What THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF ARBITRATORS does

The Worshipful Company of Arbitrators (WCA) is the 93rd Livery Company of the City of London, created by Letters Patent on 17 March 1981 and granted a Royal Charter sealed 24 April 2012 mandating it to foster the professions of arbitration, mediation, and other forms of private dispute resolution. Headquartered at 56 Brompton Square, London, with a small administrative staff of 9 led by the Clerk, the Company operates as a chartered non-profit membership organisation rather than a commercial enterprise. Its members are senior dispute resolution practitioners — arbitrators, adjudicators, mediators, expert determiners, and ombudsmen — drawn from construction, engineering, shipping, trade, family, and consumer sectors, capped at 300 Liverymen with a broader Freeman category.

The Company's core 'products' are professional development services and ceremonial membership infrastructure rather than technology offerings. These include a two-year Mentorship Scheme (extendable by twelve months) for aspiring third-party neutrals, two annual Travelling Scholarships of £7,000 each, the annual Arbitration Competition and now tenth-edition UK Mediation Skills Competition held at the International Dispute Resolution Centre (IDRC), recurring Adjudication Seminars, and the prestigious Annual Master's Lecture hosted by Rathbones Group Plc. A charitable trust administers grants and bursaries, and the Company maintains armed forces affiliations with HMS Mersey (since 2008), 13 Company Greater London Army Cadet Force (since 2018), and 622 Squadron RAuxAF (since 2018), formalised by signing the Armed Forces Covenant on 6 May 2025.

The business model is subscription-based and member-funded: Liverymen pay annual dues with voting rights at Common Hall and elections (Sheriffs, Lord Mayor), while Freemen pay quarterly quarterage and may progress to full Liverymen status. Revenue is not publicly disclosed and is only available to members through the Members Area. There is no parent company, no external investment, no subsidiaries, and no commercial product distribution; all activity flows through membership engagement, events, educational programming, podcasts (hosted on Acast), and charitable work supporting the Lord Mayor's Appeal, schools (Saracens High School, Clara Grant Primary, Team Up), and the Livery Schools Link volunteering platform.

Name

THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF ARBITRATORS

Legal name

The Worshipful Company of Arbitrators

Website

https://arbitratorscompany.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Worshipful Company of Arbitrators is the 93rd Livery Company of the City of London, a chartered non-profit membership organisation founded in 1981 that serves senior dispute resolution practitioners — arbitrators, mediators, adjudicators, and expert determiners — through professional development programmes, scholarships, competitions, and ceremonial City of London functions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership dues (Quarterage): Members pay annual dues/quarterage to maintain their membership status in the Livery Company. The Company has both Freemen and Liverymen categories with associated fees.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Worshipful Company of Arbitrators is a City of London Livery Company that provides membership, professional education, and networking services to practising arbitrators and others interested in alternative dispute resolution. It runs training and seminars (including the Diploma in Arbitration via the College of Law), hosts ceremonial and social events, and undertakes charitable activities supporting the wider ADR community.

Product overview

The Worshipful Company of Arbitrators is a Modern Livery Company of the City of London, founded in 1981, focused on fostering the professions of arbitration, mediation, and other forms of private dispute resolution. Rather than a technology product company, it provides professional development services including a Mentorship Scheme for aspiring arbitrators/mediators, Travelling Scholarships (£7,000 each), annual Arbitration and Mediation Skills Competitions for UK law students, Adjudication Seminars, an Annual Master's Lecture, and operates a charitable trust supporting education in dispute resolution. The organization also provides podcasts and manages a volunteering platform via Livery Schools Link. The Company maintains affiliations with HMS Mersey, 13 Company Army Cadet Force, and 622 Squadron RAF.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Livery Membership

