In Association with

&

HYDERABAD

ICFAI Law School

Organizing

Mediation and
Client Counseling Competition 2021
22 to 24 October 2021
In association with

Kovise Foundation Conflict Resolution International (KFCRI)

&
Asian Institute of Alternative Dispute Resolution (AIADR)
 Mediation Competition 2021
I. GENERAL RULES AND the Client and the Counsel in the
REGULATIONS Preliminary Rounds.
The Event will begin with registrations The Client & Counsel Teams may decide
followed by briefing on 22nd October, their roles for the Semi-Final and Final
2021 wherein participants will be briefed rounds.
about the details of the event and are 3. REGISTRATION
welcome to seek clarifications. The
All the registered teams are required to be
Competition Sessions will be held from
present in person on the platform suggested
22nd October 24th October 2021
through the email link at 09:00 AM on
(Detailed program schedule will be
Friday, October 22nd 2021 through the link
provided at the time of registration).
provided with official email address at the
1.ELIGIBILITY time of the registration, for confirmation of
Only Law Colleges/Universities their participation.
recognized by the Bar Council of India are The Platform and the Chamber Links will be
eligible to participate. shared well in advance.
Only bonafide students pursuing LL.B. Participants are advised to keep the e-copy
Three Year/Five Year Degree of all duly filled forms that have been
programmes in aforementioned submitted to the organizers and original
institutions [1.1], during the current forms, if the same have not been submitted
academic year are eligible to participate. along with the payment receipts.
2. COMPOSITION OF TEAMS 4. CODE OF CONDUCT
Each team shall comprise THREE All the participants must be dressed in a
Participants: 1 Mediator and 1 Client & dignified manner befitting the legal
Counsel Team profession for the competition.
One Member of the Team will be
Friendly and healthy interaction among the
designated as Mediator, and the role will
participating teams and with the students of
remain unchanged throughout the
the host college is encouraged and expected.
Competition. The other two members of
Use of any electronic gadgets including
the team will be the designated Client &
mobile phones and laptops and smart
Counsels, representing a Client and
watches etc. is strictly prohibited during the
his/her Counsel, during the Mediation
competition, as the platform been virtual the
round. Each participant of the Client &
participants shall not use any other browser
Counsel team must play the role of both
 Mediation Competition 2021
or extended screen option to search or to revealed at any point during the
refer. competition, if so the team will be
Participants shall not reveal the identity of disqualified.
his/her college/university at any point of II. C O M P E T I T I O N R U L E S A N D
time during the competition. REGULATIONS
Scouting or any other unethical/ 1. COMPETITION SESSIONS
unprofessional conduct is strictly Format
prohibitedAs the platform been virtual, the 2. All Competition Sessions will be
participants are supposed to keep their conducted in English.
webcams on at all times.
Four teams will participate in one
The participants shall make themselves Competition Session:
aware of all the technicalities involved with
Two teams (Client & Counsel Teams) will
platform, and make a test run before the
be the Requesting and Responding Parties
day of the competition. In case they suffer
respectively/ negotiating parties. The
with connectivity issue, the organizers will
third and fourth teams will be Mediators
try to reach the team for five minutes and if
for the Session.
no communication is established the team
The Organizing Committee will assign the
shall be disqualified.
Client & Counsel Teams and Mediator for
The participants should also use good
each Session and decide the roles of the
quality of head phones so that their voice is
Client & Counsels Teams
clear at all times.
(Requesting/Responding Party or
To move from any kind of distraction, it is negotiating parties) by a draw of lots. To
advised that the participants isolate avoid any conflicts, the Mediators will not
themselves and keep their surroundings be assigned to sessions in which a Client &
clear from any kind of intervention. Counsel Teams belongs to the same
5. TEAM CODE Institution as that of the Mediator.
Each team will be allotted a Unique Team Maximum duration of each mediation
Code. Only the team codes should be session shall be of 30 minutes. It's up to the
