About the Organisers
The Virtual Mediation Advocacy Competition (VMAC) is organised by SettleWiseNow in association with IAMC Hyderabad. The competition is supported by the Asian School of Cyber Laws (ASCL) and CertJuris as our Knowledge and Training Partners. Our partners include Lawctopus as Outreach Partners, SCC ONLINE as Resource partner and SCC Times as the Media Partner, SAMVAD Partners as Proposition Drafting Partners, Polaris Legal as Support Partners, amongst others.
SettleWiseNow is a professional mediation organisation focused on resolving disputes in a fair, confidential, and respectful manner. It provides structured mediation services across family, commercial, workplace, and consumer disputes, ensuring neutrality while enabling parties to reach mutually acceptable outcomes. SettleWiseNow also conducts specialised training in mediation and mediation advocacy.
IAMC Hyderabad is a not-for-profit dispute resolution institution, promoting institutional dispute resolution services. In particular, it has a focus on dispute avoidance and early dispute resolution with its hybrid Med Arb & Arb-Med-Arb clauses. IAMC Hyderabad provides a comprehensive suite of dispute resolution management services from tribunal secretaries, domain experts, emergency arbitration provisions and end to end case management solutions.
Together, the organising institutions bring together expertise in mediation practice, legal education, and dispute resolution technology to deliver a competition that is as close to real professional practice as a student can encounter.
Details of the Event
VMAC is a first-of-its-kind international competition focused exclusively on mediation advocacy as a core legal skill. While mediation has become increasingly central to dispute resolution in practice, the role of lawyers in mediation including client counselling, strategic negotiation, and settlement design is rarely taught or assessed in structured academic formats. VMAC is designed to address this gap through a multi-stage simulation format that trains and evaluates participants in mediation advocacy.
The Preliminary Rounds (Online)
Preliminary Round 1: Deal-Making focuses on live negotiation and settlement design. Participants are assessed on their ability to manage competing interests and craft effective, interest-based outcomes.
Preliminary Round 2: Mediation Pitch requires participants to evaluate their client’s interests and present a reasoned, strategic recommendation on the suitability of mediation as a dispute resolution mechanism.
Preliminary Round 3: Mediation involves a full-length mediation session conducted in accordance with professional practice, with a trained mediator presiding.
Teams that qualify advance to the Knockout Rounds (Offline, Hyderabad), comprising the Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Grand Final. These rounds consist of in-person mediation sessions before experienced mediators, where participants are assessed in real time on advocacy, negotiation strategy, and professional conduct.
Eligibility
The competition is open to law students worldwide. Participation is permitted as follows:
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Teams may be national or international
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Students enrolled in 3-year LL.B., 5-year integrated LL.B., or LL.M. programmes are eligible
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Cross-university teams are permitted
Location
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Online: Preliminary Rounds (3 July — 12 July)
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Offline: Knockout Rounds (7th 9th August)- IAMC Hyderabad
Registration & Submission Procedure
Participants are required to complete and submit the registration form. Upon submission, the organizing team will review and assess the application within 48 hours, following which a confirmation regarding participation will be communicated.
Registration Link:- https://forms.gle/TnpRjQPC2gn9q8SL6
Important Dates
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11 April 2026 — Registrations Commence
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5 June 2026 onwards — Training Phase (Structured Sessions Begin)
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3 July to 12 July 2026 — Online Preliminary Rounds (Preliminary Round 1, 2 & 3)
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7th August to 9th August 2026 — Offline Rounds: Quarterfinals, Semifinals & Final at the International Arbitration and Mediation Centre (IAMC), Hyderabad
Registration Details
Registration Fee- INR 6,500 per person (approximately $80 USD). Teams may comprise 2 or 3 members. The fee is inclusive of all training resources (valued at INR30,000), competition access, and certification.
VMAC Scholarship: In its commitment to making the competition accessible to all, VMAC is offering scholarships to deserving candidates. Applications may be submitted directly through the official registration form at the time of registration.
Registration Link:- https://forms.gle/TnpRjQPC2gn9q8SL6
Awards and Prizes
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Prize Pool: ₹1,50,000+ in cash prizes across all winning positions.
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Courses: ₹30,000 worth of training courses for every registered participant.
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Internship Opportunities: Exclusive internship opportunities with top tier law firms including Polaris Legal, Samvad Partners, and more to be announced.
Contact Information
Aarushi Aggarwal
Head of Operations
+91 75081 25527
Manvi Pahwa
Deputy Head of Operations
+91 99159 76153
Official Links
Email: official.vmac@gmail.com
Official Social Media Handles
Follow VMAC on Instagram and LinkedIn for updates.
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/_vmac_official?igsh=MW1oM2gzMDV5YXE1bA==
Linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/company/virtual-mediation-advocacy-competition/
Website — https://www.vmacompetition.com
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