Alternative dispute resolution is the new normal 

A five-day certificate course on alternative dispute resolution and arbitration was organized by the Legal Awareness and Literacy Committee of Amity Law School, Noida. The course, free of charge, aimed to provide information on alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and arbitration to the students of law and to further inform them about the career opportunities in the field. More than 750 registrations were received for the course.   
 
Chief Guest for the valedictory session, Ms. Manju Goel, Former Judge, Delhi High Court shared her experiences of her 50-year-old career span to motivate students. She stated that more than education, it is the attitude that works for students. She averred that when ADR was introduced, lawyers were not happy with the concept. She added that over a period it was realised that at times it is the only path of dispute resolution. She cited examples of cases from her illustrious professional journey and the integral role ADR played in resolving the dispute. She advised the budding lawyers to be aware of the social context of law & whether the resolution through law or ADR is providing justice. She averred that India is a country of vast socio-economic differences and the legal community should look at providing justice despite these differences. Ms. Goel stated that ADR is most suited to resolve family disputes as emotions are invariably intertwined in these matters. She cited examples of subtle measures taken by mediators to bring back the lost sentiment in various cases.   
 
Mr. Amarjit Singh Chandhiok, Senior Advocate & Former Additional Solicitor General of India, Delhi High Court stated that to be lawyer or a judge one must be a great human being and find a zeal & passion to commit oneself to law. He advised students to never feel disheartened with what they have done and pay attention to the fundamentals of law to succeed. He averred that their job as a lawyer would first be to see how they can first resolve an issue and how it is being considered to bring mediation as a law in the country. He called for timely appointment of more judges to allocate justice to people. He added that mediation process is not outside the law and how one needs to be impartial and negotiate well to allow successful mediation. He shared that there is lot of space and vacancy in the field of law and called students to make the most of the opportunity being provided to them. He also advised to maintain the highest standard of ethics while practicing the profession.   
Ms. Kiran Bhardwaj, Advocate on Record and Mediator, Member, Governing Council, ICADR, Supreme Court of India who conducted the five-day course wished luck to the students for their future endeavours.  

Welcoming the guests, Dr. D. K. Bandyopadhyay, Chairman, Amity Law School, Noida, said that several cases of the court can be resolved through alternative dispute resolution and arbitration that provides a scientific mechanism technology and can reduce the burden of courts. He cited the example of many advocates joining the course and how the various facets of ADR were covered during the five-day course.  
 
Also present on the occasion were Dr. Aditya Tomar, Additional Director, Amity Law School, Dr. Shefali Raizada, Additional Director, Amity Law School along with students and faculty members.