proceedings, comply with the procedural law of the seat of the arbitration, even if the relevant rules are not mandatory or, in some cases, not applicable to international arbitrations at all&#8221;.<\/span><a id=\"fnref39\" href=\"#fn39\" title=\"39. Georgios Petrochilos, Procedural Law in International Arbitration (Oxford University Press, 2012) p. 169.\"><sup>39<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">This approach is, however, criticised for not taking into account the legitimate expectations of the parties.<\/span><a id=\"fnref40\" href=\"#fn40\" title=\"40. Richard M. Mosk and Tom Ginsburg, &#8220;Evidentiary Privileges in International Arbitration&#8221; (2001) 50 The International and Comparative Law Quarterly 345, 383; Fabian von Schlabrendorff and Audley Sheppard, &#8220;Conflict of Legal Privileges in International Arbitration: An Attempt to Find a Holistic Solution&#8221; in Gerald Aksen and others (Eds.), Global Reflections on International Law, Commerce and Dispute Resolution: Liber Amicorum in Honour of Robert Briner (ICC Publishing 2005) pp. 743, 796.\"><sup>40<\/sup><\/a> For instance, when the settlement discussions took place, decades after the seat was chosen (for mere purposes of convenience).<\/span><a id=\"fnref41\" href=\"#fn41\" title=\"41. Klaus Peter Berger, &#8220;Evidentiary Privileges: Best Practice Standards versus\/and Arbitral Discretion&#8221; (2006) 22 Arbitration International 509.\"><sup>41<\/sup><\/a> The seat is typically chosen for efficient administration of the arbitral process. It is unlikely that parties&#8216; legitimately expected treatment of their settlement communications to be based on the law of the seat. Therefore, whilst resolving the issue of equal treatment of parties, this approach may not satisfy the requirement of taking into account the expectations of the parties and their advisors at the time, the settlement privilege may have arisen.<\/span><a id=\"fnref42\" href=\"#fn42\" title=\"42. International Bar Association, IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence in International Arbitration, 2020, Art. 9.3(c).\"><sup>42<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"background-image: linear-gradient(to left, #FFFFFF, rgb(236, 198, 198));\">3. <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Autonomous approach<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">In keeping with the overriding principle of party autonomy in arbitration, national arbitration laws and institutional rules frequently leave the parties with the freedom to agree on applicable evidentiary rules, including any issue of the admissibility of evidence.<\/span><a id=\"fnref43\" href=\"#fn43\" title=\"43. Arbitration Act, 1996 (GB), S. 34; German Code of Civil Procedure (ZPO), Ss. 1042(3)-(4); UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration, 1985, Art. 19; Bundesgesetz &uuml;ber das Internationale Privatrecht (IPRG) (Federal Act on Private International Law) 1987, Art. 182 (Switzerland).\"><sup>43<\/sup><\/a><\/span><!-- LE to check foreign statutes and XML to hyperlink accordingly throughout --><!-- all not present on SCC, XML hyperlink arbitration act (GB) and UNCITRAL Model Rules. --><\/span> Parties could agree that any statements made within settlement negotiations cannot be used against a party in the ensuing proceedings.<\/span><a id=\"fnref44\" href=\"#fn44\" title=\"44. Global Arbitration Review, The Guide to Evidence in International Arbitration (2nd Edn., 2023) p. 114.\"><sup>44<\/sup><\/a> In such a situation, settlement privilege would apply and render inadmissible any such settlement related documents. In practice, this is rare.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">In the absence of such agreement, national arbitration laws and institutional rules generally afford tribunals considerable discretion in evidentiary matters.<\/span><a id=\"fnref45\" href=\"#fn45\" title=\"45. Global Arbitration Review, The Guide to Evidence in International Arbitration (2nd Edn., 2023) p. 115; Arbitration Act, 1996, Ss. 34(1) and (2)(f); German Code of Civil Procedure (ZPO), S. 1042(4); UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration, 1985, Art. 19(2); Swiss Rules of International Arbitration 2021, Art. 26(1); UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, 2021, Art. 27(4); LCIA Arbitration Rules, 2020, Art. 22.1(vi).\"><sup>45<\/sup><\/a> Often, an Arbitral Tribunal may expressly stipulate being &#8220;guided by&#8221; the International Bar Association Rules on the Taking of Evidence, 2020 (IBA Rules)<\/span> <\/span><!-- LE to check the full form --><!-- it is correct --><\/span>in its Procedural Order 1. Parties could agree to this stipulation in the terms of reference. This gives the Tribunal some flexibility to decide peculiar questions of privilege. To illustrate, the IBA Rules under Articles 9(2)(<span style=\"font-style: italic;\">b<\/span>) and 9(3)(<span style=\"font-style: italic;\">b<\/span>) expressly envisage exclusion of any document, statement or oral testimony for reasons of privilege created for the purpose of settlement negotiations. Article 9(2)(<span style=\"font-style: italic;\">b<\/span>) makes provision for evidence to be excluded based on a legal impediment or privilege under any mandatory legal or ethical rules that are determined by the Arbitral Tribunal to be applicable.<\/span><a id=\"fnref46\" href=\"#fn46\" title=\"46. International Bar Association, IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence in International Arbitration, 2020, Art. 9.2(b).\"><sup>46<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">Given the wide discretion afforded, an Arbitral Tribunal may apply its own independent standard to the claimed privilege. Adopting this approach, the Tribunal does not need to apply the precise rules of any national system of law.<\/span><a id=\"fnref47\" href=\"#fn47\" title=\"47. Roman Khodykin and Carol Mulcahy, A Guide to the IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence in International Arbitration (Nicholas Fletcher QC ed., 2019) p. 441.\"><sup>47<\/sup><\/a> However, this must be subject always to its overall duty to act fairly and treat the parties equally.<\/span><a id=\"fnref48\" href=\"#fn48\" title=\"48. International Bar Association, IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence in International Arbitration, 2020, Art. 9.3(e).\"><sup>48<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">In principle, it is submitted that a transnational settlement privilege exists which protects settlement negotiations both with and without the presence of a third neutral.