Unintended consequences? The Vavilov Standard of Review is applied to commercial arbitrations
For many decades, the standard of review of a commercial arbitration decision on appeal to a court has been reasonableness. There are good policy reasons for this. Making arbitral decisions more difficult to reverse on appeal increases certainty for parties who have contracted for arbitration rather than litigation as their preferred method of dispute resolution. It also enhances the viability of arbitration as an alternative forum to the courts, reducing the burden on overstrained judicial resources.