The Worshipful Company of Arbitrators is the 93rd Livery Company of the City of London. The organisation became a Livery Company on 17 March 1981. The Company supports education in the field of arbitration. It also functions as a charitable institution. Its motto is Law and Custom.
There are two major classes of members: Liverymen and Freemen. There is a limit of 300 Liverymen, all of whom must be freemen of the City of London. Being admitted as a Liveryman shows a dedication to good government and order. Only Liverymen may be part of the leadership of the Company; the Master, the Senior Warden, the Junior Warden and the Court of Assistants. Only Liverymen may nominate others for membership.
Company freemen must be of good character and engaged in the practice of commercial arbitration (while older companies have tended to lose their link to their original occupations, newer companies are still closely tied to their vocations).
The Company maintains a programme of activities which promotes arbitration and interest in arbitration of the City of London. In these matters it is determined to be at the leading edge of ideas and development, in ways which cross boundaries between different dispute resolution specialisations in all fields, including commerce and all business and domestic activities.
The Company has established charitable trusts through which it expects to build substantial funds, with the aim of supporting education in the field of arbitration.
It provides members with the opportunity of hearing from distinguished experts in the field and to exchange ideas and views in convivial surroundings. It is also dedicated to the promotion of the City of London as the centre of excellence for International Dispute Resolution.