Young ICCA Workshop - Soft Skills para Profissionais de Arbitragem

Post Event Report

Written by Eleonora Martins (BMA Advogados)

On 17 July 2026, Young ICCA held a workshop entitled “Soft Skills for Arbitration Professionals” at the Center for Arbitration and Mediation of the Chamber of Commerce Brazil-Canada (CAM-CCBC) in São Paulo, Brazil. Through a combination of expert-led presentations, the event offered attendees techniques for strengthening their oral advocacy, managing stress in high-stakes environments, and projecting professionalism through both verbal and non-verbal communication.

The workshop commenced with opening remarks by Gustavo Kulesza, Young ICCA Co-Chair and Partner at BMA Advogados, who welcomed attendees and thanked the sponsors. Mr. Kulesza introduced Young ICCA and its mission of fostering the development and engagement of young practitioners within the international arbitration community. 

The program continued with a panel discussion featuring Luiza Pedroso, Associate at BMA Advogados, Izabela Moriggi Costa, Associate at Justen, Pereira, Oliveira & Talamini Advogados, and Raquel Macedo Moreira, Independent Practitioner, which was moderated by Antonio Alberto Rondina Cury, Partner at Wald Advogados.

Luiza Pedroso addressed communication and advocacy techniques, with particular emphasis on the oral delivery of legal arguments to arbitrators during hearings. Ms. Pedroso discussed active thinking – that is, guiding the audience to conclusions through the structured presentation of evidence and facts, rather than simply stating conclusions – which engages the tribunal in the reasoning process and strengthens the persuasiveness of an argument. She also addressed the “curse of internalized knowledge” and presented strategies to minimize such bias. Ms. Pedroso further emphasized the importance of speech rhythm and word choice, noting that the vocabulary and syntax appropriate for written submissions may not translate well to spoken advocacy.

Izabela Moriggi covered soft skills for practicing law under pressure. Ms. Moriggi explored the psychological dimensions of conflict, examining the mechanisms at play in dispute resolution contexts and how these affect the practitioner’s decision-making and conduct. She examined negotiation tactics and identified professional skills that become threatened or impaired when practitioners operate under stress, including analytical reasoning and effective communication. Ms. Moriggi concluded with a presentation of performance improvement strategies, offering actionable methods for enhancing one’s performance under stress.

Raquel Macedo Moreira delivered a presentation on non-verbal communication and its significance in professional and advocacy settings. Ms. Macedo Moreira discussed the role of body posture in projecting confidence and authority, as well as the value of managing facial expressions to convey engagement, composure, and appropriate emotional responses. She noted the effective use of hand gestures to complement and reinforce oral delivery and considered the broader impact of personal image on how practitioners are perceived in professional contexts, including arbitral hearings.

Following the panel discussion, attendees participated in practical exercises designed to allow them to apply and practice the soft skills taught during the event. These exercises provided participants with greater awareness of their own communication habits and professional presence.