quoted for future references/ mediators of the session to manage the time
correspondence and at the time of as well as the time split. An additional 10
communicating with organizers / judges. minutes will be reserved for scoring and
The identity and the college of the feedback at the end of each session.
members of the team should not be
 Mediation Competition 2021
3. COMPETITION ROUNDS Mediator and the Observers once the
This event shall be conducted in 'Three Confidential Information has been
Rounds' namely, Preliminary Round, Semi provided.
Final Round and Final Round. 6. CAUCUS
Preliminary Rounds will have two Rounds. The Mediator may conduct a private
Top 4 teams shall go to the Semifinal session, a Caucus, with each of the Client &
round on the basis of the average team Counsel Teams. In case the team wants to
score of both the preliminary rounds. go for the caucus, the organizers will
provide a separate meeting link which shall
In case of a tie for the 4th place, scores of
be moderated by the organizers, the team
point 11.2.6 for the client counsel pair and
shall not disconnect the session, they are
scores of point 11.3.4 for the mediators
allowed to mute for a while. A Caucus may
would be considered.
be called by a Client & Counsel Team or the
Two teams from the Knock-out rounds
Mediator. The other team shall remain on
shall go to the Finals.
the session while the other team is in
4. ADJUDICATORS CAUCUS. Only one caucus may be
Expert Adjudicators will be selected by the conducted with each of the parties.
Organizing Committee to score the A Caucus may be for a maximum of 5
performance and provide feedback to the minutes. The Mediator and the Client &
students to help them move through the Counsel Team, both, will be responsible for
Competition rounds. managing their and adhering to the time
5. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION limit. Failure to adhere to the time limit will
AND PREPARATION TIME result in a penalty against whomsoever the
Each Client & Counsel Team will be delay is attributable to. The penalty will be
provided separate Confidential decided by the Expert Assessors assessing
Information 20 minutes before the start of the Round.
each Session which will be their 7. TIMEKEEPING
preparation time. The Mediator will not be A Mediation Session Supervisor will be
provided with any Confidential appointed by the Organizing Committee
Information. during the Mediation Sessions. The
The Client & Counsels are not permitted to Mediation Session Supervisor's decision on
have any contact or communication timekeeping is final.
whatsoever with any person including, the The Client & Counsel Teams and the
 Mediation Competition 2021
Mediator are, however, responsible for teams from each chamber of the Semi-Final
managing their time and adhering to their Round will advance to the Final Round.
time limit according to the rules of the The Roles (as Responding Party and
Competition. Requesting Party/ Negotiating parties) of
8. O U T S I D E M A T E R I A L A N D the two Client & Counsel Teams will be
ASSISTANCE decided by a draw of lots.
Teams are permitted to contact the The Final Round will be mediated by the
organizers with the chat box function and highest scoring Mediators from each
shall only use their team code for any of the session of the Semi-final round.
communications. In case they need any 11. COMPETITION PROBLEM
technical help during the session, they
The Competition will have 4 separate
should contact the organizers well in
problems: One Problem for the 1st
advance.
Preliminary Round, one problem for 2nd
Electronic gadgets are not permitted. Preliminary Round, one problem for the
9. SEMI-FINAL ROUND Semi Final Round and one for the Final
The 4 highest scoring Client & Counsel Round.
Teams and the 4 highest scoring The teams must rely on the facts mentioned
Mediators in the problem. Neither the Client &
of the preliminary rounds will proceed to Counsels nor the Mediators are
the Semi-Final Round empowered to create any new facts. They
Semi-Final Round is a Knock-Out Round. may make arguments or statements that
can be reasonably inferred from the facts
The roles of the Client & Counsel Teams (as
mentioned in the problem and may
Requesting and Responding Party/
substantiate their claims with general
negotiating parties) and match-ups will be
background information.
decided by a draw of lots.
12. SCORING CRITERIA
The duration of the Semi-Final Round will
be 30 Minutes, including the Caucuses. An Throughout the Competition, the Client &

