A person chooses, and says why
No software picks, ranks or suggests an arbitrator. A named person at the administrator chooses by hand, for each case, and records the reason.
The panel is shown in alphabetical order, with no scores and nothing pre-selected. One arbitrator is chosen per case, with a written reason.
The legal basis
Every appointment records which legal route it follows. Without a basis and its evidence, the appointment cannot be made.
| Basis | What is recorded | |
|---|---|---|
| A | Institution named in the contract | The arbitration clause refers appointments to the institution. |
| B | Consent after the dispute | The parties agreed to the appointment after the dispute arose. The consent document is attached. |
| C | Court appointment (s.11) | A court appointed the arbitrator. The order reference, date and copy are attached, and only the arbitrator the court named can be offered the case. |
| D | Mutual nomination | Both sides nominated the arbitrator together. |
Conflict checks
Before an offer goes out, the platform shows warnings about possible conflicts, for example when the same arbitrator has had many cases from the same client recently (5 offers in 90 days by default). Each warning has to be acknowledged before the offer can go. A warning never blocks or reorders the choice; it makes sure the person choosing has seen it.
The arbitrator’s disclosure
The arbitrator must make a signed section 12 disclosure before accepting: any circumstance that could give rise to justifiable doubts about their independence or impartiality. The disclosure is kept on the case record.
Objecting to the arbitrator
When the arbitrator accepts, every party is told and an objection window opens: 15 calendar days by default. A respondent can object from the portal while it is open, giving grounds; the client can object too. The objection is decided by the tribunal, under the institution’s rules or by a court, as the law requires. The platform records the ruling and never makes it.
Fairness reports
The administrator keeps reports of how appointments are spread across the panel and across clients, so any pattern can be seen and explained. Every step of every appointment, including the reason and each acknowledged warning, is in the audit log.