About the Organisers
The Civil & Criminal Justice Cell (CCJC) and the Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution (CADR) of the National Law Institute University, Bhopal, in association with Saraf & Partners, are organising the NLIU – Saraf & Partners Advance Certificate Programme on Commercial Arbitration.
NLIU Bhopal was established under Act No. 41 of 1997 enacted by the Madhya Pradesh State Legislature and is recognised by the University Grants Commission and the Bar Council of India. CCJC focuses on litigation strategy and dispute resolution, while CADR is a student committee dedicated to alternative dispute resolution activities.
Saraf & Partners is a full-service law firm with experience in commercial litigation and arbitration, including international and domestic arbitrations, annulment and enforcement proceedings, and civil, commercial and insolvency-linked disputes.
About the Programme
This practice-oriented programme seeks to bridge the gap between doctrinal legal education and the practical realities of litigation, procedural management and dispute resolution. It focuses on the strategic and drafting-oriented aspects of commercial disputes practice, including forum selection, drafting arbitration clauses, conducting arbitral proceedings and enforcing final awards.
Programme Structure
The programme will be delivered in hybrid mode across two stages:
Stage I – Online: Five online learning modules delivered by the instructor.
Stage II – Offline at NLIU, Bhopal: A two-day programme featuring a drafting exercise and evaluation session, a practitioner-led roundtable conference, and a closing certification ceremony.
Programme Highlights
Stage I: Online Modules
Session 1 – The Structure of Commercial Litigation: Statutory frameworks and jurisdictional strategy; the Commercial Courts Act, 2015; mandatory pre-institution mediation under Section 12-A; procedural strategy under Order XIII-A of the Code of Civil Procedure; and forum selection between a commercial recovery suit and insolvency proceedings under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code.
Session 2 – The Pre-Arbitral Framework: Contractual architecture and interim reliefs; drafting arbitration clauses; notices of arbitration; arbitrator nomination strategy; interim measures under Sections 9 and 17; and the practical mechanics of ex-parte ad-interim relief.
Session 3 – Tribunal Dynamics and Evidentiary Advocacy in Arbitration: Drafting statements of claim, statements of defence and evidentiary affidavits; the doctrine of Kompetenz-Kompetenz; challenging unilateral arbitrator appointments under Section 12(5); and cross-examination of technical experts.
Session 4 – Post-Award Defensibility, Judicial Interference and Enforcement Strategies: Challenging domestic awards under Section 34; insulating foreign-seated awards under Section 48; award modification following Gayatri Balasamy v. ISG Novasoft (2025); and execution under Order XXI of the Code of Civil Procedure.
Session 5 – Emerging Frontiers: Corporate governance; intellectual property and cross-border risk; shareholder class actions under Section 245 of the Companies Act; arbitrability of intellectual property disputes involving fraud; and managing force majeure and termination risk in international infrastructure projects.
The session plan has been developed in consultation with Saraf & Partners and is subject to modification.
Stage II: Offline Programme at NLIU Bhopal
Day 1 – Drafting Exercise and Evaluation: Participants will undertake a drafting exercise evaluated by a panel of practitioners from Saraf & Partners.
Day 2 – Roundtable Conference and Closing Ceremony: A practitioner-led roundtable conference with partners of Saraf & Partners and distinguished guests from the industry, followed by the distribution of certificates and prizes.
Eligibility
- Individual participants pursuing either a 3-year LL.B. or a 5-year LL.B. programme may apply.
- Participants must be present at NLIU Bhopal on November 14 and 15, 2026, to participate in Stage II.
Mode and Location
Stage I will be conducted online. Stage II will be conducted offline at NLIU, Bhopal.
Registration Fee
- The registration fee is ₹6,000, inclusive of accommodation.
Certificates, Awards and Prizes
- A Certificate of Completion will be awarded to participants who attend all online sessions and participate in the offline programme at NLIU, Bhopal.
- Winners will receive a cash prize of ₹20,000 and an internship opportunity at Saraf & Partners.
- Runners-up will receive a cash prize of ₹12,000 and an internship opportunity at Saraf & Partners.
- Certificates of Merit will be awarded to recognise outstanding performance in the drafting submission and evaluation rounds.
Important Dates
- Registration Deadline: October 21, 2026, by 11:59 PM
- Module 1: October 24, 2026, from 4 PM to 6 PM, online
- Module 2: October 25, 2026, from 4 PM to 6 PM, online
- Module 3: October 30, 2026, from 4 PM to 6 PM, online
- Module 4: October 31, 2026, from 4 PM to 6 PM, online
- Module 5: First week of November 2026, from 4 PM to 6 PM, online
- Drafting Exercise and Evaluation: November 14, 2026, offline at NLIU, Bhopal
- Roundtable Conference and Closing Ceremony: November 15, 2026, offline at NLIU, Bhopal
How to Register?
Interested participants must complete the official registration form (attached at the end of the post) and pay the registration fee through the ERP portal on the official NLIU website. Participants must provide their full name, institution, course and year of study, email address and contact number.
Seats are limited and will be confirmed on a first-come, first-served basis.
Contact Details
For queries, contact the Civil & Criminal Justice Cell at ccjc@nliu.ac.in or Priyanshu Danu, Convenor, CCJC, at +91 9723624226. The Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution may be contacted at cadr@nliu.ac.in or through Krishiv Narula, Convenor, CADR, at +91 9810579527.