Alternative Dispute Resolution and Mediation Rules 2006

Ethical Practices to be followed by a Mediator

My joy was boundless. I had learnt the true practice of law. I had learnt to find out the better side of human nature and to enter men’s hearts. I realised the true function of a lawyer was to unite parties riven asunder. The lesson was so indelibly burnt into me that a large part of my time during the twenty years of my practice as a lawyer was occupied in bringing about private compromises of hundreds of cases. I lost nothing thereby – not even money, certainly not my soul.”

Mahatma Gandhi

Alternate dispute resolution (“ADR”) mechanisms have become the front runner in the dispute resolution space, with mediation gaining a great deal of traction in the last couple of decades. This is so not only with respect to disputes amongst individuals, but companies as well. It is seen that a myriad range of civil disputes such as disputes arising out of contractual relationships, family or matrimonial relationships, employment, partnerships, tortious disputes and consumer disputes can be resolved through mediation.
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The Singapore Convention on Mediation 2019

The United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation (Singapore Convention) was adopted by the United Nations on June 26, 2018 and opened for signature on August 7, 2019, with 46 countries affixing their signatures to what is intended be a game changer in the alternate dispute resolution space.

The use of mediation has grown, particularly because it is cheaper than international arbitration (which is now being criticised for the very evils it was created to avoid, i.e. costs and complexity), and also because it is more likely to preserve commercial relationships.  These benefits are recognised in the Preamble to the Convention, reflecting the hope that the enforceability of international commercial settlement agreements  would facilitate efficient administration of justice by States, and also contribute to the development of harmonious international economic relations.
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