This year, the Competition was dedicated to the memory of the famous mediator Thierry Garby. A long-time participant and supporter, Mr. Garby has been involved with the event since its inception, contributing to all 16 editions to date.

Based on real-life case scenarios and written by competition professional Greg Bond, the final dispute was between a shipping company and a port authority where one of the company’s vessels blocked access to a port. The question on the table was to determine to what extent the accident was due to the captain or the first officer of the vessel, to the abnormally low tide of the day or to the negligence of the port authority in the maintenance of the navigation channel. .

Natascha Tunkel, partner at Knoetzl in Austria and mediator of the final session of the Competition said: “ICC Mediation Week continues to inspire the next generation of lawyers to develop an incredibly versatile skill set. As the final shows, these students are able to identify and recognize both the legal aspects of the case and the business interests. They understand that doing business also requires building relationships and moving pragmatically towards a solution. It is really impressive.

The University of Auckland featured competitors Spencer Barley, Karan Kalsi, Anna Paton and Nick Steward as well as coaches Susie McCluskey and Keeha Oh. Mr. Kalsi and Mr. Steward represented Auckland on the digital stage during the final mediation.

Reflecting on his team’s success, Mr. Kalsi said: “It was a huge privilege to be part of the final against a great team and in front of extremely talented judges.

“Being part of the 2022 ICC Mediation Competition has been a very rewarding experience. It provided an invaluable opportunity to improve our mediation skills and, more importantly, to meet many like-minded students and experienced professionals in the field. The relationships we’ve built here and the conversations we’ve had will serve us well in the years to come..”

Second place in the competition, dedicated to Mr. Garby in his honor, was the University of Sao Paulo, which had not been back to the finals since 2015. Representing the Brazilian team were students, Andreza Ometto Coury, Tomas Polido Garcia and Nadia Naomi Ota Terzi, with their coach, Julia Torres.

Reacting to the progress made by her students throughout the Competition, Ms Torres said: “If I could sum up my coaching experience in one word, it would be “pride”. I am extremely proud of the development of my team throughout their preparation and the Competition, the way they have gained in themselves and the progress made.

I am also grateful to the ICC Organizing Committee, as well as the judges and mediators of the competition, for creating this incredible opportunity that allows students from all over the world to connect and learn to be true negotiators and peacemakers.

The Competition is part of ICC Mediation Week, the ICC’s biggest educational event of the year. Going digital due to the pandemic in 2021, the seven-day event now hosts over 500 attendees from 58 countries on a bespoke platform. The virtual venue integrates all aspects of the physical event, from simulations of mediation sessions to networking rooms. Thanks to this pioneering tool, the Competition now welcomes a number of previously unseen countries and universities, including teams from Iran, Kenya and Senegal, as well as the University of Benin, the University of Nigeria Nsukka and the University of Ilorin.

The highly anticipated finale included a private viewing party at ICC’s global headquarters in Paris. The closing ceremony included remarks from Ronald Austin, who represented the competition’s presenting sponsor, Clifford Chance. Alexander G. Fessas, Director of Dispute Resolution Services at ICC, followed Mr. Austin in announcing the winners of the 2022 event via live stream.

Relive all the highlights of the ICC mediation competition on Twitter and Facebook and follow the event’s official hashtag, #ICCMW.

For more information on ICC mediation services, visit ICC International Center for ADR. To participate in the next edition of the event, send an e-mail with the subject: ’18th ICC Mediation Competition – Register of Interest’ to [email protected]