Nirma University, Institute of Law, Ahmedabad entered into a cooperation agreement with the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) today, inaugurating its new alternative dispute resolution (ADR) centre.The centre would focus on increasing practical learning of ADR techniques such as mediation, arbitration and field visits, explained assistant professor Rohit Moonka, who has been heading up arbitration at Nirma for the last two years after joining from GNLU Gandhinagar, where he was a legal research fellow.

“The chartered institute, they have expertise in arbitration and have already conducted a workshop,” he explained, and the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed today at Nirma with CIArb’s India branch director Sameer Shah (pictured centre), would pave the way for further workshops and collaborations with other arbitration bodies, said Moonka (pictured right).

ADR is a compulsory subject at the law school that was set up just over six years ago and now has around 900 students with a batch strength of 240 spread over three law degrees.

Moonka added that he felt ADR was also relevant in the practice of legal aid clinics, and that he had set up a central jail legal aid clinic at Nirma two years ago after attending NUJS Kolkata’s conference on legal aid at law schools, emulating the West Bengal-based national law school’s programme.

Up to 12 students and four faculty members provided legal assistance to undertrial prisoners, referring them to the government’s legal services board.