NUJS Kolkata Hosts 7th Mediation Competition, NALSAR Wins Negotiation Segment; NLSIU Bags First Place For Mediation

The competition provided a unique platform for law students globally to engage in a rigorous contest, network with leading professionals in the field, and compete for exciting prizes, including exclusive internship opportunities. Adding to the prestige of the competition, the winners secured a coveted spot at the Warsaw Negotiation Round, offering them an excellent opportunity to showcase their talents on an international stage.

The NUJS Mediation Competition has remained one of the most esteemed competitions in the Indian ADR circuit. Its primary goal was to promote mediation as a preferred method of Alternative Dispute Resolution. The 7th edition of the NUJS Mediation Competition was organized in collaboration with SBI, Khaitan & Co, Argus Partners, Triumvir Law, and Jurisphere with a commitment to make this competition reach greater heights.

This year, the competition witnessed thirty teams which were carefully selected amongst the applicants for the competition globally who competed in the preliminary rounds followed by the top eight teams making it to the quarter finals and thereafter top four teams making it to the semi-finals and the top two teams making it to the final rounds of the competition. The participants this year included leading national law universities from across the country as well as prestigious law schools from India and abroad. The teams was assessed by a stellar panel of expert assessors in the field of ADR from national and international law firms, practitioners and academicians.

The top-performing participants received opportunities to qualify for and intern with leading national law firms like Khaitan & Co., Argus Partners, Triumvir Law, Webnyay, ADR organizations like IAMC. Further, they also qualified for prestigious competitions such as the Warsaw Negotiation Round, APIIT Law School International Negotiation Competition, AIADR Malaysia, Transatlantic Negotiation Competition (TANC), The Negotiation Challenge (TNC), and the MediateGuru Virtual International Mediation Competition. The competition also included other opportunities included Research Assistantship with Param Bhamra, internships at AIADR Malaysia and with Webnyay. These opportunities will go a long way in providing an invaluable practical exposure and a chance to work alongside some of the foremost experts in the field.

In addition to the core competition, the participants were provided an unique learning opportunity through a panel discussion with leading experts. The distinguished panellists included Mr. Chakrapani Misra (Senior Partner at Khaitan & Co. and a certified mediator), Mr. Joe Tirado (Ex-Head of ADR, Garrigues LLP UK), Mr. AJ Jawad (Registrar, IAMC), Mr. Sameer Bindra (Senior Associate at Khaitan & Co.) and Mr. Param Bhamra (Founder, MediateGuru). Further, the participants were provided an opportunity to participate in an online workshop conducted by Mr. Roar Thun Wægger from the Waegger Negotiation Institute, Oslo, providing insights on international negotiation practices.

Additionally, the competition has provided opportunities like a blog writing opportunity with Ex Curia, as well as access to Webnyay Gen AI Products and the Jurisphere Application for top achievers. These initiatives are designed to provide participants with broader academic and professional exposure to further their journey in ADR.

The competition this year had SBI as our Silver Partner, SCC Online as our Knowledge Partner, and SCC Times as our Media Partner. The problems for this year's competition were drafted by Mr. Roar Thun Wægger, Mr. Felipe Glioche, Mr. Param Bhamra, IAMC Hyderabad, and Mr. Atish Chakraborty.

At the end of the competition, NALSAR emerged as the winners in the negotiation segment, while the NLUJ team secured the runners-up position. In the mediation segment, the NLSIU mediator emerged as the winner, while NUALS, Kochi emerged as the runner-up.

“The 7th NUJS Mediation Competition has strived in its endeavour to outshine its earlier editions and has upheld the motto of promoting the spirit of ADR. Further, the competition has once again proved its mettle towards providing an excellent platform for the participants by becoming qualifiers to some of the most prestigious ADR competitions globally and by providing umpteen other opportunities to reward the participants amply for their efforts”, said Atish Chakraborty, Faculty Advisor of the ADR Society of WBNUJS.

“The successful completion of the 7th NUJS Mediation Competition stands as a testament to the growing impact of ADR and the exceptional talent the participants have honed and demonstrated through the course of this competition. It was also an honour for me to lead and organise this prestigious event that brought together sharp legal minds, fostering dialogue, strategy, and innovation in dispute resolution.” said Dhruv Maheshwari, the Convenor of the ADR Society of WBNUJS.