Introduction

On 27 November 2020 the UK Supreme Court handed down its much anticipated judgment in Halliburton Company (Appellant) v Chubb Bermuda Insurance Ltd (formerly known as Ace Bermuda Insurance Ltd) (First Respondent) (hereinafter Halliburton v Chubb). The court upheld (for different reasons) the decisions of the lower courts and unanimously dismissed Halliburton's appeal. The judgment was handed down by Lord Hodge, with whom Lord Reed, Lady Black and Lord Lloyd-Jones agree. Lady Arden gave a concurring judgment. The central issues to be determined on appeal concerned (i) whether and to what extent an arbitrator may accept multiple appointments involving a common party and overlapping subject matters without giving rise to an appearance of bias; (ii) and whether and to what extent an arbitrator may accept such appointments without disclosure.

Footnotes omitted from this introduction.