<\/span><a id=\"fnref49\" href=\"#fn49\" title=\"49. Klaus Peter Berger, &#8220;The Settlement Privilege: A General Principle of International ADR Law&#8221; (2008) 24 Arbitration International 265, 271.\"><sup>49<\/sup><\/a> A seminal article by Professor Klaus Peter Berger argues that there is a unanimous view in international alternative dispute resolution (ADR) that a general mediation privilege exists that renders all evidence, whether written or oral, stemming from mediation, conciliation and similar ADR processes between the parties inadmissible as evidence in subsequent arbitration proceedings.<\/span><a id=\"fnref50\" href=\"#fn50\" title=\"50. Klaus Peter Berger, &#8220;The Settlement Privilege: A General Principle of International ADR Law&#8221; (2008) 24 Arbitration International 266.\"><sup>50<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The rule is expressed in the following terms:<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">Statements, views, admissions, proposals, suggestions, indications of readiness to accept a certain proposal for settlement, whether written or oral, submitted by a party during settlement negotiations, mediation\/conciliation or any other ADR proceedings, or statements made or views expressed by a third neutral involved in such proceedings, and any document, witness statement and expert report submitted in or prepared solely for these negotiations or stemming from settlement negotiations, mediation\/conciliation or any other ADR process between the parties are inadmissible as evidence in subsequent arbitration or court proceedings between the same parties, provided that the privilege objection is raised in the arbitration or court proceedings in good faith and does not relate to facts which one side would have been able to prove had there been no settlement negotiations.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">One can have very little quarrel with the above proposition. Parties to an arbitration must be encouraged to settle their disputes. However, the lack of a settlement privilege acts as a deterrent to genuine settlement. Widespread recognition of the principle and adoption of guidelines defining its meaning and scope will incentivise frank exchanges between the parties and genuine attempts at settlement. Accordingly, arbitrators may consider excluding all documents forming part of the settlement discussions between disputing parties. This may be made subject to the common law exceptions highlighted above.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">To the best of this author&#8217;s knowledge, no arbitral institution contains any express rules concerning settlement privilege. Indeed, some commentators have noted that institutional rules do not presently contain any provisions for an arbitrator to facilitate a settlement.<\/span><a id=\"fnref51\" href=\"#fn51\" title=\"51. Niuscha Bassiri and Laura Jaroslavsky Consoli, &#8220;Time to Listen and Act: Settlement Facilitation in Arbitration&#8221;, Kluwer Arbitration Blog, 18-10-2024, available at &lt;https:\/\/arbitrationblog.kluwerarbitration.com\/2024\/10\/18\/time-to-listen-and-act-settlement-facilitation-in-arbitration\/&gt; last accessed 4-1-2025.\"><sup>51<\/sup><\/a> Without commenting on the utility of permitting arbitrators to facilitate settlement, one approach may be to incorporate the principle of settlement privilege in institutional rules.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">In any case, a clear expression of the rules of settlement privilege and the principles governing its application are necessary and will best serve the guarantees of equal treatment of parties and predictability of the arbitral process highlighted above.<\/p>\n<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">Settlement privilege plays a critical role in fostering open and honest settlement negotiations by protecting sensitive admissions made in the course of settlement discussions. However, the lack of uniformity across jurisdictions creates challenges when parties from different legal backgrounds engage in arbitration, where the determination of applicable privilege standards becomes a contentious issue.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">Various approaches, <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">viz<\/span>. applying the law of the seat, a choice-of-law analysis, or an autonomous standard &#8212; have emerged to address this issue. However, each comes with its limitations. The choice-of-law approach, while rooted in established legal principles, can lead to unpredictability. Applying the law of the seat offers consistency but may not reflect the parties&#8216; expectations. The autonomous approach, while flexible, requires tribunals to strike a careful balance between fairness and practicality.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">Moving forward, the adoption of a transnational approach to settlement privilege, grounded in principles common to both civil and common law systems would be beneficial. This will require clear guidelines defining the scope of the rule, its exceptions and procedures for asserting this privilege.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 3%;\">The recognition and widespread application of settlement privilege in international arbitration would enhance trust in the arbitration process, promote the resolution of disputes through settlement, and ensure fair treatment of all parties involved. Ultimately, enabling settlement will be without prejudice and entirely consistent with the spirit of arbitration.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<hr\/>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #000080;\">*Advocate, Bombay High Court; Geneva LL M in International Dispute Settlement (MIDS). Author can be reached at: <a href=\"mailto:zacarias.joseph@gmail.com\" target=\"_blank\">zacarias.joseph@gmail.com<\/a>.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn1\" href=\"#fnref1\">1.<\/a> Gabrielle Kaufmann-Kohler, &#8220;When Arbitrators Facilitate Settlement: Towards a Transnational Standard&#8221;, (2009) 25 Arbitration International 187, 197.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn2\" href=\"#fnref2\">2.<\/a> Fali S. Nariman, &#8220;The Spirit of Arbitration: The Tenth Annual Goff Lecture&#8221; (2000) 16(3) Arbitration International 261, 267.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn3\" href=\"#fnref3\">3.<\/a> Klaus Peter Berger, &#8220;The Settlement Privilege: A General Principle of International ADR Law&#8221; (2008) 24 Arbitration International 265, 265-66.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn4\" href=\"#fnref4\">4.