At Kanokanga & Partners our lawyers understand the importance of settling disputes out of court. We encourage clients to adopt such effective alternative dispute resolution techniques such as arbitration especially where clients have a continuing relationship with the offending party. As a result of the time it takes to get to trial, as well as the appeal procedures involved, we regard arbitration as an expeditious and cost effective way of resolving commercial disputes. It is one dispute resolution mechanism which causes minimal disruption to business. We are committed to resolving disputes as efficiently and expeditiously as possible, offering advice that is timely, strategic and commercial .We offer advice, guidance and legal services in amongst others, the following areas:
- (a) Drafting arbitration agreements;
- (b) Representing clients in institutional and ad hoc arbitration proceedings;
- (c) Presiding over arbitration proceedings;
- (d) Publishing arbitration resources;
- (e) Training arbitration practitioners
Kanokanga & Partners has successfully handled disputes arising from, but not limited to:
- Aviation matters;
- Commercial matters;
- Construction disputes;
- Joint venture agreements;
- Mining agreements;
- Real estate matters;
- Sale and purchase agreements; and
- Supply agreements
Davison Kanokanga is the Head of Arbitration. He has been named as one of the leading arbitrators in Africa, in the Legal 500 Arbitration Powerlist: Africa 2021 which listing was based on a comprehensive process analyzing the capabilities of law firms and lawyers across the continent.
Davison, is also a panel member with the following arbitration institutions:
- Alternative Dispute Solutions Centre (ADSC) - Zimbabwe
- Association of Arbitrators (Southern Africa NPC) – South Africa
- Arbitration Foundation of Southern Africa (AFSA) – South Africa
- Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) – United Kingdom
- China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC) – China
- Commercial Arbitration Centre (CAC) – Zimbabwe
- Mauritius International Arbitration Centre (MIAC) – Mauritius
- SADC Panel of International Commercial Arbitrations – South Africa
In addition to the above, the arbitration team at Kanokanga & Partners are considered some of the foremost practitioners in the country, and have published the following academic texts on arbitration:
- D Kanokanga, Commercial Arbitration in Zimbabwe (Juta & Co, Cape Town, 2020); and
- D Kanokanga & P Kanokanga, UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration: A Commentary on the Zimbabwean Arbitration Act [Chapter 7:15] (Juta & Co, Cape Town, 2022).
Not only are some of the key members of the arbitration department leading authors, the members of the arbitration department also contribute and provide practical cross- border insights into international arbitration by contributing to international comparative legal guides. For instance:
- D Kanokanga & P Kanokanga 'Zimbabwe' in S Finizio & C Caher (eds) International Arbitration Laws and Regulations 2021 (Global Legal Group, London, 2021) 376 – 385;
- D Kanokanga & P Pasipanodya, ‘Does a Right to a Physical Hearing Exist in International Arbitration’ in GR Elgueta, J Hosking & Y Lahlou (eds), Does a Right to a Physical Hearing Exist in International Arbitration: General Report (Kluwer Law International, 2021);
- D Kanokanga & P Kanokanga 'Zimbabwe' in S Finizio & C Caher (eds) International Arbitration Laws and Regulations 2022 (Global Legal Group, London, 2022) 379 - 388.
- D Kanokanga, ‘Failure to Submit Statement of Claim: Article 23 of the Model Law: An Analysis of Regal Insurance Company (Pvt) Ltd v Zimbabwe Posts (Pvt) Ltd HH 28 – 22’ in R Chidza (ed) ZimJuris Magazine 2022 (1) page 21 – 22.
