Paul Eric Mason


Paul Eric Mason

Paul Eric Mason is an independent arbitrator and mediator affiliated with the major arbitral/ADR institutions in Asia, Europe, Latin America and the U.S.: the American Arbitration Association-International Centre for Dispute Resolution/AAA-ICDR, Beijing Arbitration Commission/BIAC, Baoshan Pan Asia International Commercial Mediation Center of Shanghai (a new center oriented towards tech disputes), Brazil-Canada Chamber/CAM-CCBC-São Paulo), CAMARB-Belo Horizonte, CBMA-Rio de Janeiro, Canadian International Internet Dispute Resolution Centre (CIIDRC/Vancouver), Guangzhou Arbitration Commission/Guangzhou, Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre/HKIAC, International Chamber of Commerce/ICC, International Mediation Institute/IMI, International Commercial Dispute Prevention and Settlement Organization (ICDPASO)/Beijing, London Court of International Arbitration/LCIA, Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration/SCIA, Singapore International Arbitration Centre/SIAC, Singapore International Mediation Centre/SIMC, Vienna International Arbitral Centre/VIAC, and the World Intellectual Property Organization/WIPO-Geneva).

He conducted his first international arbitration on a panel with Willem Vis. His first mediation was a complex $53 million multi-party case, resolved successfully. He suggested, helped arrange, and participated in the world’s first international commercial mediation by videoconference as counsel for the Brazilian party, settling an international arbitration with an energy multinational.

Paul’s specialty areas are information and communications technology (ICT) and aviation. His largest arbitration as sole arbitrator was a USD $24million international aviation case focused on Latin America, Europe and Asia (2023). His largest value case as an arbitral tribunal member was USD $90+million involving an internet facility. His largest value case as an arbitration consultant was USD $1.5 billion over an M&A between Asian and U.S. companies in the chip industry.

He served 15+ years as international in-house counsel/Director, Legal & Government Relations at Digital Equipment, Oracle, 3Com and Brazilian IT network security company Módulo, as well as acting as outside legal advisor for IDT Communications/Latin America. He directed and participated in software and trademark negotiations and litigation in Latin America, Russia and the U.S. for these companies.

His arbitrations, negotiations and mediations have involved outsourcing, M&A, software, cloud computing, domain names, e-commerce, telecommunications, data communications, IT networks/VPNs, commercial and military aviation & aeronautics, and medical technology. Parties come from Brazil, Canada, the Caribbean, Central America, China, India, Mexico, the Russian Federation, the UK and the U.S. He has also negotiated alternative energy contracts internationally, especially for biofuels in Brazil.

Mr. Mason has arbitrated and mediated aviation disputes relating to aircraft sales and leases, aircraft parts distribution, military aircraft and equipment, charter flights, international cargo shipments, and pilot training ventures.

He designed the Aviation/Aerospace Disputes Program held during in Miami Arbitration Week 2023, and moderated the Aviation Disputes Panel which included in-house counsel Airbus Latin America Legal VP Jaime Garcia-Nieto, Arbitrator and Jones Day Senior Partner Johannes Willheim based in Frankfurt & Paris, and Outside Counsel Holland & Knight Senior Partner Donald Gray from Toronto/Miami.

Paul has also advised companies on their dispute resolution options in contracts for oil & gas, mining and entertainment related businesses. In addition to ICT and aviation, he has arbitrated and mediated numerous cases in a variety of commercial sectors, including M&A, financial, insurance & reinsurance, executive compensation, oil & gas, energy, shipping, agribusiness, product marketing, distribution & import-export.
Paul is active in the sphere of cultural property, where technology is playing an increasingly important role, as an Arbitrator and Mediator with the Court of Arbitration for Art (CAfA) of the Netherlands Art Institute (NAI), for the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Florence International Mediation Chamber (FIMC).

Paul’s experience with Latin America, Russia and Asia is extensive, including living and working in these regions. He has arbitrated and mediated disputes and negotiated contracts and transactions in Portuguese, is business proficient in Spanish and speaks Russian and basic French. His experience and familiarity in these regions have made him well suited for international cases with parties from diverse cultures.

He has played an active pioneering role as co-founder of the Florida Bar’s International Litigation & Arbitration Committee (now iLaw), the Miami International Arbitration Society (MIAS), the International Mediation Institute (IMI) in Brazil, and the Commercial Dispute Resolution Center of the Americas – the first ADR center wholly dedicated to Latin America/Caribbean disputes.

His unique perspective on cases comes from serving not only as arbitrator and mediator, but also as in-house counsel for IT companies and a large multinational bank, outside counsel, party, and ADR center executive.

His articles and book chapters on ADR include many involving technology subjects. He is the creator and General Editor (with former ICC Secretary-General Horacio Grigera-Naón as Co-Editor) of the book International Commercial Arbitration Practice: 21st Century Perspectives (Lexis-Nexis/Matthew Bender Books, 2010 with annual updates, 60+ chapters). Part V of the book contains an expanding group of chapters focusing on arbitration and technology.

Paul has taught and presented on arbitration and mediation in Argentina, Austria, Brazil, China (Hong Kong and Beijing), India, Panama, Russia and the U.S.