<\/a> International Bar Association Arbitration Committee Task Force on Privilege in International Arbitration, <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Report on Uniform Guidelines on Privilege in International Arbitration<\/span> 11 (2024).<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn5\" href=\"#fnref5\">5.<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-0002379104\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"Hyperlink\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Jones<\/span> v. <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">National Coal Board<\/span><\/span><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-0002379104\" target=\"_blank\">(1957) 2 QB 55<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn6\" href=\"#fnref6\">6.<\/a> A party may rely on settlement privilege to seek exclusion of settlement related documentation sought to be produced by the counter-party in the dispute.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn7\" href=\"#fnref7\">7.<\/a> A party may rely on settlement privilege to resist disclosure of any settlement related documentation sought by the counter-party.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn8\" href=\"#fnref8\">8.<\/a> International Bar Association Arbitration Committee Task Force on Privilege in International Arbitration, <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Report on Uniform Guidelines on Privilege in International Arbitration<\/span>, Annex 5, 11 (2024).<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn9\" href=\"#fnref9\">9.<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-0000037430\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"Hyperlink\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Peacock Plywood (P) Ltd.<\/span> v. <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Oriental Insurance Co. Ltd.<\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; text-underline-style: solid; text-underline-mode: continuous; text-underline-color: #0000ff; color: #0000ff;\">(2006) 12 SCC 673<\/span>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-0000037430\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; text-underline-style: solid; text-underline-mode: continuous; text-underline-color: #0000ff; color: #0000ff;\">(2006) 12 SCC 673<\/span><\/a>; <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Mariwu Industrial Co. (S) Pte Ltd.<\/span> v. <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Dextra Asia Co. Ltd.<\/span>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-9003293810\" target=\"_blank\">2006 SCC OnLine SGCA 1<\/a>; <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Yokogawa Australia Pty Ltd<\/span> v. <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Alstom Power Ltd<\/span>, (2009) SASC 377 98&mdash;[100]; <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Poon Loi Tak<\/span> v. <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Poon Loi Cheung Desmond<\/span>, (2020) 1 HKLRD 511 [19], [22].<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn10\" href=\"#fnref10\">10.<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-0002354319\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"Hyperlink\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Rush &amp; Tompkins Ltd.<\/span> v. <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Greater London Council<\/span><\/span><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-0002354319\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; text-underline-style: solid; text-underline-mode: continuous; text-underline-color: #0000ff; color: #0000ff;\">1989 AC 1280<\/span><\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-0002381030\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"Hyperlink\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Cutts<\/span> v. <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Head<\/span><\/span><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-0002381030\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; text-underline-style: solid; text-underline-mode: continuous; text-underline-color: #0000ff; color: #0000ff;\">1984 Ch 290<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn11\" href=\"#fnref11\">11.<\/a> <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Ernest Ferdinand Perez De La Sala<\/span> v. <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Compa&ntilde;&iacute;a De Navegaci&oacute;n Palomar, SA<\/span>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-9003293811\" target=\"_blank\">2018 SCC OnLine SGCA 1<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn12\" href=\"#fnref12\">12.<\/a> <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Framlington Group Ltd.<\/span> v. <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Ian Barnetson<\/span>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-9003167543\" target=\"_blank\">2007 EWCA Civ 502<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn13\" href=\"#fnref13\">13.<\/a> For instance, a letter offering to pay a lower sum than the amount claimed, labelled &#8220;without prejudice&#8221;, was held not to be privileged, as the defendant was asking for a concession rather than giving one: <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Bradford &amp; Bingley Plc<\/span> v. <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Rashid<\/span>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-0002349804\" target=\"_blank\">(2006) 1 WLR 2066<\/a> : (2006) 4 All ER 705.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn14\" href=\"#fnref14\">14.<\/a> <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Unilever Plc v The Procter &amp; Gamble Company<\/span> [1999] EWCA Civ 3027: [2000] 1 WLR 2436&#9;<span style=\"font-style: italic;\">; Belt<\/span> v. <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Basildon &amp; Thurrock NHS Trust<\/span>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-9003286316\" target=\"_blank\">2004 SCC OnLine EWHC 12<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn15\" href=\"#fnref15\">15.<\/a> International Bar Association Arbitration Committee Task Force on Privilege in International Arbitration, <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Report on Uniform Guidelines on Privilege in International Arbitration<\/span>, Annex 5, 11 (2024).<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn16\" href=\"#fnref16\">16.<\/a> <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Unilever Plc.<\/span> v. <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">The Procter &amp; Gamble Co.