Ema Vidak Friedman
Independent Counsel & Arbitrator
Vidak Arbitration
Professional Bio
I am an independent arbitrator and counsel, specializing in international arbitration. I divide my time between London and New York.
Before founding my independent practice, I practiced in leading international law firms including King & Spalding (London and New York), BakerMcKenzie (Vienna), and Omnia Strategy under Cherie Blair QC (London).
I have a mixed civil/common law background. I hold degrees from Harvard Law School and Zagreb Law Faculty. I am triple-qualified in New York, England & Wales, and Croatia.
Throughout my career, I represented clients in complex commercial and investment arbitrations under various rules (CPR, ICC, LCIA, SCC, AAA, HKIAC, ICSID, UNCITRAL, OIC and ECT).
I sat as arbitrator in ad hoc and institutional arbitrations. I am appointed to the ICSID Panel of Arbitrators and included on rosters/databases of institutions like ICC, LCIA, SCC, VIAC, and BVIIAC. My arbitrator philosophy is described here: https://www.vidakarbitration.com/arbitrator-philosophy
I am an Adjunct Professor at McGill University, where I teach Advocacy & Strategy in Int'l Arbitration alongside Prof. Bjorklund. I frequently speak at arbitration conferences. Recently I spoke at Harvard Law School, Cambridge Arbitration Days, Paris Arbitration Week and Vienna Arbitration Days.
I published in leading journals such as ICSID Review and Oxford Journal of International Arbitration. For my article on arbitrator appointment (with M. McIlwrath and L. Greenwood), I was shortlisted for the GAR Best Innovation Award 2017.
I am passionate about equality and diversity. I am a founding co-chair of Mute Off Thursdays — a virtual forum for women in arbitration, which won the GAR ERA Pledge Award 2021.
I am recognized by WWL Arbitration as "an extremely bright and sharp mind", "brilliant, insightful and knowledgeable beyond her years" and "a role model for the next generation of arbitrators".
https://www.vidakarbitration.com/
Before founding my independent practice, I practiced in leading international law firms including King & Spalding (London and New York), BakerMcKenzie (Vienna), and Omnia Strategy under Cherie Blair QC (London).
I have a mixed civil/common law background. I hold degrees from Harvard Law School and Zagreb Law Faculty. I am triple-qualified in New York, England & Wales, and Croatia.
Throughout my career, I represented clients in complex commercial and investment arbitrations under various rules (CPR, ICC, LCIA, SCC, AAA, HKIAC, ICSID, UNCITRAL, OIC and ECT).
I sat as arbitrator in ad hoc and institutional arbitrations. I am appointed to the ICSID Panel of Arbitrators and included on rosters/databases of institutions like ICC, LCIA, SCC, VIAC, and BVIIAC. My arbitrator philosophy is described here: https://www.vidakarbitration.com/arbitrator-philosophy
I am an Adjunct Professor at McGill University, where I teach Advocacy & Strategy in Int'l Arbitration alongside Prof. Bjorklund. I frequently speak at arbitration conferences. Recently I spoke at Harvard Law School, Cambridge Arbitration Days, Paris Arbitration Week and Vienna Arbitration Days.
I published in leading journals such as ICSID Review and Oxford Journal of International Arbitration. For my article on arbitrator appointment (with M. McIlwrath and L. Greenwood), I was shortlisted for the GAR Best Innovation Award 2017.
I am passionate about equality and diversity. I am a founding co-chair of Mute Off Thursdays — a virtual forum for women in arbitration, which won the GAR ERA Pledge Award 2021.
I am recognized by WWL Arbitration as "an extremely bright and sharp mind", "brilliant, insightful and knowledgeable beyond her years" and "a role model for the next generation of arbitrators".
https://www.vidakarbitration.com/
Company
Vidak Arbitration
Individual Practitioner