Every long-term contract carries the possibility of disagreement over payment, delay, quality, scope or termination. Courts in many jurisdictions are slow and public, and organisations increasingly write arbitration, mediation or adjudication into their agreements to keep disputes private, faster and more predictable. The difference between a clause that works and one that causes a second dispute about procedure is often a few carefully chosen words.

This course surveys the full range of dispute resolution options and teaches participants how to select, prepare and run each of them. It begins with the anatomy of a dispute and the commercial logic of early resolution, then covers negotiation strategy, mediation technique and the arbitration process from notice of arbitration to final award. Participants examine arbitration agreements, governing law and seat, appointment and challenge of arbitrators, document production, witness and expert evidence, interim relief, costs and enforcement. They also look at adjudication in construction settings and the role of dispute boards.

Sessions combine short legal inputs with simulations in which participants take the roles of party representatives, mediator and tribunal. The course concludes with a complete case exercise so that participants leave ready to advise, prepare or take part in real proceedings with confidence.

After completing the course, participants will be able to:

• Compare negotiation, mediation, conciliation, adjudication and arbitration and choose between them.
• Draft clear multi-tier dispute resolution clauses with seat, rules, language and governing law.
• Prepare a notice of dispute, statement of case and supporting evidence bundle.
• Evaluate the strengths, risks and costs of a claim before deciding to proceed.
• Apply mediation techniques to open discussion, manage emotion and reach agreement.
• Describe how arbitral tribunals are formed, conduct hearings and issue awards.
• Explain the principles of enforcing and challenging awards and settlement agreements.
• Draft settlement terms that are enforceable and leave relationships workable.

The programme is intended for people who draft, manage or resolve contract disputes, including:

• In-house counsel and legal officers
• Contract managers and contract administrators
• Procurement and supply chain managers
• Project managers and quantity surveyors in construction and engineering
• Advocates and legal practitioners entering arbitration and mediation work
• Human resource professionals handling employment disputes
• Legal and compliance staff in government agencies and state corporations
• Claims managers in insurance and banking
• Programme staff in NGOs who manage partner and vendor agreements

Participants take away practical resources, such as:

• A model multi-tier dispute resolution clause with drafting notes.
• A decision guide for selecting the right forum for a given dispute.
• A case preparation checklist covering pleadings, evidence and witnesses.
• A mediation toolkit with session structure and negotiation prompts.
• A settlement agreement outline that addresses payment, confidentiality and enforcement.
• Experience of acting as party, mediator and tribunal in simulated proceedings.

Learning is drawn from practice rather than theory alone. The methods used are:

• Concise legal and procedural briefings with worked examples
• Role-play simulations of negotiation, mediation and tribunal hearings
• Clause drafting workshops using flawed real-world wording
• Anonymised case files from construction, procurement and employment disputes
• Feedback from facilitators on advocacy, questioning and negotiation style

On attending the full programme and completing the simulations and drafting exercises, participants receive a CPD-accredited Certificate of Completion from Vision Reach Global Consultancy. It documents training in dispute resolution and does not by itself qualify the holder as an arbitrator or mediator.