<\/span>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-0002363632\" target=\"_blank\">(2000) 1 WLR 2436<\/a> : (2001) 1 All ER 783, 796.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn17\" href=\"#fnref17\">17.<\/a> Nicolas Gr&eacute;goire, <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Evidentiary Privileges in International Arbitration: A Comparative Analysis under English, American, Swiss and French Law<\/span> (2016) p. 87; International Bar Association Arbitration Committee Task Force on Privilege in International Arbitration, <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Report on Uniform Guidelines on Privilege in International Arbitration<\/span>, Annex 5, 11 (2024).<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn18\" href=\"#fnref18\">18.<\/a> <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Oceanbulk Shipping and Trading SA<\/span> v. <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">TMT Asia Ltd<\/span><span style=\"font-style: italic;\">.<\/span>, (2011) 1 AC 662 : <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-9002854108\" target=\"_blank\">2010 UKSC 44<\/a>, 32-33.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn19\" href=\"#fnref19\">19.<\/a> <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Unilever Plc.<\/span> v. <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">The Procter &amp; Gamble Co.<\/span>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-0002363632\" target=\"_blank\">(2000) 1 WLR 2436<\/a> : (2001) 1 All ER 783, 792.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn20\" href=\"#fnref20\">20.<\/a> <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Calderbank<\/span> v. <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Calderbank<\/span>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-0002360362\" target=\"_blank\">(1975) 3 WLR 586<\/a> : (1975) 3 All ER 333.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn21\" href=\"#fnref21\">21.<\/a> Practical Law, &#8220;Privilege: A World Tour&#8221; (Thomson Reuters) available at &lt;<a href=\"https:\/\/uk.practicallaw.thomsonreuters.com\/2-103-2508\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/uk.practicallaw.thomsonreuters.com\/2-103-2508<\/a>&gt; last accessed 4-1-2025.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn22\" href=\"#fnref22\">22.<\/a> International Bar Association Arbitration Committee Task Force on Privilege in International Arbitration, <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Report on Uniform Guidelines on Privilege in International Arbitration<\/span>, Annex 5, 11 (2024).<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn23\" href=\"#fnref23\">23.<\/a> D&eacute;cision du 12 juillet 2007 portant adoption du r&egrave;glement int&eacute;rieur national (RIN) de la profession d&#8217;avocat, Art. 3.1 (Fr).<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn24\" href=\"#fnref24\">24.<\/a> Nicolas Gr&eacute;goire, <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Evidentiary Privileges in International Arbitration: A Comparative Analysis under English, American, Swiss and French Law<\/span> (2016) p. 87.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn25\" href=\"#fnref25\">25.<\/a> Nicolas Gr&eacute;goire, <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Evidentiary Privileges in International Arbitration: A Comparative Analysis under English, American, Swiss and French Law<\/span> (2016) p. 87.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn26\" href=\"#fnref26\">26.<\/a> Nicolas Gr&eacute;goire, <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Evidentiary Privileges in International Arbitration: A Comparative Analysis under English, American, Swiss and French Law<\/span> (2016) pp. 90-91.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn27\" href=\"#fnref27\">27.<\/a> Klaus Peter Berger, &#8220;Evidentiary Privileges: Best Practice Standards versus\/and Arbitral Discretion&#8221; (2006) 22 Arbitration International 501, 502.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn28\" href=\"#fnref28\">28.<\/a> Nicolas Gr&eacute;goire, <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Evidentiary Privileges in International Arbitration: A Comparative Analysis under English, American, Swiss and French Law<\/span> (2016) p. 4.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn29\" href=\"#fnref29\">29.<\/a> Roman Khodykin and Carol Mulcahy, <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">A Guide to the IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence in International Arbitration<\/span> (Nicholas Fletcher QC ed., 2019) p. 437.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn30\" href=\"#fnref30\">30.<\/a> Klaus Peter Berger, &#8220;Evidentiary Privileges: Best Practice Standards versus\/and Arbitral Discretion&#8221; (2006) 22 Arbitration International 506.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn31\" href=\"#fnref31\">31.<\/a> Michelle Sindler and Tina W&uuml;stemann, &#8220;Privilege Across Borders in Arbitration: Multi-Jurisdictional Nightmare or a Storm in a Teacup&#8221; (2005) 23 Bulletin ASA 610, 620; Klaus Peter Berger, &#8220;Evidentiary Privileges: Best Practice Standards versus\/and Arbitral Discretion&#8221; (2006) 22 Arbitration International 507.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn32\" href=\"#fnref32\">32.<\/a> Lex fori regit processum.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn33\" href=\"#fnref33\">33.<\/a> Richard Garnett, <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Substance and Procedure in Private International Law<\/span> (OUP 2012) p. 1.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn34\" href=\"#fnref34\">34.<\/a> Klaus Peter Berger, &#8220;Evidentiary Privileges: Best Practice Standards versus\/and Arbitral Discretion&#8221; (2006) 22 Arbitration International 507-508.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn35\" href=\"#fnref35\">35.<\/a> Roman Khodykin and Carol Mulcahy, <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">A Guide to the IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence in International Arbitration<\/span> (Nicholas Fletcher QC ed., 2019) pp. 440-441.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn36\" href=\"#fnref36\">36.<\/a> Robert A. Pascal, &#8220;The Conflict of Laws: A Comparative Study by Ernst Rabel&#8221; (1946) Louisiana Law Review 735.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn37\" href=\"#fnref37\">37.<\/a> Richard Garnett, <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Substance and Procedure in Private International Law<\/span> (OUP 2012) p. 4; see also <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">XL Insurance Ltd.