A Logistics Guide to Booking Hearing Rooms at London’s International Arbitration Centres
Updated August 15, 2026
London has two purpose-built, institution-independent hearing venues that host the large majority of LCIA-, ICC-, and ad hoc-administered hearings: the International Arbitration Centre (IAC) at 190 Fleet Street, and the International Dispute Resolution Centre (IDRC) near St Paul's Cathedral. Booking either follows the same basic sequence — identify room-size and format needs, request a hold, confirm through a signed booking agreement, and arrange technology and catering as separate line items from the room fee itself.
How Hearing-Room Logistics Actually Work in London Arbitration
Who is actually responsible for booking the room?
Not the LCIA or ICC Secretariat. The institution administers the case — tribunal formation, procedural timetable, correspondence — but the physical hearing venue is normally contracted directly by counsel for the parties, or by a tribunal secretary if one has been appointed, as a separate commercial booking with the venue itself.
What venues actually exist, and how do they differ?
- International Arbitration Centre (IAC): located at 190 Fleet Street, near the Chancery Lane junction, established in 2019 and spread across three floors of hearing rooms, mediation rooms, and breakout spaces. Larger rooms seat up to roughly 60 people. The centre is normally open 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on weekdays, closed overnight and on weekends absent a special arrangement, and will hold a preferred date free of charge for up to seven days while a booking is confirmed.
- International Dispute Resolution Centre (IDRC): located near St Paul's Cathedral, offering more than 70 rooms in total, of which 18 are large rooms suitable for hearings and the remainder serve as breakout or retirement rooms and smaller meeting spaces. Rooms are soundproofed and equipped with full Category 6 wiring for voice and data. The centre can reconfigure its largest room to accommodate up to roughly 200 people, while smaller hearing rooms comfortably seat around 15.
How does the booking process actually work?
The sequence is broadly consistent across both venues: identify the required dates, format (in-person, hybrid, or fully virtual), and room configuration; request a hold on the preferred dates (the IAC, for example, will hold a date free for up to seven days); confirm the booking through a signed agreement with the venue; and then separately arrange technology, transcription, interpretation, and catering as add-ons rather than assuming they are automatically included in the room rate.
What do hearing rooms actually cost, and how is that priced?
Both venues price rooms per day, plus VAT, with the exact rate depending on room size, floor, and duration of the booking — current rate cards should be requested directly from the venue rather than assumed, since they are commercial terms set independently of any arbitral institution and can change. What matters for budgeting purposes is that this cost is entirely separate from the LCIA's own Schedule of Costs or the ICC's Appendix III scale; a case budget that only accounts for arbitrator and institutional fees is missing a real, often substantial, cost line (see How LCIA Arbitration Costs Are Calculated for the institutional side of that budget).
What if a hearing needs to run outside normal hours or over a weekend?
Both venues can generally accommodate extended hours or weekend sittings by special arrangement, typically at additional cost. This needs to be flagged to the venue well in advance rather than assumed to be available on short notice, particularly during busy periods.
What about virtual and hybrid hearings?
Both the IAC and the IDRC offer dedicated virtual and hybrid hearing infrastructure, which has become a standard consideration rather than an exception since the shift toward remote-capable hearings. A hybrid format — for example, a single remote witness joining an otherwise in-person hearing — is a genuine cost and logistics trade-off against a fully in-person hearing, and should be decided early enough to confirm the venue's specific technical capability rather than assumed as a given.
Real-World Scenario: Booking a Three-Week LCIA Hearing
A three-member LCIA tribunal is set to hear a large commercial dispute over three weeks, requiring a main hearing room for the tribunal and both legal teams, two breakout or retirement rooms, and hybrid capability for one witness testifying remotely.
| Requirement | Why It's Needed | Venue Consideration | Booking Lead Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main hearing room | Seats the tribunal, both teams, and witnesses | A large hearing room at either the IAC or IDRC | Book months ahead for a 3-week block |
| Two breakout/retirement rooms | Private caucus space for each side, plus tribunal deliberation space | Typically bundled with the main room booking | Confirm alongside the main room |
| Hybrid/virtual capability | One witness testifying remotely | Confirm Category 6 wiring / dedicated AV support | Schedule a technical run-through before day one |
| Transcription services | Real-time transcript for the record | Often a venue add-on or separate vendor | Book alongside the room, not after |
| Catering | On-site refreshments and lunch across a multi-week hearing | Venue add-on | Confirm dietary requirements early |
Step-by-Step Logistics Checklist for Counsel and Tribunal Secretaries
- Confirm hearing dates and duration with the tribunal and both parties before approaching any venue — dates that later shift can jeopardize an early hold.
