Biographical note: William Blair

William BlairSir William (Bill) Blair, Honorary Chair of MOCOMILA, is considered a leading international expert in the law of banking and finance and in dispute resolution in that field.  Professor of Financial Law and Ethics at the Centre for Commercial Law Studies, Queen Mary University of London, he served as a High Court Judge in England and Wales for nearly ten years, and was Judge in Charge of the Commercial Court from 2016.  He helped to establish the specialist Financial List in the English Courts, and the Standing International Forum of Commercial Courts internationally.  He was the first President of the Board of Appeal of the European Supervisory Authorities until 2019. In 2017, Bill rejoined 3 Verulam Buildings as an Associate Member, having previously practised from these chambers as a commercial QC before appointment to the bench, and helped to establish the International Advisory and Dispute Resolution Unit (IADRU) providing pro bono and quasi pro bono services in the international arena.  Bill sits as an arbitrator and has had LCIA, HKIAC, ICC and ICSID appointments as Chair, sole arbitrator and party-appointed arbitrator. In 2022, the European Commission included him in the list of arbitrators suitable for appointment as Chairperson in arbitrations under trade agreements to which the EU is a party. In 2018, he was appointed Chair of the Bank of England's Enforcement Decision Making Committee (EDMC).  He has served on missions for the World Bank, the IMF, and the Asian Development Bank.