The spiralling cost of conducting international arbitrations has been extensively debated in recent years. Most of the cost of pursuing or defending an international arbitration is attributable to the cost of legal representation. In this article the author considers the use of alternative fee arrangements in international arbitration.The author discusses the use of innovative procurement processes by parties which are intended to drive down the cost of legal services. Although the reason for using such processes is to reduce the cost to the client, the author argues that alternative fee arrangements could result in arbitrations being conducted more efficiently and proactively. Accepting alternative fee arrangements will require law firms to review not only their billing practices, but also to revisit the manner in which they approach the conduct of international arbitrations in order to increase efficiency whilst maintaining profitability.