Mediation Society to host two-part conversation on lawyers’ role in mediation

The Mediation Society has announced a two-part online professional conversation on the lawyer’s place and potential in mediation, with sessions scheduled for June 30 and July 21, 2026.

The series, organised under the Society’s Mediation Conversations initiative, will examine two closely connected themes: why lawyers should learn mediation even if they do not intend to become mediators, and how mediation advocacy can serve as a strategic addition to contemporary legal practice.

The first session, “Why Every Lawyer Should Learn Mediation: Beyond Becoming a Mediator,” will be held on Tuesday, June 30, at 7 p.m. The second, “Mediation Advocacy: A Strategic Addition to Your Legal Practice,” is scheduled for Tuesday, July 21, at 7 p.m. Both sessions will be held online via Zoom.

The conversations come at a time when mediation is assuming a more visible role in India’s dispute resolution landscape. Courts have increasingly encouraged recourse to mediation, clients are showing greater interest in practical and efficient dispute resolution, and statutory and institutional frameworks around mediation continue to evolve. Against that backdrop, the series seeks to focus attention on a question of growing relevance to the legal profession: what role should lawyers play in and around mediation?

While mediation is often discussed primarily in relation to mediators, the proposed conversations aim to shift the focus to lawyers — not only as advisors who guide clients on dispute resolution choices, but also as professionals whose skills in negotiation, case assessment, communication and settlement strategy can be sharpened through a deeper understanding of mediation.

The first session will explore why mediation is worth learning even for lawyers who do not intend to practise as mediators. It will consider how familiarity with mediation can strengthen client counselling, help lawyers assess disputes more effectively, improve negotiation and settlement strategy, and enable more meaningful participation in both court-referred and private mediation processes.

The second session will turn to mediation advocacy — the lawyer’s role within the mediation process itself. It will examine mediation advocacy as a distinct professional skill involving client preparation, strategic negotiation, communication in a non-adversarial setting, engagement with the mediator, and the shaping of realistic and durable settlement outcomes. In doing so, the session will address how mediation advocacy can complement rather than replace traditional legal practice.

Both sessions will feature Adv Rajesh C Muttath as the lead speaker. The first conversation will include Adv John Nellimala Sarai, Adv Aditya Thejus Krishnan, Adv Joel Kenneth Johnson and Muneera Ali as discussants. The second will feature Adv Simi Varghese Tharakan, Adv Ruben George Rock, Adv Anirudh Kumar and Fathima Nourin. Adv Ameena Rafeeq will chair both sessions.

By structuring the programme as a two-part conversation rather than a conventional lecture, the organisers appear to be positioning it as a practical engagement with the changing place of mediation in legal practice. The series is expected to be of interest to practising lawyers, young members of the Bar, law students, mediators and others interested in the future of dispute resolution.

The programme is open to all and participation is free. Further details may be obtained from Adv Mehula Liza Pallathu at 81388 67999 or 89219 22121.