Frederick Acomb

Practice Areas

Litigation and Dispute Resolution

International Disputes

Career

Frederick Acomb defends and prosecutes transnational litigation and international arbitration matters for clients located throughout the world. His work regularly takes him around the globe. He has appeared before arbitration tribunals in Asia, Europe and North America.

Fred has also represented international and domestic clients in more than 80 automotive supply chain disputes. As former general counsel to the firm, he has a unique perspective on client service that he endeavors to bring to every engagement.

Professional Memberships

Advisory Board, Institute for Transnational Arbitration, 2024–present

Advisory Board, International Bar Association, Litigation Committee, 2024–present

Steering Group, American Bar Association International Litigation Committee, Sept. 1, 2024–Aug. 31, 2025

Steering Group, American Bar Association International Arbitration Committee, Sept. 1, 2024–Aug. 31, 2025

Fellow, Michigan State Bar Foundation, 2022–present

Fellow, Oakland County Bar Foundation, 2010–present

Officer and Co-Chair, International Bar Association, Litigation Committee, 2022–2023

Officer and Senior Vice Chair, International Bar Association, Litigation Committee, 2020–2021

Officer and Vice Chair, International Bar Association, Litigation Committee, 2018–2019

Officer and Secretary, International Bar Association, Litigation Committee, 2016–2017

Officer and Website Co-Editor, International Bar Association, Litigation Committee, 2014–2015

Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, 2012–present

External Advisory Committee, Program for International Legal Studies, Wayne State University Law School, 2013–present

International Bar Association, International Arbitration Section

American Bar Association, International Law and Practice Section

State Bar of Michigan, International Section

Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association

Publications

“Using International Arbitration to Resolve Retaliatory Tariff Disputes in Global Supply Chains,” (Co-Author), Detroit Legal News (April 4, 2025)

“United States Court of Appeals Enforces Arbitration Agreement Against Third-Party Non-Signatories,” (Co-Author), JDSupra (April 1, 2025)

“Why Midsized Companies Should Consider International Arbitration to Enforce Their Cross-Border Contracts,” (Co-Author), JDSupra (March 19, 2025)

“Court Upholds Mass Class Action Opt-Out Permitting Individual Arbitrations,” (Co-Author), JDSupra (March 14, 2025)

“Federal Appeals Court Upholds Arbitration Institution’s Authority to Consolidate Mass Arbitrations,” (Co-Author), JDSupra (March 10, 2025)

“U.S. Courts Can Recognize a Foreign Judgment Even Without Personal Jurisdiction,” (Co-Author), Detroit Legal News (March 5, 2025)

“Arbitrator Selection in International Automotive Supply Chain Disputes,” (Co-Author), JDSupra (March 5, 2025)

“Justices Leave Federal Jurisdiction over Enforcement of Arbitration Awards Unclear,” (Co-Author), JDSupra (June 19, 2024)

"Supreme Court Holds that Where Two Contracts Conflict on the Issue of Arbitrability, Courts – Not Arbitrators – Decide Which Contract Controls,” (Co-Author), JDSupra (May 31, 2024)

"Supreme Court Holds that District Courts May Not Dismiss Lawsuits Pending Arbitration, But Instead Must Stay Them,” (Co-author), JD Supra (May 20, 2024)

"US Supreme Court Confirms that Foreign Companies Can Use a Powerful Tool to Enforce International Arbitration Awards," (Co-author), JD Supra (July 5, 2023)

"Supreme Court Rules that Federal Cases Are Automatically Stayed Pending Appeal of the Trial Court's Denial of a Motion to Compel Arbitration," (Co-author), (June 26, 2023)

"Reversing its Precedent, Eleventh Circuit Holds that Courts May Vacate International Arbitration Awards on Same Grounds as Domestic Awards," (Co-author), JD Supra (June 13, 2023)

"United States Supreme Court Restricts Availability of U.S. Discovery in Support of International Arbitration," (Co-author), JD Supra, (June 15, 2022)

"Ninth Circuit Underscores the Need for Careful Drafting of International Arbitration Clauses," (Co-author), JD Supra (July 29, 2021)

"Third Circuit Holds That an Arbitration Award Was a Judicial Record and Must Be Unsealed," (Co-author), JDSupra (January 13, 2021)

"New Amendments to ICC Arbitration Rules Will Save Time and Money," (Co-author), JDSupra (December 17, 2020)

"Using the U.S. Courts to Obtain Discovery Here and Abroad for Foreign and International Proceedings," (Co-author), 99 Mich. B.J. No. 9, 32 (September 2020)

"A U.S. Guide on Force Majeure and Other Defenses to Nonperformance Due to COVID-19," International Bar Association webinar materials (June 11, 2020)

"Meditation and Responding With Skill to the Daily Stress of Practicing Law," International Litigation News, pp. 17-18 (May 2020)

"Can a U.S. Court Order Foreign Discovery for a Foreign Use?" (Co-author), Litigation, ABA Journal of the Section of Litigation, Vol. 46 No. 2, pp. 13-14 (Winter 2020)

"What Are You Doing to Promote Diversity?" International Litigation News, p. 13 (September 2019)

"Can a United States Court Order Discovery Outside the U.S. for Use in a Foreign Proceeding?," (Co-author), International Litigation News, p. 80 (May 2019)

"Double-Hatting in International Arbitration," Litigation, ABA Journal of the Section of Litigation, Vol. 43 No. 4, pp. 15-16 (Summer 2017)

"The Insider Adversary in International Arbitration," (Co-author), The American Review of International Arbitration (ARIA), Volume 27, No. 1 (2016)

"Hague Convention on Choice of Court Agreements: Impact and Opportunity," (Co-author), Michigan International Lawyer, Volume 28 No. 1 (Spring 2016)

"Enforcement of International Commercial Transactions," (Co-author), Detroiter Magazine (January 2013)

"Sales Representative Termination" and "Promissory Estoppel" subchapters of Michigan Causes of Action Formbook, at "Chapter 18: Contract and Related Actions," published by the ICLE (2nd Ed. 2020)

"Dealer/Sales Representative Termination" chapter, Michigan Causes of Action Formbook published by the ICLE (2010-2019)

"50-Nation Compendium on Tiered Dispute Resolution Clauses" (Co-Editor-in-Chief), International Bar Association Litigation Committee (October 1, 2015)

United States chapter, "50-Nation Compendium on Tiered Dispute Resolution Clauses," (Co-author), International Bar Association Litigation Committee (October 1, 2015)

Michigan Chapter, "Getting the Deal Through-Dispute Resolution," (Author), Global Arbitration Review, Law Business Research Ltd., official research partner of the International Bar Association (2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009)

Personal

Northwestern University Club of Metropolitan Detroit Director, 2012–2014, 2022–present

University of California Hastings College of the Law 30 Year Reunion Committee (Class of 1990), October 2020

Detroit Central City Community Mental Health

Advisory Board, 2005-2007, 2009-2017, Director, 2003–2005, 2007–2009 Co-chair, Capital Campaign Committee, 2003–2005

Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival

Co-chair, Preview Party & Benefit Auction, 2002

20-30 Club

Trustee, 1995–1997

Kaleidoscope Concerts

Director, 1993–1997

Fanclub Foundation for the Arts, Trustee, 1995–1996

Education