ABSTRACT
Singapore has adopted the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law (ML) on Arbitration 1985, and has two systems of arbitration law applied to international and domestic arbitrations. The fact that foreign lawyers can be involved in international arbitrations held in Singapore has further strengthened Singapore's reputation as an international arbitration centre. Arbitration is one type of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) method among others, such as conciliation and mediation. The main distinction between these three forms of dispute resolution methods and litigation is that they are not supposed to be adversarial. Comparing arbitration and litigation, the former is a private out-of-court settlement between two parties who have agreed to accept the decision of an appointed arbitrator, whereas in the latter, the dispute is resolved by the court. Parties in the arbitration process are not bound by national procedural laws and have the freedom to decide on procedures and time frame.
