Professor Caron appointed to Iran-US Claims Tribunal

Professor David D Caron, Executive Dean of The Dickson Poon School of Law at King's College London has been appointed to the highly prestigious Iran-United States Claims Tribunal (IUSCT).

Professor Caron replaces Judge Charles Brower who stepped down last month. To ensure the continuity and strong trajectory of the School, Professor Caron will continue in his role as Dean of The Dickson Poon School of Law on a reduced basis while the university recruits a new Dean. He will remain a member of the School of Law.

The IUSCT was established on 19 January 1981 by the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America following an agreement between the two countries mediated by Algeria to resolve the hostage crisis at the US Embassy in Tehran in November 1979. In exchange for the release of the hostages held by Iranian students, the US agreed to terminate litigation against Iran in American courts and release Iranian assets frozen by the US government. The Tribunal held its first meeting in the Peace Palace in The Hague on 1 July 1981 and moved to its own premises in The Hague nine months later in April 1982. Before the Tribunal these many years later remain what are arguably the most significant claims between the two states.

The Tribunal is composed of nine arbitrators: three appointed by Iran, three appointed by the US, and a further three (neither Iranian nor United States nationals) appointed by the previous six arbitrators. The Tribunal meets as a full tribunal to consider disputes between the two governments.

Judge Charles N. Brower welcomed the appointment. Speaking to the Global Arbitration Review, Judge Brower said: ‘I cannot say enough good things about my successor… I congratulate the United States on its wisdom in appointing him, the person in my view most outstandingly suited to the task, and felicitate the tribunal on acquiring him as a colleague. His breadth of experience, including intimate knowledge of the history and practices of the tribunal, make him the ideal addition to its ranks. I leave the tribunal in the knowledge that with Professor Caron’s appointment it is in better hands than ever.’

Professor Caron joined King's as the Dean of the university's law school in 2013 following a £20m donation by Sir Dickson Poon CBE, as part of a £40m transformation project to build the School’s reputation as one of the top law schools and to set new standards in legal education and research.

Professor Evelyn Welch, Vice Principal for Arts & Sciences said, ‘As Dean of the Law School, Professor Caron's leadership has established the Law School as an unrivalled centre for legal research and education and world leader in transnational law. It is testament to Professor Caron’s standing that he has been elected to such an impressive and outstanding international organisation as the IUSCT. We’d like to congratulate him on this honour and wish him every success in his new role.’

Dean Caron said: ‘My time at King’s and with the Law community has been inspirational and uplifting. There are virtually no other appointments that would draw me away from my present assignment. Being a part of the Tribunal to resolve the remaining significant claims between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran is such an opportunity, I look forward to joining the other members of the Tribunal in resolving these difficult questions as well as is possible. The Law School’s continued success is a certainty given its staff, students and committed alumni, I look forward to remaining associated with this great School.’

Professor Caron’s scholarship addresses international law and organisation, with the corpus of work focusing on public and private international dispute resolution, international courts and tribunals, the United Nations, the law of the sea, international environmental law, climate change and general theory of international law.

Visit Professor Caron’s web profile on the King’s website.