Pinsent Masons agrees MOU with Nepal International ADR Center

Under the MOU Pinsent Masons and NIAC will work together to enhance dispute resolution services in Nepal. Pinsent Masons’ leading International Arbitration team will provide arbitration and mediation advice and support the development of the legal framework and laws related to commerce and business in Nepal. The firm will also deliver training courses covering a range of topics related to arbitration, mediation and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and will work collaboratively with the government, judiciary and relevant industry and private sectors to promote these services in Nepal through NIAC.

NIAC was established in 2013 to deliver ADR services, with a special focus on arbitration and mediation. In 2020, along with eight other ADR institutes across the APAC region, they founded the Asia Pacific Center for Arbitration and Mediation (APCAM) to provide a transnational arbitration and mediation centre of expertise.

Commenting on the MOU, Matrika Prasad Niraula, Managing Director at the NIAC said:

“The MOU with Pinsent Masons is very important for us as it will enhance the NIAC’s capability as well as that of other ADR institutions in Nepal, including the judiciary, the executive and the private sector. This in turn can foster investment and FDI, JV, PPP and the entire Nepalese legal and economic sectors, academic institutions and researchers. We believe that this will be a milestone for Nepal and the NIAC”.

Partner and Co-Head of International Arbitration at Pinsent Masons Dr. Dean Lewis said:

“We are delighted to have signed this agreement with NIAC to support the work that they are doing across Nepal and the Asia-Pacific region to enhance the use of ADR to settle disputes. We need to see better and easier access to this form of dispute resolution and to showcase the benefits of this to businesses.”