The Indian Arbitration Forum (IAF) have written to Chief Justice of India NV Ramana urging that arbitration practitioners and litigation lawyers be considered on a level playing field for designation as Senior Advocates and elevation as judges.
IAF is an association of leading arbitration practitioners committed to encouraging the best practices in arbitration, streamlining the conduct of arbitral proceedings, and promoting arbitration as a means of dispute resolution in India and abroad. This is a first-of-its-kind initiative in India to establish an arbitration bar, which seeks to promote and inculcate best practices to contribute to the growth of the Indian arbitration regime.
The Letter written by the IAF highlights that “it has been observed that preferential treatment is accorded in favour of litigation advocates for the purpose of judicial appointments and designations as senior advocates, as compared to their arbitration peers. This stems from a perception that litigation attorneys have greater experience in dispute resolution as compared to arbitrating lawyers.”
The Convenor of IAF requested the CJI that Arbitration lawyers do not wish to be perceived or treated as a separate class but are only requesting that there be parity with litigating lawyers, who are often considered for elevation to the benches of the Hon’ble High Courts / Hon’ble Supreme court of India.
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