<\/span> v. <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Owens Corning<\/span>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/DocumentLink.aspx?q=JTXT-9003286315\" target=\"_blank\">2000 SCC OnLine EWHC 20<\/a>, (Toulson, J.).<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn38\" href=\"#fnref38\">38.<\/a> Klaus Peter Berger, &#8220;Evidentiary Privileges: Best Practice Standards versus\/and Arbitral Discretion&#8221; (2006) 22 Arbitration International 508; <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">see also<\/span>, Roman Khodykin and Carol Mulcahy, <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">A Guide to the IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence in International Arbitration<\/span> (Nicholas Fletcher QC Ed., 2019) p. 439.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn39\" href=\"#fnref39\">39.<\/a> Georgios Petrochilos, <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Procedural Law in International Arbitration<\/span> (Oxford University Press, 2012) p. 169.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn40\" href=\"#fnref40\">40.<\/a> Richard M. Mosk and Tom Ginsburg, &#8220;Evidentiary Privileges in International Arbitration&#8221; (2001) 50 The International and Comparative Law Quarterly 345, 383; Fabian von Schlabrendorff and Audley Sheppard, &#8220;Conflict of Legal Privileges in International Arbitration: An Attempt to Find a Holistic Solution&#8221; in Gerald Aksen and others (Eds.), <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Global Reflections on International Law, Commerce and Dispute Resolution: Liber Amicorum in Honour of Robert Briner<\/span> (ICC Publishing 2005) pp. 743, 796.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn41\" href=\"#fnref41\">41.<\/a> Klaus Peter Berger, &#8220;Evidentiary Privileges: Best Practice Standards versus\/and Arbitral Discretion&#8221; (2006) 22 Arbitration International 509.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn42\" href=\"#fnref42\">42.<\/a> International Bar Association, IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence in International Arbitration, 2020, Art. 9.3(<span style=\"font-style: italic;\">c<\/span>).<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn43\" href=\"#fnref43\">43.<\/a> Arbitration Act, 1996 (GB), S. 34; German Code of Civil Procedure (ZPO), Ss. 1042(3)-(4); UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration, 1985, Art. 19; Bundesgesetz &uuml;ber das Internationale Privatrecht (IPRG) (Federal Act on Private International Law) 1987, Art. 182 (Switzerland).<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn44\" href=\"#fnref44\">44.<\/a> Global Arbitration Review, <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">The Guide to Evidence in International Arbitration<\/span> (2nd Edn., 2023) p. 114.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn45\" href=\"#fnref45\">45.<\/a> Global Arbitration Review, <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">The Guide to Evidence in International Arbitration<\/span> (2nd Edn., 2023) p. 115; Arbitration Act, 1996, Ss. 34(1) and (2)(<span style=\"font-style: italic;\">f<\/span>); German Code of Civil Procedure (ZPO), S. 1042(4); UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration, 1985, Art. 19(2); Swiss Rules of International Arbitration 2021, Art. 26(1); UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, 2021, Art. 27(4); LCIA Arbitration Rules, 2020, Art. 22.1(<span style=\"font-style: italic;\">vi<\/span>).<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn46\" href=\"#fnref46\">46.<\/a> International Bar Association, IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence in International Arbitration, 2020, Art. 9.2(<span style=\"font-style: italic;\">b<\/span>).<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn47\" href=\"#fnref47\">47.<\/a> Roman Khodykin and Carol Mulcahy, <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">A Guide to the IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence in International Arbitration<\/span> (Nicholas Fletcher QC ed., 2019) p. 441.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn48\" href=\"#fnref48\">48.<\/a> International Bar Association, IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence in International Arbitration, 2020, Art. 9.3(<span style=\"font-style: italic;\">e<\/span>).<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn49\" href=\"#fnref49\">49.<\/a> Klaus Peter Berger, &#8220;The Settlement Privilege: A General Principle of International ADR Law&#8221; (2008) 24 Arbitration International 265, 271.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn50\" href=\"#fnref50\">50.<\/a> Klaus Peter Berger, &#8220;The Settlement Privilege: A General Principle of International ADR Law&#8221; (2008) 24 Arbitration International 266.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;\"><a id=\"fn51\" href=\"#fnref51\">51.<\/a> Niuscha Bassiri and Laura Jaroslavsky Consoli, &#8220;Time to Listen and Act: Settlement Facilitation in Arbitration&#8221;, Kluwer Arbitration Blog, 18-10-2024, available at &lt;<a href=\"https:\/\/arbitrationblog.kluwerarbitration.com\/2024\/10\/18\/time-to-listen-and-act-settlement-facilitation-in-arbitration\/\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/arbitrationblog.kluwerarbitration.com\/2024\/10\/18\/time-to-listen-and-act-settlement-facilitation-in-arbitration\/<\/a><\/span>&gt;<span style=\"Open Sans&quot;; font-size: 9.0pt;\"> last accessed 4-1-2025.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>by Zacarias Kanjirath Joseph*<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":67011,"featured_media":379279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[42503,1191],"tags":[101124,101123,101121,101122,101125,101119,101126,101120],"class_list":["post-379276","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-legal-analysis","category-op-ed","tag-common-law-vs-civil-law-privilege-arbitration","tag-cross-border-arbitration-evidence-privilege","tag-evidentiary-privilege-arbitration-comparative-analysis","tag-iba-rules-privilege-arbitration","tag-settlement-negotiations-confidentiality-arbitration","tag-settlement-privilege-international-arbitration","tag-transnational-arbitration-privilege-doctrine","tag-without-prejudice-rule-arbitration-law"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Settlement Privilege in International Arbitration: Without Prejudice Doctrine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A legal analysis of settlement privilege and without prejudice communications in international arbitration and the need for a transnational standard.