Erika Williams Arbitrator, Counsel, Lawyer
Nationality(ies):
Australian

Legal System:

Common Law, International Law

Practice Areas:

Arbitration, Commercial Law, Corporate Law, Environment, Infrastructure, Public international Law

Jurisdiction:

Australia

Publications

·         ‘Enforcing Foreign Arbitral Awards in the Federal Court of Australia‘ (2024) 12(1) The ACICA Review 29

·         ‘Institutional Approaches to Ethics in Arbitration‘ (2022) 41(1) The Arbitrator & Mediator 21

·         ‘Due Process in a Virtual World‘ (2021) 9(1) The ACICA Review 29

·         ‘Facebook (temporarily) Un-Friends Australia: Arbitration as a Tool in Online Media Regulation’, Kluwer Arbitration Blog (Blog Post, 26 March 2021)

·         ‘Foreign Investors’ Increasing Awareness of Investor-State Arbitration – view from Australia‘ (2020) 39 Australian Resources and Energy Law Journal 35

·         ‘Federal Court of Australia enforces ICSID Awards against Kingdom of Spain’ (2020) 8(1) The ACICA Review 32

·         ‘A change in Investment Treaty Climate: Infrastructure Services Luxembourg S.A.R.L. v Kingdom of Spain’ (2019) 7(2) The ACICA Review 39

·         ‘The Non-Responsive Respondent: Taking an Arbitration Forward and How’ (2019) 85(1) The International Journal of Arbitration, Mediation and Dispute Management 65

·         ‘Arbitrating Down Under: Highlights and lessons learned from 2018 to 2019‘ (2019) 15(2) Asian International Arbitration Journal 133

·         ‘The ‘Bones’ Arbitration: An American Cautionary-Tale for Australian Practitioners’ (2019) 7(1) The ACICA Review 37

·         ‘Arb-med-arb: Follow the rules or face the costs: Ku-ring-gai Council v Ichor Constructions Pty Ltd‘ (2019) 38(1) The Arbitrator & Mediator 108

·         ‘Out in the cold: WA Court of Appeal upholds freezing order against Spanish-owned construction company involved in arbitration‘ (2019) 38(1) The Arbitrator & Mediator 112

·         ‘Internationalising the International Arbitration Act‘ (2019) 38(1) The Arbitrator & Mediator 122

·         ‘Apply to Set Aside, or Appeal Against an Award?’ (2018) 38(8) Proctor 14

·         ‘Due process paranoia and its role in the future of international commercial arbitration‘ 37(1) The Arbitrator & Mediator 43

·         ‘Indemnity cost orders for overzealous applicants: John Holland Pty Ltd v Adani Abbot Point Terminal Pty Ltd‘ 37(1) The Arbitrator & Mediator 99

·         ‘Director’s fury over road block to litigation: Mad Max arbitration to be heard in Hollywood’ (2018) 6(1) The ACICA Review 25

·         ‘International Arbitration Australia: 2018 Year in Review’ McCullough Robertson Publication

·         ‘Australia Signs the Mauritius Convention: How Investor-State Arbitration Might Look With More Transparency‘ (2017) 5(2) The ACICA Review 40

·         ‘The Rinehart Saga Continues… in private‘ (2017) 4(1) The CIArb Australia News 103

·         ‘International Commercial Arbitration 101’ (2017) 37(11) Proctor 16

·         ‘Turbines tussle may test free trade agreement‘ (2017) 37(5) Proctor 20

·         ‘Australia: coal and wind interests power ISDS threats‘ (2017) 22(1) International Bar Association Arbitration News 16

·         ‘Australian Courts’ Approach to Multi-Party and Multi-Contract Arbitration’ (2016) 4(2) The ACICA Review 29

·         ‘Court Slams Sino Dragon’s Attempt to Set Aside Arbitral Award‘ (2016) 3(2) The CIArb Australia News 51

·         ‘The Saga of Ye v Zeng‘ (2016) 35(1) The Arbitrator & Mediator 105


Speaking Engagement:

