Susan Franck

Susan Franck is a Professor of Law at Washington and Lee University School of Law specializing in international arbitration and empirical legal studies. Her groundbreaking 2015 research on diversity in international arbitration examined demographic disparities among arbitrators and counsel through quantitative analysis of 548 practitioners.

Key findings from her ICCA Congress research include:

• Only 17.6% of arbitrators were women
• 84.8% of arbitrators came from high-income countries
• No representation from low-income states
• Developing country arbitrators received fewer appointments
• Women and younger practitioners reported stronger awareness of diversity challenges

The study revealed significant geographic imbalances, with 48.2% of arbitrators being European nationals and 27.9% North American. Her work has influenced discussions on equity in global dispute resolution systems.