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2026\/03\/25\/settlement-privilege-without-prejudice-international-arbitration\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Without Prejudice to the Spirit of Arbitration Settlement Privilege in International Arbitration\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A legal analysis of settlement privilege and without prejudice communications in international arbitration and the need for a transnational standard.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2026\/03\/25\/settlement-privilege-without-prejudice-international-arbitration\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"SCC Times\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/scc.online\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-03-25T03:30:06+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Settlement-Privilege-International-Arbitration.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"886\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"590\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Editor\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Without Prejudice to the Spirit of Arbitration Settlement Privilege in International Arbitration\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Editor\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"20 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.scconline.com\\\/blog\\\/post\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/25\\\/settlement-privilege-without-prejudice-international-arbitration\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.scconline.com\\\/blog\\\/post\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/25\\\/settlement-privilege-without-prejudice-international-arbitration\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Editor\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.scconline.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/84e42bab48238baf12c7e33b3d9761fe\"},\"headline\":\"Without Prejudice to the Spirit of Arbitration Settlement Privilege in International Arbitration\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-03-25T03:30:06+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.scconline.com\\\/blog\\\/post\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/25\\\/settlement-privilege-without-prejudice-international-arbitration\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":4109,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.scconline.com\\\/blog\\\/post\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/25\\\/settlement-privilege-without-prejudice-international-arbitration\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.scconline.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/Settlement-Privilege-International-Arbitration.webp\",\"keywords\":[\"common law vs civil law privilege arbitration\",\"cross border arbitration evidence privilege\",\"evidentiary privilege arbitration comparative analysis\",\"IBA rules privilege arbitration\",\"settlement negotiations confidentiality arbitration\",\"settlement privilege international arbitration\",\"transnational arbitration privilege doctrine\",\"without prejudice rule arbitration law\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Op Eds\",\"OP. ED.\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.scconline.com\\\/blog\\\/post\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/25\\\/settlement-privilege-without-prejudice-international-arbitration\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.scconline.com\\\/blog\\\/post\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/25\\\/settlement-privilege-without-prejudice-international-arbitration\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.scconline.com\\\/blog\\\/post\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/25\\\/settlement-privilege-without-prejudice-international-arbitration\\\/\",\"name\":\"Settlement Privilege in International Arbitration: Without Prejudice Doctrine\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.scconline.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.scconline.com\\\/blog\\\/post\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/25\\\/settlement-privilege-without-prejudice-international-arbitration\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.scconline.com\\\/blog\\\/post\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/25\\\/settlement-privilege-without-prejudice-international-arbitration\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.scconline.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/Settlement-Privilege-International-Arbitration.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-03-25T03:30:06+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.scconline.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/84e42bab48238baf12c7e33b3d9761fe\"},\"description\":\"A legal analysis of settlement privilege and without prejudice communications in international arbitration and the need for a transnational standard.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.scconline.com\\\/blog\\\/post\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/25\\\/settlement-privilege-without-prejudice-international-arbitration\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.scconline.com\\\/blog\\\/post\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/25\\\/settlement-privilege-without-prejudice-international-arbitration\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.scconline.com\\\/blog\\\/post\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/25\\\/settlement-privilege-without-prejudice-international-arbitration\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.scconline.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/Settlement-Privilege-International-Arbitration.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.scconline.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/Settlement-Privilege-International-Arbitration.webp\",\"width\":886,\"height\":590,\"caption\":\"Settlement Privilege International Arbitration\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.scconline.com\\\/blog\\\/post\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/25\\\/settlement-privilege-without-prejudice-international-arbitration\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.scconline.com\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Without Prejudice to the Spirit of Arbitration Settlement Privilege in International Arbitration\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.scconline.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.scconline.