·         Guest lecturer, Alternative Dispute Resolution Summer Course, University of Queensland, January 2025

·         Panellist, GAR Live Question Time, Global Arbitration Review, November 2024

·         Facilitator, Emerging Arbitrator Workshop, Resolution Institute, November 2024

·         Chair, Navigating the Uncertainty of the Use of Tribunal Secretaries in Commercial Arbitration, Resolution Institute Conference, November 2024

·         Chair, Cross-Border Enforcement of Arbitral Awards: Evolving Standards and Challenges, Regional Arbitral Institutes Forum, November 2024

·         Panellist, Fraud and Corruption in International Arbitration, Australian Arbitration Week, October 2024

·         Panellist, Conflicts – Choosing, Losing, Schmoosing, Recusing Arbitrators, Australian Arbitration Week, October 2024

·         Presenter, ACICA Arbitrator Workshop – Enhancing Your ACICA Experience, Australian Arbitration Week, October 2024

·         Presenter, Spotlight on Australia, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Young Members Group, September 2024

·         Co-presenter, Alternative Dispute Resolution Masterclass, Queensland Law Society, July 2024

·         Debater, The Great Debate, Australian Disputes Centre ADR Conference, March 2024

·         Presenter, 20th Annual Contract Law Conference, LegalWise Seminars, March 2024

·         Mock Arbitrator, Mock Arbitration Hearing, Singapore Very Young Arbitration Practitioners, August 2023

·         Presenter, Non-participating Respondents in International Arbitration Proceedings, Conversations with ICC Australia, July 2023

·         Presenter, ACICA International Arbitrator Workshop, ACICA, July 2023

·         Chair, Expert Evidence in Arbitration, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators/ACICA International Arbitration Conference, November 2022

·         Chair, Have you Insta-agreed to Uber-tration? Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Young Members Group, November 2022

·         Co-Presenter, Norton Rose Fulbright Brisbane ADR Week Panel Discussion, October 2022

·         Facilitator, Tribunal Secretary Course, ACICA, June 2022

·         Presenter, ACICA Rules 2021 Roadshow, ACICA, October 2021

·         Panellist, International Arbitration in Oceania, Hemmant’s List and ACICA, September 2021

·         Presenter, International Arbitration 101, Queensland Law Society Dispute Resolution Workshop, August 2021

·         Panellist, Ethics in Arbitration, Resolution Institute Conference, July 2021

·         The Rising Arbitrator’s Challenge, Navigating the Promise and Perils of First Appointments, ACICA45 and Rising Arbitrator’s Initiative, May 2021

Teaching

Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

Resolution Institute

Queensland Law Society

University of Queensland

Education

University of Sydney

Other Information

Erika Williams established an independent arbitration practice in 2021 after 15 years in international and national firms acting for parties in some of the largest international and domestic commercial, construction and investor-state disputes resolved through arbitration. 

Since then, Erika has sat as sole and presiding arbitrator in arbitrations under institutional rules such as ICC, SIAC, Resolution Institute and ad hoc and served as tribunal secretary in high-value complex cases. Erika was also engaged as Counsel at ACICA from 2021 to 2024 and has consulted to a number of firms on arbitration related matters in her independent capacity.

Erika has been recognised in Lexology Index (formerly Who’s Who Legal) for arbitration in 2024 and 2025. She has also been listed as a leading arbitration lawyer in Australia in Doyles Guide for the last four years and was recognised as the Arbitration Practitioner of the Year at the Australian ADR Awards 2021.

Firm/Organisation
Williams Arbitration
External Profile: Visit WebsiteSelected Languages:
Languages
English
Speaking Proficiency Proficient
Professional Proficiency Conduct DR proceedings, Represent clients as an advocate in DR proceedings, Testify orally, Draft opinions, reports, agreements, decisions, orders or awards, Understand written documents
Languages
Japanese
Speaking Proficiency Conversational
Williams Arbitration

Professional Address

Level 14, 167 Eagle Street
Brisbane - QLD - Australia
Postal Code: 4000
Professional Phone: 406605727 Mobile Phone: +61 406605727