- Establish attendee numbers and room configuration needs, including breakout and deliberation space, before requesting quotes.
- Place a free hold at one or more venues in parallel where possible, comparing availability and facilities before committing.
- Confirm hybrid or virtual technology needs and run a technical test in advance of the first hearing day, not on the morning of.
- Book transcription, interpretation, and catering as separate line items rather than assuming they are bundled into the room rate.
- Confirm the venue's cancellation and rescheduling policy, since arbitration hearing dates shift more often than most commercial bookings.
- Budget venue costs as a distinct line separate from arbitrator and institutional fees in the overall case budget from the outset.
Strategic Takeaway
Hearing-room logistics are a genuinely separate operational track from the LCIA's or ICC's own case administration, and treating venue booking as an afterthought is a common, avoidable source of late scrambling during busy arbitration seasons. Counsel who place an early hold, confirm technology and add-ons well ahead of the first hearing day, and budget venue cost as its own line item — distinct from arbitrator and institutional fees — avoid both scheduling surprises and billing surprises when the hearing actually arrives.
Sources & Further Reading
- International Arbitration Centre (IAC), 190 Fleet Street, London
- International Dispute Resolution Centre (IDRC), London
- LCIA Arbitration Rules 2020, Article 16 (distinguishing the legal seat from the physical hearing venue)
Practical Next Steps
As soon as hearing dates are set with the tribunal, place a hold at a suitable venue rather than waiting for the procedural timetable to be finalized in every other respect — popular venues and dates move quickly. Build a separate venue budget line alongside the arbitrator and institutional cost forecast, and confirm technology, transcription, and catering requirements well ahead of the first hearing day. Because venue terms and current rate cards sit outside any arbitral institution's rules, request them directly from the venue and confirm cancellation terms before signing.
This article is general legal information, not legal advice. Laws differ by country and change over time — consult a qualified lawyer licensed in your jurisdiction before acting.
Key Takeaways
- Neither the LCIA nor the ICC owns the physical venue for most hearings — counsel or the tribunal secretary books hearing space separately, as a distinct commercial arrangement from the institution's own administrative fees.
- The IAC, established in 2019 at 190 Fleet Street, spans three floors of hearing, mediation, and breakout rooms, with its largest rooms seating up to roughly 60 people.
- The IDRC offers more than 70 rooms in total, including 18 large hearing-capable rooms, with its biggest reconfigurable room accommodating up to roughly 200 people and smaller hearing rooms seating around 15.
- Venue cost is priced per day (plus VAT) and is entirely separate from the LCIA's or ICC's own Schedule of Costs — it needs its own line item in the case budget.
- Popular venues can book out months in advance during peak arbitration hearing season, so placing an early hold matters more than comparing headline rates.
Important: This article provides general legal information and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for guidance on your specific situation.
Sources
Law Elite Network requires writers to cite primary, official sources — legislation, court decisions, and regulator or institutional publications — for the claims in this guide. Read more about our standards in the editorial process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the LCIA book the hearing room for the parties?
No. This is normally arranged separately, directly between counsel (or the tribunal secretary) and the chosen venue, as a distinct commercial booking from the LCIA's own case administration.
Can a hearing be held somewhere other than London even if London is the seat?
Yes. The seat is a legal concept governing the procedural law and supervisory courts — it does not require hearings to physically take place there. Hearings can be, and often are, held elsewhere for convenience under most institutional rules, including the LCIA's.
Are the IAC and IDRC used only for LCIA cases?
No. Both are independent venues used across LCIA, ICC, SIAC, ad hoc, and other institutionally administered arbitrations — booking either is not tied to which institution is administering the underlying case.
Was this article helpful?
