1. UMA RAMANATHAN Organizing Secretary Tamilnadu Mediation & Conciliation Centre High Court Madras

2. FOUNDATION  India’s first court annexed mediation was kick started in Chennai on 5 th April 2005 with just two rooms allotted by then Chief Justice Markandeya Katju  Then Chief Justice A.P.Shah carried the banner by arranging training and conducting orientation programmes in mediation  Then Chief Justice M.Y.Eqbal inaugurated fully furnished mediation centre in the High Court in 2012

3. TRAINING OF MEDIATORS & TRAINERS  Ms. Geetha Ravindra trained mediators & trainers in 2005, 2006 & 2008  British council conducted training of some mediators from our centre  Mr. Greg Relyea conducted advanced training for mediators in Chennai & Madurai in 2012  Mr. Rahim Shamji conducted advanced trainers training in 2012  Mr.Victor Shachter and Ms. Laila Ollapally conducted refresher training in 2013  {Only advocates are trained as mediators, Judges are only given an orientation training}.

4. MEDIATION IN TAMILNADU  160 mediators trained in Chennai & 965 Mediators trained throughout the state  20 trainers who have travelled throughout India to impart mediation skills  32 programmes conducted for referral judges  12 sound proof, air-conditioned rooms with piped music and lounge with visual material about mediation to encourage participation in High court centre  ADR centre in High Court campus with two floors for family Court, city civil court and Labour court and auditorium  ADR centres in districts with facility for mediation

5. ORGANIZATION  Committee of 3 High Court Judges, Advocate General, Senior advocate and Co-ordinator  Assistant Registrar with supporting staff  Organizing Secretary, 2 Joint Secretaries  District Legal services secretary of each district as coordinator in districts  Clerical staff to manage centres

6. Unsettled cases include Non-starters/unfit cases also. Settled case refers to the Mediation case and includes several connected Court cases

7. E + QUALITY = EQUALITY  Enabling- building confidence  Encouraging-helping them to take different perspectives  Empowering-building ability to find realistic options  Empathizing- acknowledging the emotions and vallues  Emerging trends- keeping updated

8. MAXIMIZING Vs SATISFICING- { Herbert Simon }  Institutionalising mediation  Setting goals for the conduct and practice of mediation and recognizing potential  Fixing criteria and standards for selection and training of mediators  Mentoring and monitoring of mediation  Recommendations for legislation to regulate the functioning of mediation  Encouraging and promoting mediation as a viable and appropriate dispute resolution process.  Facilitate dialogue for collaborative conflict management between stakeholders

9. CERTIFICATION  Attitude and aptitude for training  Completion of training as mediator  Completion of cognitive behavioural skills training  Competence as mediator  Continuous proficiency skills training  Assessment and evaluation  Mediation council licencing  Appraisal & renewal-accreditation

10. SUSTAINABILITY  Propagation of mediation  Skilled mediators  Constant evaluation of the programme  Continuous education  Integrity & ethics in practice- self determination & consensual agreements  Building bridges with juvenile & child care and women assistance agencies  Selection of cases and referring of appropriate cases in court programmes  Autonomy in court annexed mediations

11. WORKABILITY  Regulations for referral and recording in minor criminal offences  Regulations for recording agreements in which staggered payments or performance over a period of time are considered as best  Regulations and rules for ensuring participants presence after requesting/ordering mediation  Regulations for ethical practices and standards to implement effective mediation practice.

12. JAI HO!  Commitment and collaboration between the bar and the bench and belief in the process alone can transmit the magic in conflict transformation.  Mediation integrity can be enhanced only by acknowledging values and concerns  Mediation must be allowed to germinate and unfurl, to enable stakeholders to get the value of oit’s real potential.