Delaware Court Affirms $4 Million Trade Secrets Award, Rejects Claims of Arbitrator Bias

A Delaware vice chancellor has upheld an arbitral award of nearly $4 million in favor of Finnish company UPM-Kymmene Corp., following a prolonged trade secrets dispute. The decision rejected a challenge from a Pennsylvania biotech company, which questioned the impartiality of the arbitrator due to a purported link between the arbitrator and the Finnish company’s counsel at DLA Piper. The court found the connection to be “at most, an attenuated connection.” This ruling underscores the stringent standards applied to arbitral proceedings and reflects ongoing debates regarding arbitrator impartiality and independence. For additional details, visit the original article.