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Leadership, diplomacy, unification and mediation concept

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Centre of Excellence Dispute Resolution

Based at our London Bloomsbury campus, this Centre of Excellence offers a range of programmes, resources and partnerships to equip you with the skills and knowledge to succeed in the field of dispute resolution.

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What is a Centre of Excellence?

A Centre of Excellence is a facility that provides best practice and knowledge around a particular area. Our Centres of Excellence offer you the opportunity to study your chosen law specialism with dedicated support from our expert lecturers. You’ll benefit from their knowledge and experience in dispute resolution.

Across our different Centres of Excellence, we work with governing bodies and provide specialist modules and electives that allow you to shape your studies to meet your career needs.

At our Centre of Excellence for Dispute Resolution, based at our London Bloomsbury campus, we focus on two particular areas: Mediation and International Arbitration. Just a few minutes’ walk away from the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a 20-minute tube ride away from the London Court of International Arbitration and the London Chamber of Arbitration and Mediation, London offers the perfect location for you to specialise in dispute resolution.

As well as our London Bloomsbury campus, you can also study our dispute resolution programmes at our Birmingham, Manchester and Online campuses.

What is Dispute Resolution?

Dispute resolution is the process of resolving an issue or conflict between parties. This can include litigation, as well as resolution processes outside of the courtroom, including:

Mediation: brings together all parties with a dispute, with an independent, impartial third party (a mediator) to help the conflicting parties come to a mutual agreement. Mediation is often used for civil disputes such as defamation, family, intellectual property, and workplace disputes.
Arbitration: more formal than a mediation process, the agreement is typically legally binding and is backed by personal data and evidence, similar to a court enforcement. The arbitrator will be a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb). Arbitration can help resolve issues surrounding commercial agreements, construction disputes, sporting conflicts and workplace disputes.

Career pathways include becoming a domestic or international mediator or arbitrator in a range of industries such as construction, charities, regulatory bodies, shipping and more.

The named programmes we offer within dispute resolution are:

Dispute resolution can be applied to almost any industry, and the nature of our Master’s programmes means you can tailor your studies to meet your interests and career goals through a choice of elective modules. For example, if you’re interested in pursuing a career in construction disputes, you may can find studying our Construction Law module helpful. Alternatively, if you’re interested in pursuing a career in energy arbitration, taking our International Energy Law module may be beneficial.

With our Master of Laws (LLM) programmes, you will have a minimum of one award-linked module, which you must write your dissertation on, and you can choose up to three elective modules.

For all programmes, you must study two modules from Group A and two from Group B. For our dispute resolution programmes, we recommend the following modules, however you have the option to choose from our full range of elective modules.

Group A:

Family Law
International Child Law
International Commercial Law
International Energy Law
International Trade Law

Group B:

Mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution
Child Law
Construction Law
Data Protection and Intellectual Property
Employment Law
Media Law, Defamation and Privacy

The University of Law benefits from a number of strategic partnerships within dispute resolution.

Our LLM International Arbitration programme is accredited by the Charted Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), offering students the chance to become members of the CIArb upon successful completion of the programme. Our relationship with the CIArb means that our students have access to additional resources and networking events to support their studies.

We are also partnered with Phoenix Dispute Solutions, a Civil Mediation Council (CMC), CIArb and International Mediation Institute (IMI) approved training provider of mediation training. As a student of the LLM Mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution and LLM International Arbitration programmes, you will be able to access Phoenix’s CMC Registered Training Course at a significant discount as a result of this partnership.

The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

Our Lecturers

Our faculty members are recognised experts in the field, conducting cutting-edge research and engaging with industry leaders to shape the direction of policy and law.

Amanda Lee – Visiting Lecturer

Amanda Lee completed the Legal Practice Course with us in 2007. She practices as arbitrator and counsel and is dual-qualified as a Solicitor-Advocate (Civil) in England and Wales and admitted to the Bars of New York State and the U.S. Supreme Court. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

As arbitrator, Amanda sits as sole and party-appointed arbitrator in international and domestic arbitrations. As counsel, she represents parties in commercial litigation matters, Privy Council appeals, and alternative dispute resolution, including construction adjudication, international and domestic arbitration, expert determination, and mediation.

Amanda is the Founder of 'Careers in Arbitration', a global initiative designed to support those worldwide seeking to enter and progress in the field of international arbitration, and ‘ARBalance’, a platform helping the arbitration community to find balance, maintain wellbeing, and tackle stigma.

She is an active member of multiple organisations and boards, including the Advisory Boards of ArbitralWomen, the Indonesia International Arbitration Center, and MediateGuru. She is recognised for her diversity advocacy and was a 2022 recipient of the International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to Diversity in ADR. She also serves as an Ambassador for R.E.A.L. - Racial Equality for Arbitration Lawyers and a Professional Ambassador for Aspiring Solicitors.

As a visiting lecturer, Amanda focuses on international dispute resolution and how students can develop a successful career in international arbitration.

Want to hear more from our lecturers?

Our lecturers have delivered a range of research seminars to our students, including “Technology in International Arbitration” delivered by our Programme and Student Lead for Academic Master’s in Law, Agnieszka Sikorska. In this seminar, Agnieszka explores the role of technology in arbitration, including the types of technology available and its limitations.

We also held an International Arbitration and Mediation Symposium, featuring a panel of key speakers in the field of dispute resolution. This event explored contemporary issues, the skills an arbitrator should possess and how to attain work in this area.

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testimonials Hear from our students

"As an alumni of The University of Law, pursuing my LLM was an unparalleled experience. The comprehensive curriculum and dedicated faculty empowered me to delve deeper into the intricacies of law, shaping my analytical skills and broadening my legal perspectives. The University's commitment to practical learning through moot courts and internships provided invaluable real-world insights, preparing me for the dynamic legal landscape. My time at The University of Law remains an enriching chapter, fostering both academic excellence and professional growth."

Muhammaed Zain Ul Abideen Khan