The Indian Institute of Arbitration and Mediation (IIAM), in association with Balfaqeeh Advocates & Legal Consultants and Providence Law Asia, will organise “Four Courts, One Award: Judicial Perspectives, Cross-Border Advocacy & the Great Common Law Debate” during Dubai Arbitration Week 2026. The programme will take place on 12 November 2026, from 9:40 a.m. to noon, at The Ritz-Carlton, DIFC, Dubai.
The two-part event will bring together distinguished judges and international practitioners to explore how judicial perspectives and legal traditions influence arbitration across borders.
The first session, “Four Courts, One Award?”, will feature Hon’ble Justice S. Ravindra Bhat, former Judge of the Supreme Court of India; Hon’ble Justice Ahmed Bakry, former Judge of the Abu Dhabi Courts; Mr. Abraham Vergis SC, Managing Director of Providence Law Asia; and Mr. Sidharth Sethi, Partner at JSA. Mr. Dinesh Pardasani, Partner at DSK Legal, will moderate.
Connecting judicial insights with counsel’s practical experience, the panel will examine how the same arbitral award may encounter different approaches across jurisdictions.
The second session, “Clash of Legal Cultures”, will feature Hon’ble Judge Aysha Mutawyea, Managing Partner at Mutawyea Law and Judge at the Bahrain International Commercial Court; Mr. Vladimir Y. Talanov, Partner at EPAM Law Offices; Mr. Brandon Yap, Associate Director at Drew & Napier LLC; and Ms. Iram Majid, Director of IIAM and Executive Director of APCAM. Ms. Sana Belaid, international arbitrator and mediator, will moderate.
The debate will explore how legal cultures shape advocacy, persuasion, and expectations in international disputes.
Together, the sessions promise an engaging contribution to Dubai Arbitration Week, offering participants an opportunity to consider familiar issues through different legal perspectives. By bringing the bench and practitioners into conversation, the programme will encourage thoughtful exchange, professional connections, and a deeper understanding of the challenges and possibilities of resolving disputes across jurisdictions and legal traditions.