Caroline Thomas
Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb)

I solve problemsBased in Hong Kong • Serving Clients world-wide

Caroline Thomas FCIArb is a multilingual international arbitrator and mediator based in Hong Kong.On the roll of solicitors in England & Wales, Ireland and Hong Kong, Caroline is also admitted in New York.Languages
• English, French, German, Spanish
• Basic: Italian and MandarinNationalities
Swiss 🇨🇭 / German 🇩🇪 / Luxembourg 🇱🇺Caroline Thomas accepts appointments as arbitrator and mediator.To connect now or for further information - click below links.

© Caroline Thomas. All rights reserved.

Over 15 Years of Experience of Caroline Thomas FCIARB

Experience of over 50 international commercial arbitrations including of: shipping and trade, (re)insurance, energy, telecoms, tech, pharma and construction disputes. Over 15 awards written.Experience mediating commercial disputes as well as employment and matrimonial law disputes.Professional Qualifications & Admissions
• Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb)
• Admitted, State Bar of New York | 2022
• Admitted as Solicitor, High Court of Hong Kong SAR | 2010
• Admitted as Solicitor, England & Wales | 2008Education
• LL.M (Master of Laws) | Columbia University, New York | 2021 (Focus on arbitration) Parker School Recognition of Achievement, Harlan Fisk Stone Honours
• Diploma in Insurance | Chartered Insurance Institute (CII)
• Accreditation by HKIAC as a mediator (category general)
• MA Economics and History | Trinity College Dublin | 2003
• Diplôme du Programme International | Sciences Po Paris | 2001-2002
• Baccalaureate | European School of Luxembourg | 1999Board/ Committee Memberships
Board member (and past chair) of the Hong Kong Insurance Law Association Limited since 2012.
On the board of ARIAS Asia and the AIDA Presidential Council(co-head of AIDA’s dispute resolution working party).
CIArb EAB Committee Member from 2023-2026.

Panels, Lists etc.

Caroline Thomas FCiarb sits as arbitrator and is on many lists/ panels of arbitrators including:• AALCO – Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization Hong Kong Regional Arbitration Centre
• AIAC – Asian International Arbitration Centre
• ARIAS Asia – AIDA Reinsurance and Insurance Arbitration Society of Asia
ASA Profiles – Swiss Arbitration Association (ASA) online platform
• DIAC – Dubai International Arbitration Centre
• HKIAC – Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre
• HKMAG – Hong Kong Maritime Arbitration Group
• ICC Switzerland – Swiss Commission of Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution
• JCAA – Japan Commercial Arbitration Association
• LAA – Luxembourg Arbitration Association
• LCIA – London Court of International Arbitration
• LMAA – London Maritime Arbitrators Association
• SIAC – Singapore International Arbitration Centre
• SCMA – Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration
• THAC – Thailand Arbitration Centre

Appointment

Conflict Checks and Disclosure
Email to: [email protected].A conflict check is the first step in any appointment.To facilitate this, please provide a full list of involved people and companies (and, if applicable, disclose any regulatory issues) in your initial communication. Please also review the arbitrator's/ mediator's short CV listed on this site and profile on LinkedIn and flag any potential conflicts.We are independent from law firms hence conflicts are less likely.Fees and Terms and Conditions of Appointment as Arbitrator
An arbitrator's terms of appointment depend on whether an arbitration is being administered by an institution or is ad hoc as well as on whether any rules of arbitration or fee schedules have already been agreed by the parties (e.g. in the arbitration agreement).We have our own terms & conditions which we propose when no rules apply and which will apply if you proceed with us.Where we have discretion to set fees, we try to ensure that they are proportionate to the quantum and complexity of a dispute.Please feel free to share the approximate sum in dispute with us in your initial communication.Electronic Office
Unless otherwise advised, we are happy to receive electronic correspondence - no need to also send paper copies.

