Achievements Unlocked: Alternate Dispute Resolution Society

Alternative Dispute Resolution Society (ADRS) is a specialised society essentially working towards the inculcation of practical and research skills primarily in the field of ADR. Bearing in mind the complexities involved in the commercial disputes and family matters along with the evolution of this field and industry requisites, ADRS focuses on sensitizing and creating awareness of the alternative methods of settlement. ADRS, a student run-society rests with the vision of promoting and providing all necessary resources to the students in order to inculcate ADR skills via workshops, certificate courses and internal/national competitions. The society aims to bridge the gap between the students and industry leaders and other relative bodies for a successful practical learning and collaboration which acts as a core segment of law school learning.

ADR is the future and the saving grace for a judiciary that is overburdened with disputes. Additionally, the increasing costs of litigation and its time-taking procedure makes ADR an attractive choice for those who require immediate remedies. Keeping in mind the growing importance of ADR in the legal society, ADRS aims to promote awareness of the same and educate the students in all its aspects. ADRS ensures that students are effectively trained in the various ADR mechanisms by equipping them with the practical skills as well as comprehensive knowledge of laws and regulations concerning ADR to produce fair outcomes for disputes.

To enable students to prepare for the field and industry requisites, ADRS encourages the students of SLS-H to participate in various National and International competitions and provides them with the necessary guidance via mock simulations. Due to the restrictions imposed on competitions due to the global pandemic, all events were conducted on an online format viewing the safety of students and participants. The students of SLS-H despite the pandemic have achieved great heights on national and international platform.

National Achievements

Alternative Dispute Resolution Society, erstwhile Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution (CADR) successfully conducted the 2^nd Intra Mediation and Client Counselling Competition in 2019. Days of intense Mediation and Client Counselling, the 2nd edition aimed to inculcate the skills and proficiency in relation to the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution and all the allied mechanisms. On the basis of their performance in the competition, the students were given the opportunity to represent Symbiosis Law School, Hyderabad, in External Alternative Dispute Resolution Competitions.

The Competition saw students participate in 45 National Competitions in various formats of Mediation, Negotiation, Med-Arb and Client Counselling. The Alternative Dispute Resolution Society extends its heartiest congratulations to the students for their achievements at  National Competitions:

• Rachel Johnson (Batch 2016-2021) and Sanjana L.B (Batch 2017-2022) were the winners of the 2nd NUJS Khaitan Client Counselling Competition 2020 held at West Bengal National University of Judicial Sciences, Kolkata.

• Rahul Prasad Shambu and J. Nayak of the 2018-2023 batch secured the Runner Up position at Lex Communique 2020, National Law Fest at Thakur Ramnarayan College of Law, Mumbai. 

• Ms. Smruti Poola and Ms. Anya Parikh (Batch 2018-2023) were declared as the Winners of the Northcap University 6th National Client Consultation Competition, 2020.

• Ms. Praniti Ganjoo (Batch 2016-2021) emerged as the ‘Best Mediator’ at the 3rd VIPS Madhyam DRCC: National Virtual Mediation Competition, 2020.

• Ms. Manogya Chava (Batch 2018-2023) had secured the Runners-Up position and the Best Arbitral award at the Christ National Med-Arb Competition,2020.

• Mr. Pradosh Shetty and Ms. Shivangi Kalasad (Batch 2017-2022) were the winners for having the best negotiation plan in the 1st NLIU-Khaitan international Negotiation competition. 

• Ms. Kalpalathikaa M. and Ms. Aparna. R (Batch 2017-2022) emerged as the Best Negotiating Team (Preliminary Rounds) as well as individually emerging as the ‘Best Advocate’ and ‘Best Client’ at the Nyayashastram’s 1st Ratan K Singh National Negotiation Competition, 2020. 

• Ms. Harleen Kaur Rait for being adjudged as the “Best Mediator” at MNLU Mumbai’s Mediation Bombay 2.0, 2021.

• Ms. Sanjana L.B. (Batch 2017-2022) was adjudged as the “Best Mediator” at the 3rd National Mediation Competition organised by UPES School of Law under the aegis of the Madhyastham-UPES ADR Fest’21.

• Ms. Winnie Mathew and Ms. Surabhi Srinivasan (Batch 2018-2023) secured the “2nd Runners Up” position at the KLE College of Law’s 1st National Online Client Counselling Competition, 2021.

• Asha Sreedhar and Ms. Sriharshitha Chada (Batch 2017-2022) emerged as the “Winners” of the “Mediation” segment of the 1st Justice J.S. Verma Memorial ADR & Client Counselling Competiton 2021 conducted by the Maharaja Agrasen Institute of Management Studies, Department of Law. The team was also adjudged the “Best Mediating Pair”.

International Achievements

The Society conducts Challenger Series to give the students an opportunity to participate in international ADR competitions. The Challenger Series enables only those students who have previously represented the college in National ADR competitions to be eligible to participate and the winners would represent Symbiosis Law School, Hyderabad at various international competitions. ADRS extends its heartiest congratulations to the following students for their achievements in international competitons:

• Ms. Shubhangi Nangunoori and Mr. Thirivikram Balaji, (2017-2022) were declared as the ‘Best Negotiating Team’ at the 3rd RGNUL Sports and Entertainment Law National Mediation Competition, 2021 organised in association with the PACT. They will be representing India at the International Mediation Singapore (IMSG) Competition to be hosted by SIMI in 2021. Ms.Praniti Ganjoo (Batch 2016-2021) also made it to the Semi-Finals and was adjudicated as the ‘Rising Mediator’ at the 3rd RGNUL Sports and Entertainment Law National Mediation Competition, 2021 organised in association with The PACT.

• Ms. Shubhangi Nangunoori, Mr. Thirivikram Balaji, Ms. Shivangi Kalasad and Ms. Aparna R (Batch 2017-2022) were declared as the ‘Runners-Up’ at the the Transatlantic Negotiation Competition, 2021 hosted by Syracuse University College of Law and Queen’s University Belfast. By doing so, the team brought home SLS Hyderabad’s first achievement in an International ADR tournament.

The various events and practices that ADRS conducted have been aimed to train students to develop important practical skills in the law school segment that would help in providing necessary gains to achievements in university competitions and their future practice. ADRS will continue to pursue their aim to help students inculcate practical and research skills primarily in the field of ADR and focus on sensitizing and creating awareness of the alternative method of settlement.