Virtual global meet at GITAM School of Law on mediation as a mode of dispute settlement

Hon’ble Justice Sri Lavu Nageswara Rao, Judge (Retd.), SC India is keynote speaker at the conference

Visakhapatnam, December 9, 2022: To promote and support effective implementation

of mediation in the Indian context, the GITAM School of Law, Visakhapatnam, is set to host a virtual two-day multidisciplinary international conference themed ‘Mediation as a mode of Settlement of Disputes in the new Millennium: A Way Forward’ on December 9-10, 2022. Hon’ble Justice Sri Lavu Nageswara Rao, Judge (Retd.), Supreme Court of India will be the keynote speaker.

To familiarize law students with new industry innovations and trends, it has lined up talks by eminent speakers like Prof Dr. Francis Law (President of the Hong Kong Mediation Centre, Hong Kong), Wasiq Abass Dar (Associate Professor & Assistant Director of ADR Society’s Faculty Board), Professor Bryan Clark (Deputy Head- Academic Affairs, Newcastle Law School, UK), Sameer Shah (Director-CIArb-India Branch & Mediation Trainer – IM Campus, Germany), Hon’ble Justice G. Yethirajulu (Judge (Retd.) High Court of A.P. – INDIA), Prof S. Rama Rao (Former Director, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) United Nations, New York), Aziz Tayabali Samiwalla (Mediator/Arbitrator at Aziz Tayabali & Associates, Singapore) and Pragya Sharma (Arbitration Associate, Miles Mediation and Arbitration, Georgia, US).

The international conference is aimed at tabling views and ideas from all the stakeholders involved and interested in the mediation process. Among the themes for the conference are PeaceBuilding – Role of Alternative Dispute Resolution, Cross, Cultural Conflicts and Dispute Resolution, Mediation with reference to Family & Matrimonial Matters, Ethics: Mediation, Mediation: Role of Mediator, Role of Mediation in present Justice Delivery System and E-Arbitration & E-Mediation. The conference will also have poster and paper presentations on these themes.

Delay in the administration of justice undermines the achievement of core constitutional objectives in many countries, including India. The development of mediation in India holds enormous promise. In particular, the communication skills and bargaining strategies of facilitated negotiation can strengthen the system’s capacity to bring justice to the society.

Despite the demonstrable value of these techniques, however, several obstacles block the path to mediation in India.

The Chairperson and Director of GITAM School of Law, Prof. R. Anita Rao said, “Mediation needs to be promoted as a mechanism that complements judicial process. To achieve acceptance and popularity of Mediation as the first step before approaching the court or any other Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) method, it is crucial to develop confidence in the process of Mediation. The upcoming conference will bring academic and industry stakeholders on a single platform to enhance student learning.”

President of GITAM (Deemed to be University), M. Sri Bharat says, “As a world-class institution of higher learning, we are proud to host this international virtual conference to boost industry academia collaboration to benefit learning at GITAM.”