CLA News / 2024 Activity Report by CLA Hon. Life President Santhaan Krishnan
A year of sharing CLA’s initiatives through participating or organising Conferences & promoting Mediation Awareness
As we reflect on the past year, I am delighted to share the efforts made towards advancing the interests of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA), in promoting mediation awareness and fostering collaborations. The year 2024 was transformative in strengthening legal collaborations, enhancing the cross-border cooperation and promoting alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. Through a series of participation in significant events, conferences and initiatives helped in Advocating Rule of Law as the prime objective of CLA across the Commonwealth. This report encapsulates the key milestones, demonstrating meaningful engagement with the legal fraternity across the Commonwealth.
January 2024: The year began with a Sports Law Conference:
(1) Launching the Year with a Sports Law Conference at Colombo, Sri Lanka (Jan. 4, 2024):- The year commenced with the theme ‘Let’s Play Clean’, at the Sports Law Conference in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on January 4, 2024. This event organized as part of the 8th Lawyers’ Cricket World Cup, emphasized integrity and ethical governance in Sports. Legal experts, Sports Administrators and Professionals gathered to discuss legal frameworks for fair play and accountability in sports.
February 2024: Legal Collaborations and Environmental Law:
(2) Commonwealth Attorney General & Solicitor Generals’ Conference (Delhi, February 2-5, 2024):- On returning to Delhi from Colombo, attention was drawn towards organizing the Commonwealth Attorney General & Solicitor Generals’ Conference (CASGC-24). This landmark event, hosted by the Ministry of Law, Government of India, in collaboration with the Commonwealth Legal Education Association (CLEA), brought together over 60 delegates from across Commonwealth Nations. Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the event, which focused on ‘Cross Border Challenges in Justice Delivery’. Discussions revolved around strengthening legal frameworks across jurisdictions. This initiative came about, upon a request from the Attorney General for India. View the program
(3) UIA Conference (Mumbai, February 23, 2024):- Later in the month, participation in the UIA Conference in Mumbai provided a platform to engage with the legal professionals discussing contemporary legal challenges and exchange of ideas on Foreign Direct Investment and the Role of Lawyers.
(4) Borneo Rainforest Conference (Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, February 25-28, 2024):- The Borneo Rainforest Conference, organized by the CLA’s Environment Law Committee in conjunction with the Sabah Law Society, brought together environmental law experts from across the Commonwealth. Key discussions centered on sustainable legal practices, environmental protection policies, and emerging challenges in climate change litigation.
March 2024: Strengthening Commonwealth Legal Networks:
(5.1) Commonwealth Law Ministers Meeting (CLMM, Zanzibar, March 4-8, 2024):- A key highlight of the year was attending the biennial CLMM in Zanzibar, Tanzania. This event provided an exclusive platform to represent the CLA, engage with Law Ministers from across the Commonwealth, and among other things, witness the launch of ‘The Commonwealth Guide to Mediation’ by the Commonwealth Secretariat. It was also an occasion to speak a few words and submit a proposal on behalf of CLA on a project concerning Child Rights. A notable development at the CLMM was the formal appeal by Prof. Luis Franceschi, Assistant Secretary General, urging all the Commonwealth countries to sign and ratify the Singapore Convention on Mediation. Participation at this CLMM was pursuant to a request from Brigid and a support from Ron.
(5.2) Rene Baptiste, the Co-Chair of the ADR Committee and a Council Member of CLA was in Delhi.
MIVAARAN – Mediators of the Supreme Court in India hosted Rene for a Seminar on 21st March. She spoke on ‘Mediation – A Caribbean Experience’. Justice K.V.Vishwanathan, Judge, Supreme Court of India, as a Chief Guest for the event shared his thoughts on ‘Mediation Landscape in India’.
The follow-up Q & A Session made the Seminar more exciting. For this Hybrid event more than 100 were present Online about 60 were present in person. Rene was in India as a Guest of the Government of India.
