On April 4, 2024, with the support of the USAID Rule of Law Program, the Georgian International Arbitration Centre (GIAC) delivered a workshop promoting Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), specifically arbitration, within the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector.

The workshop's primary objective was to acquaint those attending – mostly lawyers representing smaller law firms, about the many benefits of ADR, specifically arbitration, and to encourage more case referrals to arbitration. Forty-six legal professionals attended the event.

The proceedings commenced with opening remarks by Beka Injia, Secretary of GIAC, and Giorgi Chkheidze, Chief of Party of the USAID Rule of Law Program. Mr. Chkeidze emphasized the significance of ADR mechanisms, noting in particular how efficient these mechanisms are for resolving disputes.

Industry experts led the informative sessions that followed.  In the first session, Mr. Injia and Irakli Kordakhia, a law partner at Grata International, explained the importance of selecting a suitable dispute resolution mechanism and offered tips for drafting arbitration agreements. Then, Rusa Chkuaseli, Chairwoman of the Georgian Association of Arbitrators (GAA), explained the criteria for selecting arbitrators. Finally, David Edilashvili, Senior Lawyer at GIAC, navigated the audience through the various stages of the arbitration process.

The workshop was interactive, bringing the audience into discussions that covered a broad spectrum of issues. Topics ranged from the procedural issues in arbitration to the costs associated with arbitration.