Mock Arbitration Competition Brings Law Students from across Armenia to AUA

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YEREVAN, Armenia – On March 22-23, 2014, the American University of Armenia (AUA) hosted the Mock Arbitration, giving students a chance to acquire practical knowledge of alternative dispute resolution (ADR), to develop rhetorical skills, and to get advice from top professionals in the field.

This is the second year that the Mock Arbitration was organized by the AUA LL.M. Program Mediation and Arbitration Clinic, established in cooperation with ADR Partners. The aim of the Mock Arbitration was to gather law students from different universities, as well as legal professionals from different institutions, and give them the opportunity to arbitrate a real case acting as plaintiffs and defendants in a real-life scenario.

Ten Armenian universities from Yerevan and the regions applied for participation. Later on, two teams withdrew their applications, but teams from AUA, Yerevan State University (two teams), the Armenian-Russian (Slavonic) University, the French University in Armenia, Vanadzor Pedagogical Institute after H. Tumanyan, the European Regional Academy, and Yerevan Mants University continued their participation.

Participants first had to present their written arguments for the tribunal, acting as claimants and defendants. They then presented their arguments during the oral round. In total, 40 students participated in this year’s Mock Arbitration.

The Mock Arbitration began on March 22, 2014. Deputy Ministers of Justice Yeghishe Kirakosyan and Aram Orbelyan gave opening speeches for the event. The event was successful not only for participating teams, but also for professional arbitrators such as ADR Partners General Director Mushegh Manukyan, ADR Partners Director for Arbitration Matters Aida Avanessian, Deputy Minister of Justice Yeghishe Kirakosyan, Judges Stepan Miqayelyan, Karine Petrosyan, Aleksey Suqoyan, Nora Karapetyan, and Tigran Poladyan, Head of the Arbitration Court of the Banks’ Union Naira Margaryan, Representative of Financial System Mediator Varduhi Semerjyan, Attorneys Armine Harutyunyan, Tigran Sahakyan and Gevorg Davtyan, Attorneys and Arbitrators of the Arbitration Court of the Banks’ Union Artur Meliqyan, Argam Nazanyan, and Marina Taschyan, and Lecturers of Law and Lawyers Hrachya Marangulyan and Haykanush Parsamyan.

The first place prize for the Mock Arbitration 2014, as well as nominees for the best team work and best speaker, went to the two teams from Yerevan State University. The second place winner and nominee for best written work was the team from Vanadzor Pedagogical Institute.

The organizational team was comprised of the following members:
– Lilit Ghazakhetsyan (ADR Partners)
– Satenik Harutyunyan (Russian-Armenian Slavonic University Mediation & Arbitration Clinic)
– Heghine Badalyan (AUA LL.M. Program Mediation & Arbitration Clinic)
– Mariam Mkrtichyan (AUA LL.M. Program Mediation & Arbitration Clinic)
– Karine Poghosyan (AUA LL.M. Program Mediation & Arbitration Clinic)
– Hovhannes Hovhakimyan (AUA LL.M. Program Mediation & Arbitration Clinic)

This team, with the assistance of Mary Hovsepyan (AUA) and Mary Galstyan (off-line member of the AUA LL.M. Program Mediation & Arbitration Clinic) and the leadership of LL.M. Program Lecturer and Director of the AUA LL.M. Program Mediation and Arbitration Clinic Mushegh Manukyan and ADR Partners Arbitrator Aida Avanessian, organized this exceptional event for law students from all over Armenia.

As indicated by Dr. Mushegh Manukyan, “Mock Arbitration will also be also organized next year, having the goal to raise legal awareness on alternative dispute resolution among young professionals and to give them skills that will be used in building justice mechanisms in Armenia.”

Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia and affiliated with the University of California. AUA provides a global education in Armenia and the region, offering high-quality, graduate and undergraduate studies, encouraging civic engagement, and promoting public service and democratic values.

The final session of Mock Arbitration  

The semi-final round

Mock Arbitration in process

Mock Arbitration winners from YSU

 

Mock Arbitration participants’ group photo