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International Arbitration Legend R. Doak Bishop Joins FedArb
One of the world’s most decorated arbitrators — described by Chambers as “a legend” and “preeminent” — joins FedArb’s panel following a 40-year career at the forefront of international dispute resolution.
May 5, 2026 –
FedArb is pleased to announce that R. Doak Bishop has joined its panel. Mr. Bishop is one of the most recognized figures in international arbitration, with a career spanning more than four decades and over 200 arbitrations as both arbitrator and counsel. Chambers has described him as “a legend” and “preeminent,” and named him an Eminent Practitioner in International Arbitration for 2025. Best Lawyers in America named him 2024 Lawyer of the Year in International Arbitration, and Legal 500 inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 2023.
Mr. Bishop founded the International Arbitration Practice Group at King & Spalding in 2000 and spent 25 years helping build it into what became one of the preeminent international arbitration practices in the world, before retiring from the firm at the end of 2025. His work has centered on the most complex and high-stakes disputes in international commerce — energy, oil and gas, investor-state treaty claims, infrastructure, and technology — with significant matters across the Americas, Europe, and Asia.
Beyond his practice, Mr. Bishop has shaped the arbitration field itself. He served as Chairman of the Institute of Transnational Arbitration, as a member of the LCIA Court and the Court of Arbitration of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre, and on the Governing Board of the International Council of Commercial Arbitration. He also served as an Adviser to the American Law Institute on its Restatement of International Commercial and Investor-State Arbitration and as a member of the U.S. Delegation to the NAFTA Advisory Committee on Private Commercial Disputes for more than two decades.
Mr. Bishop is also a leading scholar in his field. He is co-author of Foreign Investment Disputes: Cases, Materials & Commentary (Kluwer, 2005; 2d ed. 2014) and Annulment under the ICSID Convention (Oxford, 2012), and has delivered keynote addresses at the ICCA Congress, the Global Arbitration Review, and other leading international forums. He has taught international arbitration at SMU Law School and the University of Texas Law School, among others.
“Doak Bishop is one of the defining figures of modern international arbitration,” said Kennen D. Hagen, President and CEO of FedArb. “His depth of experience, the respect he commands across the global legal community, and his record as a practitioner, scholar, and institution-builder are extraordinary. We are honored to welcome him to the FedArb panel.”
Mr. Bishop earned his J.D. with Honors from the University of Texas Law School, where he served as a Research Editor of the Texas Law Review, and his B.A. with High Honors and Departmental Distinction from Southern Methodist University.
About FedArb
FedArb is a global ADR firm providing comprehensive dispute resolution services to companies and law firms facing complex litigation. With a panel of more than 150 experienced professionals, including former law firm practice heads and more than 50 former Article III judges, FedArb helps litigators resolve disputes using arbitration, mediation, mock exercises and other ADR methods to achieve solutions efficiently and cost-effectively. For nearly two decades, FedArb has been the trusted choice for resolving consequential disputes, offering responsive client service and a commitment to putting the client first.