IADRC holds ’’Regional Alternative Dispute Resolution Symposium 2024’’

From left: Bangladesh International Arbitration Centre’s Saqueb Mahabub, International ADR Centre Sri Lanka Director General Dhara Wijayatilake, Pakistan Musaliha International Centre for Arbitration and Dispute Resolution Sarha Rasheed and International ADR Centre Sri Lanka Director Shehara Varia 

The International ADR Centre, Sri Lanka (IADRC) held its annual ‘Regional Alternative Dispute Resolution Symposium 2024’ from 13 to 15 May. 

The Symposium was organised in collaboration with the Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP) of the Department of Commerce, USA.

The Symposium was attended by members of the legal community and law students of Sri Lanka as well as experts from regional ADR Centres in Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Maldives, Malaysia, Mumbai, Nepal, Pakistan, Singapore and Thailand. 

The resource persons included judges of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, representatives from the law firms of White & Case, Norton Rose Fulbright, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan and The Chambers, Washington DC.

The Symposium addressed topics that were vital to the Arbitration regime such as The Seat of Arbitration, The venue and governing law, The role of the judiciary in Arbitrations, with  key note addresses by Judge of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka Justice Janak de Silva; Issues relating to enforcement including the provisions of the New York Convention and how concepts such as  ‘public policy ‘ has been interpreted within the domestic law of countries, with a keynote address by Judge of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka Justice Arjuna Obeyesekere, Arbitration and Mediation for commercial dispute resolution; The impact of AI on ADR processes including the very recent (April) Silicon Valley Arbitration and Mediation Centre (SVAMC) Guidelines on the use of AI in Arbitrations by Benjamin Malek who chairs the SVAMC AI Task Force Guidelines drafting sub-committee.  On 16 May, the foreign delegates visited the International ADR Centre at the World Trade Centre and discussed matters relating to best practices to be adopted in Arbitration proceedings and the roles assumed by the Regional Centres in sustaining standards to provide efficient services. 

The IADRC signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the Maldives International Arbitration Centre and the Legal Aid Society of Pakistan through its flagship project the Musaliha International Centre for Arbitration and Dispute Resolution. 

The MOUs pledged cooperation to promote ADR programs, including Arbitration, Mediation and other ADR services.