April 2024: Arbitration and Mediation in Africa:
(6) Johannesburg Arbitration Week (April 3rd week, 2024):- Participation in the Johannesburg Arbitration Week (JAW), hosted by the Arbitration Foundation of Southern Africa (AFSA), enabled discussions on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). Emphasis in this entire exercise was to make Africa as the hub for International Arbitration. My presentation was on the newly enacted Indian Mediation Act, 2023. The conference culminated in an MoU signed by representatives of the Executive and the Bar from twelve Southern African nations, ensuring that cross-border disputes would be resolved through AFSA’s arbitration mechanisms at Johannesburg. Home – Johannesburg Arbitration Week
May 2024: Soli Memorial & Commonwealth Legal Engagements:
(7) 3rd Soli Sorabjee Memorial Lecture (Delhi, May 7, 2024):- This prestigious lecture delivered by Justice Suryakant, Judge, Supreme Court of India, at the India International Centre (IIC), Delhi, focused on the evolution of human rights law in India. View the program
(8) Meeting with the Commonwealth Secretariat (London, May 8, 2024):- Meetings at Marlborough House, London, with the Secretary General, Asst. Secretary General and others at the Commonwealth Secretariat. The CLA delegation led by President Peter discussed CLA’s work and the ways and means by which it could assist ComSec in its initiatives.
(9) Annual Conference of Advocates for International Development (A4ID May 21, 2024):– Participation at the deliberations of this One Day Annual Conference of the Advocates for International Development (A4ID) gave an opportunity to moderate a session on Labour Laws concerning issues across the Commonwealth.
(10) Visit to the Americas (May 23 – June 1 2024):- Flying to Miami (USA), George Town (Guyana), Vancouver & Toronto (Canada) during the last week of May, provided an opportunity to interact with the Leaders of the Caribbean Bar Association in Miami, members of the legal fraternity from Barbados, Trinidad and Guyana in George Town and also at Vancouver & Toronto in Canada. View the program
June 2024: Mediation Awareness Initiatives:
(11) Mediation Awareness Event (Marlborough House, London, June 21, 2024):- A significant milestone was the Mediation Awareness Event where there were more than 1000 registrants along with about 60 delegates attending in person. The hybrid event held at the Commonwealth Secretariat witnessed in-house mediation exponents Rene Baptiste (St.Vincent), Gregory Vijayendran (Singapore), A.J.Jawad (India) and Quhramaana Kakar (UK) coming OnLine and Prof. Luis Franceschi, Brian Speers, Brigid Watson and others present in-person, marked the formal launch of the CLA’s Mediation Awareness Event with the support of ComSec. To put Mediation in a Mission Mode, as a moderator, I formally announced the initiatives such as OnLine International Summer School on Mediation (July/August), OnLine Mediation Lecture Series (September/ November), and the Commonwealth Med-Arb. Conference at Hyderabad in November. A Peace Mediation event on the side-lines of CHOGM in Samoa was also announced but could not be held. Importantly an announcement was also made that CLA would be undertaking a Mediation Training Programme in the near future. The June 21st event at ComSec was made possible due to a positive nod from Prof. Luis at a breakfast meeting during the middle of May. View the Program
July – August 2024: Expanding Mediation Initiatives:
(12) 5th International Summer School on Mediation (Online, July 26 – August 6, 2024):- This 12-day online programme to promote Mediation was hosted by NIVAARAN with the support of CLA and SIMC. This event drew over 200 participants, fostering an in-depth understanding of mediation processes and strategies. The range of topics were from the genesis of Mediation and towards Mediation Advocacy & beyond. We had Justice Vishwanathan, Judge, Supreme Court of India and Prof. Luis Franceschi, Asst. Secretary General, Commonwealth, gracing these lectures as the Chief Guests and President Peter (CLA), George Lim & Gregory Vijayendran (SIMC) as Guests of Honour. View the Program
(13) Mediation Conference & Competition (Hyderabad, August 8-9, 2024): Participation in the Conference ‘Mediation in Current Times: Perspectives’ and Medication Competition at Mahindra University, Hyderabad, involved speaking at the event about the relevance of Mediation during the current times. And an occasion to be part of a panel of Judges at the Mediation Competition.