additional 10 minutes will be reserved for Counsel Teams and Mediators will be

scoring and feedback at the end of each evaluated and scored separately and will

session. advance independently of each other.

10. FINAL ROUND The Client Counsel pair may be judged on

(but not limited to) the following criteria-
The Highest scoring Client & Counsel
 Mediation Competition 2021
Opening Statement of the parties Runnerup
Advancing their interests All Awards and Participation E-
Team work Certificates will be announced at the
Valedictory.
Information gathering and ascertaining
other party's interests 14. WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS

Willingness to collaborate with the other No written submissions are needed to be

party made for the mediation rounds.

Generation of options and making offers 15. DRESS CODE

Making good use of mediator Dress code for the Competition is Business
Formals.
Closing Statement
16. PHOTOGRAPHY/FILMING
The Mediators may be judged on (but not
Participants are deemed to have agreed to
limited to) the following criteria-
the use of photography or videotaping by
Opening Statement of Mediator
the Organizing Committee, during the
Establishing professional relationships competition sessions and other official
between parties events.
Co-operation between mediators 17. THE RESIDUAL
Steering the mediation sessions The above rules are not exhaustive and are
Qualities of the mediator subject to change/ modification as decided
Identifying key issues of the dispute by the Organizing Committee. All
measures will be undertaken for fair and
Understanding the needs and interests
orderly conduct. The decision of the
of both the parties
Organizing Committee in all matters
Closing Statement
regarding the Competition is final.
The scores shall not be revealed to the
The rules shall be strictly adhered to.
participants but will be handed over
Organizing Committee reserves right to
directly to the Scoring Committee. All
disqualify any team in case of violation of
Announcements will be made at the end of
rules.
the Rounds for the Day through email
Time and deadlines will follow Indian
correspondence.
Standard Time.
13. AWARDS
Winner
 Client Counseling Competition 2021
I. GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS for the competition.
The Event will begin with registrations Friendly and healthy interaction among the
followed by briefing on 22nd October, 2021 participating teams and with the students of
wherein participants will be briefed about the the host college is encouraged and expected.
details of the event and are welcome to seek Use of any electronic gadgets including mobile
clarifications. The Competition Sessions will phones and laptops and smart watches etc. is
be held from 22nd October 24th October, 2021. strictly prohibited during the competition, as
(Detailed program schedule will be provided the platform been virtual the participants shall
at the time of registration). not use any other browser or extended screen
1. ELIGIBILITY option to search or to refer.
Only Law Colleges/Universities recognized Participants shall not reveal the identity of
by the Bar Council of India are eligible to his/her college/university at any point of time
participate. during the competition.
Only bonafide students pursuing LL.B. Three Scouting or any other unethical/
Year/Five Year Degree programmes in unprofessional conduct is strictly prohibited.
aforementioned institutions [1.1], during the As the platform been virtual, the participants
current academic year are eligible to are supposed to keep their webcams on at all
participate. the times.
2. COMPOSITION OF TEAMS The participants shall make themselves aware
Each Team shall consist of TWO participants of all the technicalities involved with platform,
(as counsels). and make a test run before the day of the
3. REGISTRATION competition. In case they suffer with
All the registered teams are required to be connectivity issue, the organizers will try to
present virtually through the platform and the reach the team for five minutes and if no
link provided at 10:45 AM on Friday, 22nd communication is established the team shall be
October 2021 through the link provided with disqualified.
official email address at the time of The participants should also use good quality
registration, for confirmation of their of head phones so that their voice is clear at all
participation. times.
Participants are advised to keep the e-copy of To move from any kind of distraction, it is
all duly filled forms that have been submitted advised that the participants isolate
to the organizers and original forms, if the themselves and keep their surroundings clear
same have not been submitted along with the from any kind of intervention.
payment receipts. 5. TEAM CODE
4. CODE OF CONDUCT Each team will be allotted a Unique Team
All the participants must be dressed in a Code. Only the team codes should be quoted
dignified manner befitting the legal profession for future references/ correspondence and at
 Client Counseling Competition 2021
the time of communicating with organizers / During the post interview period of 5 minutes
judges. The identity and the college of the when the client will not be there, the team will
members of the team should not be revealed at have to summarize the interview, analyze the
any point during the competition, if so the problem and indicate the course of action to be
