UC Law San Francisco Embarks on Multi-Year Effort to Improve ADR Education in India

The Center for Negotiation and Dispute Resolution (CNDR)  at the University of California College of Law, San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings), is making significant strides in legal education in India. Partnering with the National Law School of India University, Bangalore (NLSIU)—the top law school in the country—UC Law SF has introduced a negotiation and mediation advocacy course tailored to the Indian context that focuses on experiential teaching methods.  This initiative paves the way for making alternative dispute resolution (ADR) training more accessible in Indian law schools.

With a population of 1.3 billion, India faces immense challenges resolving disputes efficiently. Recognizing the critical role of ADR in alleviating the burden on the judicial system, in 2020 the Bar Council of India mandated that every law school in the country must offer a compulsory mediation course or module.  Most of the 1,000 plus law schools in India lack the resources or expertise to effectively teach mediation and negotiation skills, however.  UC Law SF’s initiative aims to bridge this gap, equipping the next generation of Indian lawyers with the tools to excel in mediation and negotiation.

In Spring 2024, UC Law SF beta-tested an elective course at NLSIU focused on negotiation and mediation advocacy skills.  The 40-hour course attracted 25 students and was taught both online and in person by renowned mediation teacher and UC Law SF Research Professor Dwight Golann.  Professor Golann was assisted by Tara Ollapally of CAMP Arbitration and Mediation Practice, one of the premier mediation institutions in India.  CAMP has been an invaluable partner in this initiative, providing essential local insights and ensuring the course is contextually relevant for Indian students.  The collaboration underscores the importance of adapting global best practices to local realities, a hallmark of CNDR’s approach.  UC Law SF expects to offer a similar mediation course at NLSIU in Spring 2025, and hopes this initiative at India’s premier law school will serve as a model for other law schools on the Subcontinent.

In connection with the 2024 course, Prof. Golann created a video showcasing one of India’s top mediators, Senior Advocate Sriram Panchu, mediating the popular “Mumbai Partners v. MedPro” simulation used to teach mediation in law schools throughout the U.S.  This is the first video to show the distinctive techniques often used by senior Indian mediators, and provides an interesting contrast to the styles of US, Asian and African mediators who have been filmed mediating the same case.  It will be made available to ADR teachers with the hope that it will serve as an invaluable learning tool for students and practitioners alike.

This initiative represents a significant opportunity to help the world’s most populous country achieve an efficient, accessible, and harmonious dispute resolution ecosystem.  By contributing to the education of future legal professionals in mediation, CNDR hopes to help foster a culture of effective dispute resolution in India and position itself as a leader in ADR education globally.