ACIArb (Intro to ADR) study plan

Map the full ADR spectrum from negotiation through arbitration, adjudication and ODR, and write a one-line definition plus a typical-use example for each process

Distinguish binding from non-binding processes and identify which ones produce an enforceable decision and on what legal basis

Break the arbitration lifecycle into its stages (agreement, appointment, pleadings, evidence, hearing, award, challenge, enforcement) and label each stage with the governing instrument

Draft a glossary of 25 core terms spanning all eight domains, marking any term you cannot yet define confidently for later review

Analyse the formal and substantive validity requirements of an arbitration agreement, including separability and the competence-competence principle

Compare how the New York Convention and the Model Law treat the written-form requirement and the referral of parties to arbitration by a court

Draft a specimen arbitration clause that fixes seat, number of arbitrators, language and institutional rules, then annotate each choice with its practical consequence

Explain the grounds on which an arbitration agreement can be challenged before a tribunal and before a court, and predict the likely outcome in three short fact patterns

Outline the constitution of a tribunal: party appointment, institutional appointment, challenge and removal, and the consequences of a truncated tribunal

Summarise the tribunal's procedural powers and duties, including interim measures, case management and the right to be heard

Trace the grounds for setting aside an award and for refusing enforcement under the New York Convention, and match each ground to a realistic scenario

Identify the key differences between two major institutional rule sets on expedited procedure, consolidation and emergency arbitrator provisions

Compare facilitative, evaluative, transformative and settlement-oriented mediation models and state which model suits which dispute type

Walk through the mediation process stage by stage, from intake and agreement to mediate through joint session, private caucus and settlement documentation

Practise opening statements, agenda setting and caucus questioning in a 30-minute role play and record what worked

Explain the mediator's duties regarding self-determination, informed consent and the limits of the mediator's role in advising on merits

Apply interest-based negotiation to a fact pattern by separating positions from interests and generating at least three option sets

Identify the negotiator's BATNA, reservation point and target, and explain how each shifts the zone of possible agreement

Recognise distributive, integrative and mixed-motive negotiation dynamics and choose a matching tactic for each

Critique a mediator's handling of an impasse by proposing three interventions and predicting their effect on the parties

Distinguish conciliation from mediation and arbitration on the role of the third party, the binding effect and the enforceability of any outcome

Explain early neutral evaluation: when it is used, who delivers it, and how a non-binding evaluation shapes settlement

Describe statutory adjudication and expert determination, and identify the disputes each is designed for

Compare standing and ad hoc dispute boards on constitution, powers and the status of their decisions

Assess how ODR platforms handle jurisdiction, identity, evidence and enforceability of online outcomes

Explain the New York Convention's core obligations: recognition of agreements, enforcement of awards and the exhaustive list of refusal grounds

Map the Model Law's structure and identify which provisions have been widely adopted and which are frequently varied

Compare institutional and ad hoc arbitration on administration, cost, control and enforceability risk

Identify the main arbitral institutions and what their rules add beyond the Model Law

Apply the standards of impartiality and independence to three scenarios involving arbitrator disclosure and decide what must be disclosed

Explain the scope and limits of confidentiality in mediation and in arbitration, including exceptions such as fraud, safety and statutory reporting

Resolve three ethics scenarios involving mediator conflicts, party capacity and counsel conduct, citing the relevant principle

Complete a timed 60-question mixed mock under exam conditions and review every error against its domain