R Craig Connal KC
Former Partner, Pinsent Masons LLP, now Arbitrator RCCKC Arbitration
After over 40 years as a litigation partner in a leading International Law Firm (and having sat as
an arbitrator), Craig is now focussing solely on the Arbitrator role. He brings to bear his lifetime of
experience in almost every area of law from IP to Planning, Employment to Construction and
Pensions to Commercial litigation. Craig is dual-qualified as a solicitor-advocate with rights of
audience in all Higher Courts in Scotland, England and Wales. Described as "top of his
profession" and having conducted many ground-breaking and reported cases in a huge variety of courts, tribunals and hearings, including the UK Supreme Court (where he was the first solicitor-
advocate to lead a civil appeal), he is ideally placed to use that experience to mould the best
procedural course. Well-known for a straight-forward, direct style, he is also highly regarded for
being "practical, efficient and effective" and getting to the heart of the matter. He has extensive
expertise in dealing with written and oral arguments, (whether virtually or otherwise). Having
been well-known for a problem-solving role, Craig is now deploying that skill as a decision-
maker. He writes regularly on arbitration and related topics. He is sensitive to a wide range of
traditions and backgrounds, drawing on his prior legal experience as well as a regular role as
judge in International Moots run by Jessup/ICJ and the IBA/ICC.
Craig is certified by the Law Society of Scotland both as a specialist in arbitration law and as a
solicitor arbitrator. He is an Accredited Arbitration Professional with the Federation of Integrated
Conflict Management (FICM). He is also a member of Delos Arbitration, of Arbitration Ireland, of
the ICC Institute of World Business Law, of the IBA Arbitration Committee, of ICCA and of the
Scottish Arbitration Centre. He is on arbitrator lists held by LCIA, Vienna International Arbitration
Centre, the Royal Faculty of Procurators of Glasgow and Stockholm Chamber of Commerce. He
was UK Chairman, British-Irish Commercial Bar Association 2019-2022.
A former Solicitor-Advocate of the Year in England and Wales, Craig has a special interest in
advocacy, being a NITA qualified advocacy trainer, chairing the Scottish Civil Qualification
Course for Higher Courts Advocates 2004-2022, and sitting as a Presiding Judge at ICC/IBA
Moots in the Hague and the Washington, US,-based Jessop Moot. He was a government
consultee on arbitration legislation in Scotland, has been a member of a Scottish Law
Commission Working Party, a University External Examiner, and is currently a guest lecturer.
Over 30 years as an active rugby referee also fine-tuned his decision making skills!