our commitments

The singularity and force of Clay Arbitration is to combine its daily practice with academic reflection, through lectures at universities, organizing and taking part in conferences and symposiums, and regularly publishing books and articles, thus placing a theoretical and strategic approach at the heart of the firm's practice.

Indeed, Clay Arbitration's members are heavily invested in several Universities, regularly giving lectures and holding conferences. In addition, Professor Thomas Clay supervises several PhD students in the process of writing their thesis and accompanies them in their journey to becoming professors themselves.

- Vice-President of "Paris, place d'arbitrage"
- Head and founder of "Sorbonne Arbitrage" (Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne)
- Associate member of the International Chamber of Commerce Institute
- Member of the Board of Directors of the French Arbitration Association
- Member of the Institute for International Arbitration
- Member of the Orientation board of the Club de l'arbitrage
- Co-chair of the Italian Arbitration Association in France
- Member of the International Association of Procedural Law
- Member of the American Association of Private International Law
- Member of the academic board of the International Academy of Law and Economics
- Expert of the French Institute of International Legal Experts
- Member of the Association of Law Teachers
- Member of the Institute for Expertise, Arbitration and Mediation
- Member of the Advisory Board of the European Court of Arbitration of Versailles
- Member of the Advisory Board of the European Court of Arbitration
- Member of the Venezuelan Arbitration Committee
- Member of the Board of the OHADAC Regional Arbitration Center
- Member of the Editorial Board of the Paris Journal of International Arbitration
- Member of the "Sorbonne Private and public economic law" research department
- Co-director of the "Sorbonne Sport Law" research department
- Honorary Director of the University Research Team in International Arbitration Law (University of Versailles)
- Member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the Journal of International Dispute Settlement
- Member of the Editorial Board of the Revista brasileira de arbitragem
- Member of the Advisory Board of the Journal of Arab Arbitration
- Member of the Scientific Board of ohada.com
- Member of the Scientific Committee of the International Review of Law and Political Science (Cameroon)
- Member of the Editorial Board of Arbitration and Mediation Magazine (Brazil)
- Member of the Pedagogical Committee of the International School of Alternative Dispute Resolution.

Clay Arbitration offers high-level services, whose excellence is recognized and acclaimed in the arbitration world by frequent awards, rankings, and nominations.

Professor Thomas Clay was ranked in the "Excellent Arbitrator" category by Leaders League in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021, and "Unavoidable arbitrator" in 2022 and 2023.

Professor Thomas Clay was presented by Who's Who Legal 2015 as "high-qualified, reliable and efficient arbitrator", by Who's Who Legal 2016 as a "skilful practitioner" with an "intimate understanding of French Arbitration Law", by Who's Who Legal 2021 thus: "The "terrific" Thomas Clay of Clay Arbitration is lauded as "a key figure in the market". Sources note that he is "one of the most prominent sole practitioners in France" and is "certainly among the very best"", by Who's Who Legal 2022 and 2023, and classified as a "Thought Global Arbitration Leader", "always on top of the latest developments in arbitration, with a critical mind". He is well respected in the market as 'one of the top names for arbitration'".

Professor Thomas Clay was ranked by Chambers in 2023 in the "International Arbitration: Arbitrators" - France category and presented as "very bright and talented. He is very fair, very proactive and knows the cases well". Described as "excellent", he was also ranked in the "International Arbitration: Most in Demand Arbitrators - Europe wide" category. "Thomas Clay is well known and handles large cases including English-speaking mandates". His extensive experience as an arbitrator in Africa was also recognized and highlighted by Chambers 2023, with sources stating that "Thomas Clay is a great arbitrator with a huge practice in Africa".

Clay Arbitration is concerned by the damaging impact of international arbitration on the environment, which generates a significant carbon footprint.

For instance, the processing of a single arbitration case representing thirty to fifty million US dollars generates 418,531.02 kilos of CO2, and, to be offset, would require the planting of nearly 20,000 trees, a figure equivalent to all the trees in Central Park ["The Green Pledge: No talk, More action", Kluwer Arbitration Blog, Lucy Greenwood (Greenwood Arbitration) and Kabir A.N.Duggal (Columbia Law School), March 20, 2020].

Despite these alarming figures, there are a number of reasonable and achievable initiatives that can be taken at each firm’s level to fight global warming.

In this respect, Clay Arbitration is committed to contributing to the collective effort for greater protection of the environment, by adopting an environmental charter stipulating several objectives.

The firm invites its partners to follow this approach, formalized in ithis charter's provisions. By complying with this Ecological Charter, Clay Arbitration is committed to applying the rules it sets out below in all cases handled by its members, and inviting all those involved in the cases in which it participates to follow the same virtuous practices.