team will be disqualified. undertaken. If the team exceeds the time
II. COMPETITION RULES AND allocated there will be negative marking.
REGULATIONS During this time the judges may also seek
1. COMPETITION ROUNDS clarifications from the teams regarding their
approach and analysis of the issues.
This event shall be conducted in 'Three
Rounds' namely, Preliminary Round, Semi There should be good co-ordination between
Final Round and Final Round. the two team members throughout the 30
minutes period.
One Preliminary Round.
During this period of 30 minutes if necessary,
Top 4 teams shall go to the Semifinal round on
the competing teams may carry any books to
the basis of highest team scores.
use as props for the set up however none of
In case of a tie for the 4th place, scores of point
those can be used for any research or
4.1.6 of judging criteria would be considered.
reference.
Top two teams from the Semifinal rounds shall
Duration of Final round would be of 40
go to the Finals on the basis of team scores.
minutes, 30 minutes of consultation and 5
In case of a tie for the 2nd place scores of point minutes of post consultation session. The
4.1.6 of judging criteria would be considered. judges may/may not use the final 5 minutes
The problems for the competition will be set in for questioning the teams for any further
the area of Tort and Consumer Law, Family clarification
Law, Property Law, Contract Law and any 3. JUDGES
allied ancillary or procedural laws. The Expert Adjudicators will be selected by the
organizers will select the clients to play the role Organizing Committee to score the
as required. performance and provide feedback to the
2. COMPETITION PROCEDURE students to help them move through the
The teams will have a maximum of 40 minutes, Competition rounds.
30 minutes will be for client interviewing and 4. JUDGING CRITERIA
counseling followed by 5 minutes which shall
The competition shall be judged on the basis of
be for discussing among themselves (team)
(but is not limited to) following criteria:
and summarizing as to how they will go about
Establishing the working atmosphere and
with the case [post interview/consultation
professional approach.
period]. The judges may/may not use the final
5 minutes for questioning the teams for any Eliciting the problem of the client.
further clarification. Clients' goals, expectation and needs.
 Client Counseling Competition 2021
Analysis and formulation of the problem Electronic gadgets are not permitted.
with precision. 7. COMPETITION PROBLEM
Suggesting alternatives. The Competition will have 3 separate
Allowing the client to have informed problems-
choice. [Knowledge of law] One Problem for the Preliminary Round, one
Effective conclusion of the counseling for the Semi Final Round and one for the Final
session. Round.
Team work. 8. DRESS CODE
Management of ethical and professional Dress code for the Competition is Business
relation with the client dealing with Formals.
emotional and legal needs of the client. 9. PHOTOGRAPHY/FILMING
Post interview session interaction with the Participants are deemed to have agreed to the
judges/among themselves. use of photography or videotaping by the
The scores shall not be revealed to the Organizing Committee, during the
participants but will be handed over competition sessions and other official events.
directly to Scoring Committee. All 10.AWARDS
Announcements will be made at the end of Winner
the Rounds for the Day. Runner Up
5. TIMEKEEPING All Awards and Participation E- Certificates
A Client Counseling Session Supervisor will will be announced at the valedictory.
be appointed by the Organizing Committee 11. THE RESIDUAL
during the Client Counseling Sessions. The
The above rules are not exhaustive and are
Client Counseling Session Supervisor's
subject to change/ modification as decided by
decision on timekeeping is final.
the Organizing Committee. All measures will
The teams are, however, responsible for be undertaken for fair and orderly conduct.
managing their time and adhering to their The decision of the Organizing Committee in
time limit according to the rules of the all matters regarding the Competition is final.
Competition.
The rules shall be strictly adhered to.
6. O U T S I D E MATERIAL AND Organizing Committee reserves right to
ASSISTANCE
disqualify any team in case of violation of
Teams are permitted to contact the organizers rules.
with the chat box function and shall only use
Time and deadlines will follow Indian
their team code for any of the
Standard Time (IST)
communications. In case they need any
technical help during the session, they should
contact the organizers well in advance.
 REGISTRATION
Mediation Fee U p
ion ner ner
ist rat Win R un
Reg 0 00 00
` 15
0 ` 60 ` 30

Client Counselling
Fee U p
ion er ner
ist r at Winn R un
R eg 0 00 00
` 10
0 ` 60 ` 30

Last Date for Registration: 15th October 2021

PAYMENT DETAILS

Account No : 020201007037
Type of Account : Current Account
Name of the Account : IFHE - Seminars & Workshops A/c
Name of the Bank : ICICI Bank
Bank Address : Nerella House, No.4, Nagarjuna Hills,
Punjagutta, Hyderabad - 500082.
RTGS/NEFT IFSC Code: ICIC0000202
Branch Code: 202

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
Chairman Coordinator
Prof. A V Narsimha Rao Dr. A. Sreelatha
Director, Assistant Professor & Coordinator
ICFAI Law School [email protected]
IFHE, Hyderabad 7396664802