(14) August 2024:- Conference on Law & Technology hosted by Commonwealth Legal Education Association (CLEA) (Kumarkom, Kerala 16-18 August, 2024):- Invitations from the Attorney General for India and the President of Commonwealth Legal Education Association (CLEA) took me to the Southern State of Kerala, where this Conference on Law & Technology was hosted at Kumarakom. At this picturesque venue and a holiday resort, about 50 Judges from different High Courts and the Supreme Court, along with various others attended this conference. Among others, I met Graham Leung (an old friend of CLA), currently the Attorney General for Fiji. I could meet and interact with a few others to spread a word on CLC Malta 
September – November 2024: Commonwealth, Mediation Lecture Series & Med-Arb. Conference and initiative from the ADR Committee of CLA:
(15) CLA Mediation Lecture Series (September 19 – November 14, 2024):- This six-part online series featured legal experts from around the Commonwealth, attracting over 200 participants per session, with discussions on the evolving role of mediation in dispute resolution. These lectures were delivered by the in-house experts in Mediation. They were Brian Speers, John Bassie, Rene Baptiste, Gregory Vijayendran, Justice Vasheist Kokaram and A.J.Jawad.
(16) Commonwealth Med-Arb Conference (Hyderabad, November 22-24, 2024):-This flagship conference, co-hosted by CLA and IAMC Hyderabad, focused on ‘Bridging Divides – Innovative Approaches to Conflict Resolution’. With about 300 participants, the event was inaugurated by Justice B.R. Gavai, Supreme Court of India and among others, in the presence of Hon’ble Chief Minister of Telangana Sh. Revanth Reddy, Justice Nawaz, Snior Judge Judge, Supreme Court of Sri Lanka and above all Dr. Peter Maynard, President Commonwealth Lawyers Association. The Government also extended its hospitality by hosting a dinner for all the delegates after the Opening Ceremony. The 11 topics that were discussed at the conference was a mixer of moderator’s introduction, inputs, presentations followed by questions and answers. The feedback from the delegates suggests that it was a high octane conference, where new ideas emerged out of the presentation and the interactions. At the Closing Ceremony the Chief Guest was Justice Narasimha, Judge Supreme Court of India.
(17) Meeting of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), Kenya Branch at New Delhi (Nov., 29 2024):- A 60 members delegation of the International Commission of Jurists, Kenya Branch visited India, among other things, for a half day Symposium in Delhi. Representing CLA Siddarth, Aruneswar & I supported the delegation in their hosting of the event. The delegation was led by Justice Daniel Musinga the President of Court of Appeal, Kenya. This was an occasion to share thoughts and interaction on various issues concerning Kenya, India and Commonwealth. View the program
November 30th, 2024:
(18) The School of Legal Studies at BBD University in Lucknow, UP in India, hosted a Luminary Conclave.
About 500 students of law attended the event. A couple of High Court judges gave their presentations on ‘The future of OCR – Online Conflict Resolution & Mediation. Among others, I had the opportunity of sharing some thoughts.
December, 2024:
(19) Closing the year long engagements culminated with participating at the Commonwealth-UAE Conference (Dubai, December 7, 2024): Participation in this legal conference in Dubai, co-hosted by Amity University and CLEA, rounded off an eventful year. Being part of the plenary session gave an opportunity to speak a few words on Technology and Justice Delivery. View the program
Looking Forward to 2025:
Reflecting on 2024, significant strides were made in advancing the Commonwealth Lawyers Association’s initiatives, mediation awareness and collaboration. Key takeaways include spreading a word about CLA, expansion of ADR networks, cross-border legal cooperation across the Commonwealth. Looking ahead to 2025, priorities will include:
- Hosting the Commonwealth Med-Arb Conference.
- Implementing a Mediation Training Program.
The year’s achievements underscore the ongoing efforts to foster legal innovation, collaboration, and dispute resolution mechanisms across the Commonwealth.
Santhanakrishnan
Hon. Life President, Commonwealth Lawyers Association
