National Law Institute University-International Academy for Dispute Resolution, International Law School Mediation Tournament

8^th NLIU INADR ILSMT kick-starts at NLIU, Bhopal

The 8^th edition of the National Law Institute University-International Academy for Dispute Resolution, International Law School Mediation Tournament started off at 9:30 a.m. on 22^nd November, 2019 with a quick session of registrations at the Auditorium. This year’s edition will be witnessing a massive participation of 43 teams, which include teams from as well as outside India.  

Senior member of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Cell, Saavni Kamath says that this edition of the tournament is going to be exciting and would serve as a great platform for exposure to not only participants but also volunteers. Having been part of multiple mediation tournaments, her advice to participants is to stay focussed, analyse the problems well before mediating and also have loads fun.

Ankit Choudhary, a participant from Army Institute of Law, Mohali said in an interview that his expectations from the tournament are manifold, which include great hospitality, a wonderful learning experience, tough team to compete with and a fruitful training session. Having been contented with the hospitality so far, Ankit looks forward to a memorable tournament ahead. Well, the ADRC, having been doing so since 2011, can surely ensure that!

The registration was followed by the opening ceremony. The Chief Guest for the opening ceremony was Mr. Tom Valenti, a Chicago based mediator, associated with multiple Bar Associations, which include the Bar of Illinois and Chicago. Mr. Valenti took the dais to bring out the background of mediation in India, and the manner in which he not only brought out the need to develop the ADR sector in India through legislative enactments and infrastructure developments, but also by students and practitioners taking up the responsibility at both personal and institutional levels for the same was what attracted the attention of everyone in the auditorium.

The next guest on the dais was Ms. Kimberly Schreiber, an attorney as well as a mediator licensed in Tennessee, United States. She is also notably a Tennessee Supreme Court approved trainer in mediation and is the founder of Training Resolved Law and Mediation Centre.

After Mr. Valenti, the ADR Cell took the opportunity to welcome Mr. John Lag, an Arbitrator for the Cook County Courts and an adjunct professor of law at the John Marshall Law School. Having welcomed him with a floral bouquet, the ADR Cell took the opportunity to welcome a notable international practitioner in collaborative divorce and divorce mediation and an awardee of various awards such as the New England Super Lawyers Rising Star-Connecticut: 2017 – 2019, Ms. Meghann M. Sweeney.

Following the welcoming of the esteemed dignitaries on the dais, the dignitaries were invited to address the participants and the volunteers. They took the opportunity to welcome and encourage all the participants, and wished them the best of luck for the competition.

Lastly, Dr. Tapan Mohanty, Professor, National Law Institute University and Chairperson of Centre for Socio-Legal Studies and Associate Professor of Sociology of Law, took the podium to put forward his insights on mediation in India, which he explained with the help of tales from the Panchatantra, and also encouraged the participants to do their best and assured them a memorable experience. 

The opening ceremony was followed by a sumptuous lunch at the Guest House, following which the students had to assemble back in the auditorium for a detailed training session that was going to be conducted by Mr. John L. Lag and Ms. Meghann Sweeny.  

The session involved a detailed explanation of the roles of the client, counsel and the mediator by Mr. Lag and Ms. Sweeny. They threw light on not only the roles of each, but also on the do’s and don’t’s of from each side, following which they gave specific advice for the competition. They enthusiastically entertained questions from the participants, and made sure that all their questions were answered.