Short CV - Caroline Thomas

  • Arbitratio & Concilium Limited | Director (2020 – ongoing)

  • University of Hong Kong | Lecturer (Non Clinical) Faculty of Law (2025 - ongoing)

  • Association of Swiss Abroad | Deputy Delegate for Hong Kong (2025 – ongoing)

  • Hauzen LLP (affiliated with DWF Law LLP and associated with Anjie Broad Law Firm LLP) | Partner (2024-2026) insurance coverage and shareholder disputes

  • Hugill & Ip | Counsel (2023-2024) various types of disputes (including insurance coverage) and gained insights into complex employment and family law cases

  • Insurance Authority of Hong Kong | Senior Manager Head of Legal & Policy Market Conduct (2018 – 2020) several public consultations, designing processes, advising on exemptions and complex AML and regulatory breaches

  • A Pacific Island Insurer | head of legal, claims and governance at a health, property and motor insurer (2016-2018) ultimately involved in the sale of said insurer

  • Hill Dickinson, Hong Kong | Partner (2016 – 2018) various types of disputes (including insurance coverage and joint venture), sole advocate (1:3) in a SIAC arbitration

  • HFW | Senior Associate (2011 – 2016) many charterparty and bill of lading disputes (under various rules), judicial reviews, competition law/ telecoms, large SIAC and ICC arbitrations (including commodities, JV and pharma disputes) and several high value insurance coverage disputes (e.g. CAR, Welcar, marine hull)

  • Clyde & Co London and Hong Kong | Associate / Trainee (2006 – 2011) aviation finance, 4 Privy Council cases, insurance coverage disputes (marine/ D&O/ reinsurance), corporate insurance (e.g. portfolio transfer/ reinsurance/ retros), charterparty and bill of lading disputes under various rules

  • LCS & Partners, Taipei | Legal Assistant (2005) insurance (D&O) and copyright disputes, fraud, competition law

  • Barlow Lyde & Gilbert, London | Litigation Assistant (2004) reinsurance disputes

  • Please email to request a longer form CV, case list or more details of sector-specific experience.

Select Publications & Academic Work

  • Arbitration law in 2025: a review, Lloyd’s List Intelligence

  • Arbitration law in 2024: a review, Lloyd’s List Intelligence

  • Funding Arbitration, International Practices, trends and possible developments in Luxembourg, LAA, September 26, 2024

  • Arbitration Law Review 2023, Lloyd's List Intelligence

  • “Paying for Arbitration” talk given for The University of Hong Kong’s LLM Arbitration and Dispute Resolution series (2023)

  • “Reform of arbitration law - the Law Commission’s consultation on Enka”, (2023) Arbitration Law Monthly with K Duggal and A Lee.

  • Introduction to Nutshell on Investor-State Arbitration edited by Professors Bermann and Duggal (2022)

  • TagTime with Matthew Gearing QC – Appeals on Questions of Law – Worth the Trouble?, March 25, 2021, The American Review of International Arbitration, Columbia University

  • 2 “interviews” co-authored with Jonathan Beard (Arcadis) in Getting the Deal Through (2017)

  • Interviewed on China’s One Belt One Road and HK's role as a dispute resolution centre (2017)

  • Interviewed several times in the context of the first application in HK to the Competition Commission for a block exemption and subsequent applications (2016 – 2018)

  • 10+articles for LexisNexis on data protection in HK (2017-18)

  • Insurance Post podcast (one of 4 panellists) on young talent and insurance industry (2016)

  • Panel discussion - should HK's insurance industry apply for competition block exemption (2016)

  • Various HD updates on insurance/ competition/ data protection law (2016 – 2018)

  • Various HFW updates on insurance, competition and shipping law (2015-16)

  • Co-authored article on transport in book about HK Competition Ordinance (2016)

  • Article about data protection/cyber insurance in HK for HFW website (2015)

  • Co-authored HFW updates on Competition Ordinance (2015 & 2016)

  • Co-authored HFW update on new SAFE rules (2014) re enforceability of Chinese guarantees

  • Co-authored HK chapter in Shipping Law Review (2014 & updates in 2015 and 2016)

  • Co-authored HK chapter on Marine Cargo Insurance in HK, Informa (2012)

  • Co-authored HK chapter on Time Bars in Insurance and Reinsurance, Clyde & Co (2011)

  • Co-authored chapter on competition law in Taiwan, Northwestern University Press (2005)

  • Co-authored chapter on insurance law in Taiwan, Center for International Legal Studies (2005)