The Covid-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on the world of dispute resolution, whether litigation, mediation or arbitration.  Since the global shutdown, international arbitration hearings have had to be conducted online rather than in person.  Whether you call it “virtual”, “remote” or “online”, it comes to the same thing: all parties involved attend through one of the many platforms available on the internet, eg Zoom, Teams and BlueJeans.  Many arbitral institutions have issued protocols or updated their rules to help make remote arbitration (including electronic rather than “wet ink” signature) the norm.

无论是诉讼，调解还是仲裁，新冠疫情对解决争端的世界都产生了巨大影响。自全球范围内的封锁以来，国际仲裁听证会必须在线进行，而不是亲自进行。无论称其为“虚拟”，“远程”还是“在线”，都涉及到同一件事：所有相关方都通过互联网上可用的众多平台之一参加会议，例如Zoom，Team和BlueJeans。 许多仲裁机构已经发布协议或更新了其规则，以帮助使远程仲裁（包括电子签名而不是实际的墨水签名）成为规范。

There is considerable discussion whether remote arbitration will replace physical presence at arbitrations once the pandemic is over.  Remote arbitration has several advantages over physical presence.  The most striking advantage is cost.  The main cost benefits are:

新冠之后，是否进行远程仲裁将取代仲裁中的实际存在，这引起了广泛的讨论。与物理状态相比，远程仲裁具有多个优点。 最显着的优势是成本。主要的这些优势包括：

• The huge saving in airline fares and hotel expenses for all the parties involved in international arbitration.

  为参与国际仲裁的所有各方节省了机票和酒店费用。
  

• The saving in travelling time.

  节省旅行时间。

• The saving in printing, with almost everything being done electronically.

  节省印刷，几乎所有工作都以电子方式完成。

The result of this is that fixed hearing dates are likely to be arranged more quickly.  Various platforms have a shared screen function, and showing the relevant document on screen will make for more efficient hearings.  Online hearings generally have one, agreed, electronic bundle, which saves time.  A platform like Zoom makes the Kaplan Opening  more attractive to the parties because of the cost saving in not having to travel, and also makes it easier for the Tribunal to meet and discuss the case before the main hearing (the so-called “Reed Retreat”).

这样的结果是固定的听证日期可能会更快地安排。很多平台有一个共同的屏功能，并在屏幕上显示相关的文件将有助于更有效的听证会。在线听证会通常带有一个已达成协议的电子捆绑，从而节省了时间。诸如Zoom之类的平台使Kaplan Opening对各方更具吸引力，因为它节省了不必出行的费用，也使法庭更容易在主要听证会之前见面并讨论此案（所谓的“Reed Retreat ”）。

Online arbitration is also likely to make submissions more focussed, cross-examination shorter, and hearings quicker.

在线仲裁还可能使投稿更具针对性，交叉质证更短，听证会更快。

There are, however, significant disadvantages to online arbitration.  The first is the cyber-security risk of online hearings.  It is essential that access to the hearings be controlled, and that the storage and transmission of personal data be limited.  To this end, it is vital to consider the platform’s terms and conditions.  Parties will have to be careful with the use of breakout rooms.  Recently, a High Court Judge in London was embarrassed when she made a disparaging comment about one of the parties to a case before her, wrongly thinking that her microphone had been switched off.

但是，在线仲裁有很多不利之处。 首先是在线听证会的网络安全风险。必须控制听证会的访问，限制个人数据的存储和传输。派对使用分组讨论室时必须格外小心。为此，至关重要的是要考虑平台的条款和条件。 最近，伦敦高等法院的法官对她之前的一个案件的当事方发表了贬低的评论，并以为她的麦克风已关闭，对此其对此感到羞愧。

Another disadvantage to online hearings is the cross-examination of witnesses, whether expert or factual. That is because it is difficult to assess the body language of witnesses, when all you can see is their faces.  There is also the risk of a witness being coached by someone in the room where he is, or someone sending him information by email or messaging. That risk can, however, be mitigated by a neutral person also being in the room, or by a 360 degree camera and a mirror behind the witness, as well as the witness having a desk with nothing on it. Nonetheless, online cross-examination deprives the cross-examiner of seeing the effect on both the Tribunal and the opposing lawyers of points made in cross-examination. Furthermore, technological disruption might adversely affect what might otherwise be powerful cross-examination.  In any event, online cross-examination via an interpreter can cause problems.

在线听证的另一个弊端是对专家或事实证人的盘问。这是因为当只能看到证人的脸时，很难评估证人的肢体语言。还可能存在证人在其所在房间的某人或通过电子邮件或消息向他发送信息的人指导的风险。但是，也可以通过在房间里也有中立的人，或者通过证人身后的360度摄像头和镜子以及证人身上没有桌子的办公桌，来减轻这种风险。但是，在线盘问使盘问者无法看到盘问的观点对法庭和反对律师的影响。此外，技术中断可能会对原本强大的交叉询问产生不利影响。无论如何，通过口译员进行在线盘问可能会引起问题。

There are various technical matters that need to be dealt with for online hearings.  Thus parties will need multiple screens: one to see the other parties/ witnesses, one for the document bundle, and one for the transcript.  There will need to be testing sessions, and backup facilities in case of a technological failure. Teams must have ways of communicating with each other: if a lay client is in one country, a solicitor is in another, and lead counsel is in a third, they will need something like WhatsApp so as to be able to communicate eg during cross-examination. Participants will have to speak clearly, and avoid over-speaking.  Non-active participants will need to remember to mute themselves.

在线听证会需要处理各种技术问题。因此，各方将需要多个屏幕：一个屏幕用于查看另一方/证人，一个屏幕用于文件展示，另一个屏幕用于笔录。如果发生技术故障，将需要进行测试会话和备份设施。团队必须具有相互沟通的方式：如果非专业客户在一个国家/地区，一名律师在另一个国家/地区，而首席律师在另一个国家/地区，则他们将需要类似WhatsApp的沟通交流能力，例如检查。参与者必须讲清楚，避免讲得过多。不活跃的参与者将需要记住使自己静音。

Most people who arbitrate online find it much more exhausting than being in a room.  For that reason, daily hearings will have to be shorter, and will need regular breaks.  Tribunals will also have to be careful that one side is not at a disadvantage because of its country’s weaker technology eg narrower broadband width.  Moreover, differing time zones will have to be taken into consideration.  One side might complain that it has not had a fair hearing if the arbitral hearing times are late at night where it is, as opposed to mid-morning for the other side.

大多数在网上进行仲裁的人发现，远程仲裁比在房间里进行实际会面的传统仲裁累人得多。因此，每天的听证会必须缩短，并且需要定期休息。法庭还必须注意，由于不同国家的技术发展并不一致，对于一些国家互联网技术较弱，例如宽带宽度较窄，一侧不会处于不利地位。此外，必须考虑不同的时区。一方可能会抱怨说，如果仲裁听证会的时间在深夜，而不是另一方的上午，那么该方就没有公平的听证会。

There might be problems of enforceability of awards resulting from online hearings where one party opposes such a hearing and wants a physical hearing.  But that is a topic for another day.

在线听证会可能会导致裁决的可执行性问题，其中一方反对这种听证会，而希望进行物理听证。但这是另一天的话题。

In summary, online arbitral hearings are likely to be particularly helpful in short hearings.  They have advantages in long hearings, but also significant disadvantages there.

综上所述，在线仲裁听证会可能对短期听证会特别有帮助。他们在长时间的听证会上有优势，但在那里也有很多不利条件。