Leadership, Legitimacy, Legacy: A Tribute to Alexis Mourre

The Equal Representation in Arbitration Pledge (‘ERA Pledge') was launched in May 2016. Since its introduction, the ERA Pledge has garnered over 5,000 signatories from law firms, institutions, organizations and individuals in over 113 countries who committed to increase the number of women arbitrators.

Diversity is a complex and intersectional issue, and while incremental progress has been made, much remains to be done. Six years on from the ERA Pledge launch, we reflect on whether the ERA Pledge has been successful over the years. This essay looks back at the backdrop of and the impetus for the ERA Pledge, reviews the current trends in arbitrator appointments across various arbitral institutions, identifies remaining challenges, and recommends concrete steps that stakeholders in the industry can take to finally achieve equal representation in arbitration.