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"SCC Times\",\"description\":\"Bringing you the Best Analytical Legal News\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.scconline.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.scconline.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/84e42bab48238baf12c7e33b3d9761fe\",\"name\":\"Editor\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/34e366be721c41333586de05faa13743195f5b142dcd7a015c6fabd2389521d0?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/34e366be721c41333586de05faa13743195f5b142dcd7a015c6fabd2389521d0?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/34e366be721c41333586de05faa13743195f5b142dcd7a015c6fabd2389521d0?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Editor\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.scconline.com\\\/blog\\\/post\\\/author\\\/editor_4\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Settlement Privilege in International Arbitration: Without Prejudice Doctrine","description":"A legal analysis of settlement privilege and without prejudice communications in international arbitration and the need for a transnational standard.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2026\/03\/25\/settlement-privilege-without-prejudice-international-arbitration\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Without Prejudice to the Spirit of Arbitration Settlement Privilege in International Arbitration","og_description":"A legal analysis of settlement privilege and without prejudice communications in international arbitration and the need for a transnational standard.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2026\/03\/25\/settlement-privilege-without-prejudice-international-arbitration\/","og_site_name":"SCC Times","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/scc.online\/","article_published_time":"2026-03-25T03:30:06+00:00","og_image":[{"width":886,"height":590,"url":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Settlement-Privilege-International-Arbitration.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Editor","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_title":"Without Prejudice to the Spirit of Arbitration Settlement Privilege in International Arbitration","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Editor","Est. reading time":"20 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2026\/03\/25\/settlement-privilege-without-prejudice-international-arbitration\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2026\/03\/25\/settlement-privilege-without-prejudice-international-arbitration\/"},"author":{"name":"Editor","@id":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/84e42bab48238baf12c7e33b3d9761fe"},"headline":"Without Prejudice to the Spirit of Arbitration Settlement Privilege in International Arbitration","datePublished":"2026-03-25T03:30:06+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2026\/03\/25\/settlement-privilege-without-prejudice-international-arbitration\/"},"wordCount":4109,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2026\/03\/25\/settlement-privilege-without-prejudice-international-arbitration\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Settlement-Privilege-International-Arbitration.webp","keywords":["common law vs civil law privilege arbitration","cross border arbitration evidence privilege","evidentiary privilege arbitration comparative analysis","IBA rules privilege arbitration","settlement negotiations confidentiality arbitration","settlement privilege international arbitration","transnational arbitration privilege doctrine","without prejudice rule arbitration law"],"articleSection":["Op Eds","OP. ED."],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2026\/03\/25\/settlement-privilege-without-prejudice-international-arbitration\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2026\/03\/25\/settlement-privilege-without-prejudice-international-arbitration\/","url":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2026\/03\/25\/settlement-privilege-without-prejudice-international-arbitration\/","name":"Settlement Privilege in International Arbitration: Without Prejudice Doctrine","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2026\/03\/25\/settlement-privilege-without-prejudice-international-arbitration\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2026\/03\/25\/settlement-privilege-without-prejudice-international-arbitration\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Settlement-Privilege-International-Arbitration.webp","datePublished":"2026-03-25T03:30:06+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/84e42bab48238baf12c7e33b3d9761fe"},"description":"A legal analysis of settlement privilege and without prejudice communications in international arbitration and the need for a transnational standard.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2026\/03\/25\/settlement-privilege-without-prejudice-international-arbitration\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2026\/03\/25\/settlement-privilege-without-prejudice-international-arbitration\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2026\/03\/25\/settlement-privilege-without-prejudice-international-arbitration\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Settlement-Privilege-International-Arbitration.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Settlement-Privilege-International-Arbitration.webp","width":886,"height":590,"caption":"Settlement Privilege International Arbitration"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2026\/03\/25\/settlement-privilege-without-prejudice-international-arbitration\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Without Prejudice to the Spirit of Arbitration Settlement Privilege in International Arbitration"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/","name":"SCC Times","description":"Bringing you the Best Analytical Legal News","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/84e42bab48238baf12c7e33b3d9761fe","name":"Editor","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/34e366be721c41333586de05faa13743195f5b142dcd7a015c6fabd2389521d0?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/34e366be721c41333586de05faa13743195f5b142dcd7a015c6fabd2389521d0?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/34e366be721c41333586de05faa13743195f5b142dcd7a015c6fabd2389521d0?