Tiziana Sucharitkul, managing partner and director of Tilleke & Gibbins’ dispute resolution group, provided in-depth insights on diversity and inclusion and law firms for a recent article in Asia Business Law Journal (ABLJ) on diversity and inclusion in law firms across Asia. In the article, which was published on March 30, 2022, Tiziana offers insights gained in her years in senior leadership at Tilleke & Gibbins and as a longtime advocate for law firm diversity and inclusion initiatives. The article begins by contrasting the demand for greater diversity among Western law firms—especially by corporate counsel—with attitudes in Asia, where questions of expertise and service often take precedence when it comes to legal work. The writer then quickly shifts to investigating the reasons for this, as well as exploring the current state of diversity in the Asian legal industry today. This section of the article leads with Tiziana’s explanation that leadership of Asian law firms are in a very different context than the social tensions that catalyzed many diversity initiatives in the West. However, this does not necessarily mean that diverse representation has lagged in this part of the world. Rather, as Tiziana points out, “Southeast Asian countries have some of the highest proportions of women in senior business leadership in the world.” She also notes that markers such as gender diversity and respect for minority rights can vary widely across Asia. Elsewhere in the article, other senior law firm leaders express similar observations and provide details on the diversity challenges in their countries of focus. For example, an expert on diversity in the Indian legal profession notes that local diversity concerns must also consider caste discrimination, and a partner at a global firm in Singapore speaks about the challenges of developing diversity policies that fit each local context. Tiziana

At the annual general meeting of the Inter-Pacific Bar Association (IPBA) on March 24, Pimvimol (June) Vipamaneerut, a partner in the firm’s corporate and commercial group in Bangkok, was elected as IPBA’s jurisdictional committee member for Thailand. In the role, Pimvimol will be responsible for membership issues in Thailand, and will be the key point of contact for matters concerning activities in the jurisdiction. She will serve as Thailand’s jurisdictional committee member for three years (2022–2025). The IPBA is a prestigious international association of business and commercial attorneys active or with a strong interest in the Pacific region. The IPBA has a membership of more than 1,500 legal professionals from over 65 countries and jurisdictions. Through its activities, the IPBA provides lawyers interested in the Asia-Pacific with opportunities to discuss legal, business, and policy issues affecting the region and grow in their legal practice through professional networking. For more information on the IPBA and its activities, please visit the IPBA website.

Noppramart Thammateeradaycho, a counsel in Tilleke & Gibbins’ dispute resolution practice, has been appointed as an arbitrator by the Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration (SCIA). Noppramart is a recognized leader in international arbitration in the region, with special experience in arbitration of disputes involving the maritime, transportation, insurance, and construction sectors. Her term as an arbitrator will run until February 20, 2025. The SCIA, which was established in 1983 as China was undergoing economic reforms and liberalization, was the first arbitration institution in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Its arbitrators come from 114 countries and regions, and they offer a broad range of industry expertise. For more details on the organization and its work, please see the SCIA website.

Noppramart Thammateeradaycho, a counsel in Tilleke & Gibbins’ dispute resolution practice, has been appointed to the new panel of arbitrators announced recently by the Shanghai Arbitration Commission (SHAC). Noppramart, who was one of two attorneys from Thailand named to the new SHAC arbitration panel, will provide particular support in relation to arbitration of disputes involving the maritime, transportation, insurance, and construction sectors. She is joined on the panel by arbitrators from a wide range of professional backgrounds, with expertise diverse fields including economics, judicial procedure, business, intellectual property, finance, and many more. SHAC, which has grown considerably since its establishment in 1995, is one of the major international arbitration institutions in China. It provides alternative dispute resolution services to companies, organizations, and individuals involved in contentious matters that both parties have agreed to resolve through arbitration rather than litigation.