This discussion is focused on parties who select arbitration seated in Baltimore, Maryland and the surrounding DMV region.
An arbitration award is not a law review article. In Baltimore, Maryland, counsel and parties need awards that can be understood on first reading and enforced on a simple motion in court.
My philosophy for clear, concise awards includes:
1. Framing the issues as precise questions.
2. Stating findings of fact in numbered paragraphs.
3. Applying law to facts in short, direct sections.
4. Clearly identifying the relief granted and denied.
Cases such as *Hall Street Associates, L.L.C. v. Mattel, Inc.*, 552 U.S. 576 (2008) remind us that judicial review of awards is narrow. That makes the arbitrator’s written reasoning critical: it should show a rational path from the contract and evidence to the result, without unnecessary digressions.
No AI system can yet replicate the discipline of human legal judgment required to weigh conflicting testimony, measure credibility, and draft an enforceable award tailored to a specific dispute.
Sincerely,
Zarak O. Ali, Arb.