The Bahrain Chamber for Dispute Resolution (BCDR-AAA) was recognised as regional leader in the field of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) at an event held by the Society of Construction Law-Gulf (SCL-G) in Manama recently.

The event attracted a wide range of participants from the construction industry during which they discussed the merits of mediation as a form of alternative dispute resolution in the construction industry.

Guest speakers included James MacPherson, CEO of the BCDR-AAA and Paula Boast, construction disputes specialist for Trowers & Hamlins. Ali Al Aradi, chief registrar and assistant chief executive for mediation at BCDR-AAA also attended the event.

“The Bahrain Chamber for Dispute Resolution can help solve existing disputes, and mitigate against future disputes through clauses in commercial contracts. Our role is to make sure individuals and businesses are aware that there is an alternative to the courts,” MacPherson said.

“The focus in the current climate for both construction companies and developers is efficient claims management and dispute avoidance wherever possible. Where this is not possible then the focus shifts to early and amicable settlement of construction claims and disputes. We have seen a marked increase in litigation and arbitration arising globally from construction claims and disputes since the global financial crisis in 2009; mediation is a tried and tested alternative with impressive success rates when used in construction claims and disputes,” he said.

The event was held as part of a quarterly programme by the SCL-G, which aims to help organisations better understand the technical and complex construction laws, whether they are lawyers, contractors, engineers, project managers or even clients themselves.

“Bahrain is leading the way in terms of the development of alternative dispute resolution, and the Bahrain Chamber for Dispute Resolution performs a vital role in this with its new standardised mediation rules, its state-of-the-art facilities and an internationally trained team of staff,” Boast said.

“The Chamber provides a workable, cost-effective alternative dispute resolution for parties involved in construction claims and disputes that can otherwise result in expensive, lengthy litigation proceedings,” she added.

BCDR-AAA’s attendance at the Society of Construction Law (Gulf) event is part of a wider outreach programme to educate on the merits of alternative dispute resolution in Bahrain.

A delegation from the chamber last month attended the International Bar Association’s (IBA) annual conference in Dubai, which was attended by over 6,000 legal professionals. – TradeArabia News Service