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Editor"},"url":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/author\/editor_4\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Settlement-Privilege-International-Arbitration.webp","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":297826,"url":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2023\/09\/01\/international-aviation-arbitration-a-critical-analysis-of-emerging-trends\/","url_meta":{"origin":379276,"position":0},"title":"International Aviation Arbitration: A Critical Analysis of Emerging Trends","author":"Bhumika Indulia","date":"September 1, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"by Viplav Sharma\u2020","rel":"","context":"In &quot;OP. ED.&quot;","block_context":{"text":"OP. ED.","link":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/category\/op-ed\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"emerging trends","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/emerging-trends.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/emerging-trends.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/emerging-trends.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/emerging-trends.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":253913,"url":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2021\/09\/09\/fortitude-learning-online-certificate-course-on-international-dispute-settlement-september-24th-september-27th-2021\/","url_meta":{"origin":379276,"position":1},"title":"Fortitude Learning | Online certificate course on International Dispute Settlement [September 24th\u00a0\u2013 September 27th, 2021]","author":"Bhumika Indulia","date":"September 9, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Fortitude Learning is conducting an online certificate course on International Dispute Settlement from September 24th\u00a0\u2013 September 27th, 2021. About the Course Through this course, we seek to provide the participants with an in-depth knowledge of the growing relevance of international dispute settlement mechanisms, especially international arbitration globally. This course is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Law School News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Law School News","link":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/category\/lawschoolnews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Fortitude-Learning.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Fortitude-Learning.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Fortitude-Learning.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Fortitude-Learning.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Fortitude-Learning.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":257852,"url":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2021\/11\/29\/legitimacy-of-private-mediation-in-the-pre-legislation-era-busting-myths-with-facts\/","url_meta":{"origin":379276,"position":2},"title":"Legitimacy of Private Mediation in the Pre-Legislation Era: Busting Myths with Facts","author":"Bhumika Indulia","date":"November 29, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"by Raj Panchmatia \u2020 and Jonathan Rodrigues \u2020\u2020 Cite as: 2021 SCC OnLine Blog Exp 87","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Experts Corner&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Experts Corner","link":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/category\/experts_corner\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/MicrosoftTeams-image-165.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/MicrosoftTeams-image-165.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/MicrosoftTeams-image-165.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/MicrosoftTeams-image-165.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/MicrosoftTeams-image-165.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":282542,"url":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2023\/01\/28\/pre-arbitration-procedure-mandatory-or-directory\/","url_meta":{"origin":379276,"position":3},"title":"Pre-Arbitration Procedure: Mandatory or Directory?","author":"Bhumika Indulia","date":"January 28, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"by Ketan D. Parikh\u2020","rel":"","context":"In &quot;OP. ED.&quot;","block_context":{"text":"OP. ED.","link":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/category\/op-ed\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/MicrosoftTeams-image-222.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":243509,"url":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2021\/02\/07\/evolution-of-adr-mechanisms-in-india\/","url_meta":{"origin":379276,"position":4},"title":"Evolution of ADR Mechanisms in India","author":"Bhumika Indulia","date":"February 7, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"by Lalit Sharma*","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Op Eds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Op Eds","link":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/category\/op-ed\/legal-analysis\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/adr-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/adr-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/adr-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/adr-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/adr-1.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":256963,"url":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2021\/11\/11\/appointment-of-arbitrator-3\/","url_meta":{"origin":379276,"position":5},"title":"Law on appointment of arbitrator | What happens if parties fail to agree on arbitrator within 30 days from receipt of request by one party? Del HC explains","author":"Bhumika Indulia","date":"November 11, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Delhi High Court: Sanjeev Narula, J.,\u00a0allowed an arbitration petition by appointing a sole arbitrator to adjudicate the disputes between the contesting parties. Instant petition sought appointment of a Sole Arbitrator to adjudicate the disputes that were stated to have arisen under a Settlement Agreement containing an arbitration agreement. Facts in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Case Briefs&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Case Briefs","link":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/category\/casebriefs\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/379276","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/67011"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=379276"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/379276\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/379279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=379276"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=379276"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=379276"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}