Interview with Adv. Firdosh Karachiwala, a well known advocate, solicitor, Arbitrator and Mediator.

After exchanging the pleasantries, the Interviewer, on behalf of E Justice India, began interviewing Mr. Firdosh Karachiwala (Advocate and Arbitrator)

1. “Sir, please tell us a bit about yourself.”

I am Firdosh Karachiwala. I am an Advocate, solicitor and Master trainer on Alternative Dispute Resolution, by profession. I have been practicing for 46 years as a Solicitor. I belong to the family of lawyers.

2. What motivated you to pursue law or choosing law as career option?

The primary reason is the fact that I belong to a family of lawyers.

There is this one incident that motivated me to pursue this profession, with more zeal. You see, once there was, in my family, an income tax and sale tax raid for which I was going to be advocate in accountant and this inspired me to become an advocate or choosing law as my career option.

3. How do you think extracurricular activity is important in shaping ones’ future career in the legal field?

Extracurricular activities are necessary for everyone now and then. For lawyers, other persons or in any other profession extracurricular activities is a must. Specially law activities like Moot courts and several other activities in law colleges are very very important nowadays.

4. How did you develop an interest towards Arbitration?

In 1996, there was a new act which came into force (Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996) and I came from that community which has never gone into any type of litigation. Every dispute was resolved in that community itself, so I was very well versed in these method of mediation, conciliation and arbitration.

5. Do you think that arbitration can be a future of India?

I think, first will be the option of Mediation and Conciliation thanĀ  Arbitration can be the future , because Arbitration is quite costly whereas Mediation and Conciliation is quick , as well as cost and time effective.

6. What are the set of skills required to be an arbitrator and mediator?

First, you have to become an Advocate, and then you have to study the arbitration law thoroughly including all important case laws and things. Then join a senior person who is practicing mainly in the field of arbitration and mediation, work under the person who is well versed with the alternative dispute resolution. These are the things which make the person good in this field.

7. There is any future in Arbitration?

See, Arbitration will take a back seat whereas Mediation and conciliation will take the front seat in future, because everybody cannot afford Arbitration, as one Arbitration in a day can cost lakhs of rupees where Mediation and Conciliation can cost thousands of rupees like 10,000 or some, which makes mediation and conciliation much easy with a great scope in it.

8. How will you advice the students who want to pursue arbitration as a career option?

Firstly, they should go under the trainings which are easily accessible by different institutions including my institution (Centre for ADR) and there are different websites of different institutions they can go through it. One should undergo these trainings.

9. Is there any struggle you had faced in the field of Arbitration or before choosing this field?

Yes, everyone goes through the struggle, in this filed the struggle of doing internships with different institutions or with some solicitor firms or with different advocates who are specialized in this field of work.

10. What advices you will give for our readers who are primarily college students?

Students should look forward to the new opportunities or new avenues especially for the law students and particularly in the field of Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration. My advice to the students is that, rather than going for the court litigation, this field is much easier with wider scope because court litigation will be very difficult in future.

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