James (Jim) Morrison is a specialist in international arbitration, acting as arbitrator and counsel, as well as having extensive experience working in multiple arbitral institutions.
Jim has worked at leading international law firms, representing leading companies in a wide variety of complex high-stakes commercial and investor-state disputes, including in the fields of construction, infrastructure, energy and resources, sports, M&A, intellectual property, shipbuilding and joint ventures.
Jim is formerly Counsel at the ICC International Court of Arbitration in Paris and Counsel (Acting Secretary General) at the Australian Centre for International Commercial Arbitration in Sydney where he managed teams of lawyers responsible for the conduct of hundreds of international arbitrations taking place all over the world (but particularly in Asia). He holds a Master’s Degree in International Commercial Arbitration Law from the University of Stockholm.
Jim was listed in the GAR 45 Under 45 in 2023 and has been regularly recognised in the WWL: Arbitration and Thought Leaders – Arbitration. He has participated in working groups to revise various institutional and ad hoc arbitration rules, including as co-chair of the committee revising the ACICA Rules. He regularly speaks and lectures at arbitration conferences and universities. Jim is a former Co-Chair of Young ICCA, a co-author of the first English language text book on Korean arbitration law and regularly publishes in international dispute resolution.
- Partner, Peter & Kim, Sydney (2019 to Present)
- Counsel (Acting Secretary General), ACICA, Sydney (2018 to 2020)
- Independent Consultant and Arbitrator, Morrison Law, Sydney (2015 to 2019)
- Senior Associate, Allens Linklaters, Sydney (2011 to 2015)
- Senior Associate, Bae, Kim & Lee, Seoul (2009 to 2011)
- Counsel, ICC International Court of Arbitration, Paris (2006 to 2009)
- Solicitor, Coudert Brothers, Sydney (2004 to 2005)
- Master of International Commercial Arbitration Law (AB cum laude approbatur), University of Stockholm (2006)
- Diploma of Legal Practice, College of Law, Sydney (2004)
- Bachelor of Law (First Class Honours), University of Sydney (2003)
- Bachelor of Economics (First Class Honours), University of Sydney (2001)
- Represented Viet Nam in investor-State arbitrations concerning a court decision to set aside a commercial arbitration award
- Represented a major steel company in a SIAC Singapore seated arbitration under NSW law against liquidated damages and defects claims in the design and supply of steel for a major infrastructure project in Australia
- Represented a Taekwondo athlete in appeal proceedings before the CAS concerning qualification for the 2004 Paris Olympics
- Represented a major mining and metallurgy consortium in an ICC arbitration with more than USD 500 million in dispute, under Swiss law, concerning the engineering and construction of a state-of-the-art metallurgical facility
- Represented an investor in investor-State arbitration against the PRC in a dispute over a large real estate development project
- Represented a large Korean construction company in an ICC Singapore seated arbitration against a US developer concerning a mega-development project in Korea
- Represented a soccer player in appeal proceedings before the CAS concerning doping allegations
- Represented a large Korean construction company in an ICC London seated arbitration against Turkish sub-contractor concerning the design and construction of a power plant in Iraq under Iraqi law
- Represented the principal of one of the most significant LNG projects in the world concerning a multi-billion dollar ICC arbitration seated in Singapore
- Represented an international consortium of oil producers in a SIAC arbitration in Singapore against a contractor concerning change orders, defects, and delays in the construction of an FSO facility in Vietnam
- Represented a consortium of insurers in a complex high-value dispute concerning defective and delayed works in the construction of a water desalination plant in Australia
- Represented one of the world’s leading hotel operators in a joint venture dispute concerning hotel development in India – ICC arbitration seated in Singapore
- Represented a Taekwondo athlete in CAS arbitration relating to qualification for the Paris Olympic Games
- Represented a large steel manufacturer in an ICC arbitration in London concerning the alleged wrongful termination of an iron slab off-take agreement
- Represented a well-known shipbuilding business in an arbitration before the LMAA in London concerning the construction of ship hulls
- Represented a leading construction company in a number of related ICC London and Zurich seated arbitrations for delays and defects in power plant and water treatment projects in the Middle East
- Represented a major welding products supplier in an ICC arbitration seated in Zurich in a dispute concerning the termination of a joint venture agreement
- Represented a leading engineering and construction firm in an ad hoc arbitration in London concerning delays and defects in the construction of an offshore oil platform
- Represented an Australian mining company in a high-value and complex ad hoc arbitration under WA law concerning rights to mining tenements
- Chair, ACICA Rules Committee
- HKIAC List of Arbitrators
- SIAC Panel of Arbitrators
- ACICA Panel of Arbitrators
- KCAB Panel of Arbitrators
- THAC Panel of Arbitrators
- Advisory Board, Young ICCA
Jim Morrison has published extensively in international dispute resolution, as author of numerous academic and professional articles, as well as being a contributing author to several books on international arbitration. In particular, he is co-author of the first English language text book on Korean international arbitration law.
- GAR 45 Under 45 (2023)
- Who’s Who Legal (WWL): Thought Leaders Arbitration
- WWL: Arbitration and National Leader: Australia – Arbitration
- IPBA Shenzen 2024
- 2023-2024 ICC Advanced Arbitration Academy for Asia
- 2nd ICC Tokyo Arbitration Training Day
- ICAL Stockholm 20th Anniversary Conference
- 2023 SIAC Symposium
- GAR Live Sydney 2023
- SIAC Tokyo Conference 2023
- ICCA Vancouver 2023