With the rise in foreign investments and international transactions, the demand for lawyers with expertise in international disputes is increasing. Georgian students and lawyers have shown a keen interest in pursuing international careers, and there is a pressing need to share information and experiences from successful practitioners in the field.

On March 23, the Georgian Association of Arbitrators organized an international forum with the support of the USAID Rule of Law Program. The forum was held in collaboration with ArbitralWomen, an international organization dedicated to increasing the involvement of women in arbitration.

The forum, titled "Careers and Diversity in Arbitration," featured prominent female lawyers and ArbitralWomen board members with extensive experience in global dispute resolution. Through a panel discussion, the speakers shared their insights and discussed the challenges and opportunities associated with achieving success in international arbitration.

Up to 50 attendees participated in the forum and gained valuable information on how can they develop their professional careers in international commercial arbitration, and what are the current trends in gender equality and diversity in the field of international dispute resolution, both in Georgia and the world.

"Diversity and inclusiveness are essential to success in any professional field. While the global legal community has made efforts to promote diversity in arbitration in recent decades, there is still a long way to go before we achieve the desired outcome. As March is Women's History Month, we decided to collaborate with ArbitralWomen and organize the first international forum on careers and diversity in arbitration in Georgia," said Jaba Gvelebiani, Chairman of the Georgian Association of Arbitrators in his welcome notes.

Sophie Tkemaladze, ADR Advisor at the USAID Rule of Law Program, emphasized the importance of increasing awareness of arbitration in society and encouraging lawyers to get involved in the field, including women, who may face additional challenges. "Arbitration is the dominant method of international commercial dispute resolution. We need to enhance the capacity of lawyers in this field as well as provide guidance on the approaches, skills and actions for lawyers who want to build their careers in international arbitration," she said.

The speakers of the forum included Mrinalini Singh, Director at Plesner (Sweden/Singapore); Rusa Gergauli, Partner at Fortior Law (Georgia/Switzerland); Özgecan Korkmaz, Senior Associate at Kabine Law Office (Turkey); Alicja Zielińska-Eisen, Of Counsel at Queritius (Germany); Nata Ghibradze, Counsel at Hogan Lovells (Germany/Georgia; and Rusa Tchkuaeseli, Partner at BLC Law Office (Georgia).