Quantifiable outcome

• Two travelling scholarships of £7,000 awarded annually for international dispute resolution study
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Armed Forces CovenantcoreOthers · 6 May 2025On 6th May 2025, the Master signed the Armed Forces Covenant on behalf of the Company. The Covenant is a promise that those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces and their families should be treated with fairness and respect. Air Vice Marshall Munro signed on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.
• 622 Squadron RAuxAFcoreOthers · 18 February 2018The Company and 622 Squadron RAuxAF entered into a Memorandum of Understanding on 18 February 2018 with the aim of promoting and contributing to the standing and interests of both organizations and providing mutual assistance and support. The Company makes an annual 'Blondie Swales' award to a Squadron member recognizing outstanding service.
• 13 Company, Greater London Army Cadet Force, South West SectorcoreOthers · 1 January 2018The Company supports 13 Company Greater London Army Cadet Force through affiliations offering awards including 'Peacemaker of the Year' award, Master's Commendation for Adult Instructors/Officers, and 'Detachment of the Year' award. The affiliation encourages Officers, Adult Instructors, Cadets and detachments through recognition of achievements.
• HMS Mersey (Royal Navy)coreOthers · 1 January 2008The Company has been associated with HMS Mersey since 2008. A memorandum of understanding was signed in Spring 2009 between the Master and Commanding Officer to promote the well-being of the Ship and provide assistance and support. Each CO is elected as Honorary Freeman during their service and nominates a crew member for the 'Sailor of the Year Award'. HMS Mersey is a River Class Offshore Patrol Vessel.
• Rathbones Group PlcsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerRathbones hosts the Annual Master's Lecture event annually. The Company expresses gratitude to Rathbones for their generous sponsorship of the Annual Master's Lecture at their offices.
• International Dispute Resolution Centre (IDRC)supportingTechnology or IntegrationThe Company's annual Arbitration Competition and Mediation Skills Competition are held at the IDRC in London. The IDRC provides the venue for these educational events.
• Lord Mayor's AppealsupportingOthersThe Company contributes substantially to the annual Lord Mayor's Appeal. The Appeal supports three charities: MQ Mental Health Research, Homewards and National Numeracy. The Master participated in fundraising activities including a descent down the Leadenhall building ('Cheese Grater').
• Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCIArb is thanked as a sponsor of the Mediation Skills Competition alongside Falcon Chambers and IDRC.
• Falcon ChamberssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerFalcon Chambers is thanked as a sponsor of the Mediation Skills Competition alongside CIArb and IDRC.
• Livery Schools LinksupportingOthersAn online volunteering platform enabling members of livery companies to volunteer in schools. The Company encourages Freemen and Liverymen to subscribe to the platform which enables volunteers to identify opportunities and schools to find volunteers.
• Team UpsupportingOthersTeam Up is a social venture charity whose voluntary leadership programme trains role models to tutor children from low income backgrounds. The Company participates with Team Up in enrichment days for students from disadvantaged areas introducing careers in law, construction, engineering, shipping and other fields.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ICC International Court of Arbitration: The International Chamber of Commerce's arbitration arm, a global leader in institutional arbitration. Comparable as a flagship international arbitration institution that shares an overlapping practitioner ecosystem with the WCA and competes for thought leadership on UK and international arbitration practice.
• The Law Society of England and Wales: Statutory professional body for solicitors in England and Wales. Comparable as a long-established chartered professional membership organisation governing a discrete legal profession, with similar governance rituals, Royal Charter heritage and educational/regulatory remit — though at much larger scale.
• General Council of the Bar: The regulatory and representative body for barristers in England and Wales. Comparable as a City of London-adjacent legal profession membership body that fosters its members' professional standing and conducts educational/training activities akin to the WCA's pupillage-style mentorship.

Others

• Worshipful Company of Solicitors: Another Modern Livery Company of the City of London focused on the solicitors' profession. Closely comparable as a peer Livery Company with identical governance structure (Master, Wardens, Court), Royal Charter status, charitable remit and City of London ceremonial obligations.
• International Dispute Resolution Centre (IDRC): A London hearing centre and ADR venue that hosts the WCA's annual Arbitration and Mediation Competitions. Directly comparable as a venue/institutional partner in the same London arbitration ecosystem and a key enabling infrastructure provider for the WCA's educational programmes.

Regional players

• Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC): A leading Asian-seated international arbitration institution. Comparable as a competing seat for international arbitration whose rising prominence directly bears on the WCA's mission to maintain London as a 'pre-eminent forum for legal services and dispute resolution'.
• Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC): A major Asia-based arbitration institution. Comparable as a fellow international arbitration body — WCA Freemen have attended BVI arbitration week and the HKIAC operates in the same practitioner community the WCA's Travelling Scholarships help members access.
• London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA): A London-based international arbitration institution administering arbitrations. Comparable as a fellow UK-headquartered dispute resolution institution operating in the same London arbitration ecosystem, sharing practitioners and frequently co-branded events with WCA members.

Emerging players

• Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR): A London-based ADR organisation promoting mediation and conflict resolution. Comparable as a fellow UK dispute resolution body offering mediation training and accreditation that overlaps with the WCA's mediation competitions and seminars.

Direct peers

• Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb): The leading global professional membership body for dispute resolution practitioners, including arbitrators, adjudicators and mediators. Most direct comparable: both organisations credential and develop UK/international arbitrators, run educational programmes, and engage with the same practitioner population.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-worshipful-company-of-arbitrators

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF ARBITRATORS