The first procedural hearing (sometimes called a preliminary or case-management conference) is where the tribunal and parties agree the practical framework for the arbitration: the calendar for pleadings and evidence, the language and venue of hearings, whether hearings will be in-person, virtual or hybrid, and any technology protocol for document handling.
Parties should come prepared to discuss a realistic timetable rather than an aspirational one — the calendar set here becomes the benchmark against which any later delay is measured.
Where a multi-tier clause required prior negotiation or mediation, this is also typically where the tribunal confirms that those pre-conditions were satisfied before accepting jurisdiction over the merits.