Nadja Alexander

Anne-Karin Grill

Andrew Miller KC

Joan Stearns-Johnsen

Linda Heng

Corrado Mora

Gary Birnberg

Jean-Christophe Barth

James Claxton

Orna Rabinovich-Einy

Natascha Tunkel

James South

Ulrich Mans

Building Bridges: Trends, Technology, and Tomorrow’s Mediators

Since 2015, the IBA-VIAC Consensual Dispute Resolution Competition (CDRC) Vienna is the platform to build skills, experience, and brilliance in the field of mediation and negotiation, i.e., core competencies of managers who wish to keep full control and decisive power over their international business disputes, as well as of the next generation of international dispute resolution lawyers.

IBA-VIAC CDRC Vienna

Join us to explore the latest trends and technology that will shape the future of mediation.

Welcome to Building Bridges: Trends, Technology, and Tomorrow’s Mediators!Join us for the 3rd IBA-VIAC CDRC Vienna Mediation Conference 2025 on Thursday, 10 July 2025, in the magnificent Christoph-Leitl-Lounge, Wirtschaftkammer Oesterreich (WKO), Wiedner Hauptstrasse 63, 1040 Wien, AustriaAs we celebrate 10 years of the IBA-VIAC CDRC Vienna Mediation &amp; Negotiation Competition, we’re not just looking back—we’re looking ahead to building bridges between the past and the future with this Conference.We will explore the future of mediation through the lens of evolving legal frameworks, professional specialisations, market demands, and emerging technologies. Headlined by the keynote by world-leading mediation expert Professor Nadja Alexander, two thought-provoking panels featuring renowned international experts in mediation, law, and dispute resolution will discuss: <ul><li>Tomorrow’s Mediator – Evolving Roles, Rising Expectations and External Challenges</li></ul><ul><li>AI and the Mediator’s Mind: Technology, Trust, and Transformation</li></ul>For more information, <a href="https://www.cdrcvienna.org/?page_id=2096" title="https://www.cdrcvienna.org/?page_id=2096" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">see our website</a>.The Conference is followed by a Reception.Due to capacity limitations, attendance at this event is strictly limited and registration is mandatory.

Agenda

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Registration

Thomas John MCIArb, Director, CDRC Vienna, and Elisbeth Vanas-Metzler, will extend a warm welcome to all participants of the IBA-VIAC CDRC Vienna Mediation Conference 2025, setting the tone for an exciting and insightful event.

Welcome

Professor Nadja Alexander, a globally recognized thought leader in mediation and dispute resolution, will deliver the keynote speech, sharing her extensive expertise gained from over three decades of international practice and scholarship. Her address will explore emerging trends and innovative approaches that are shaping the future of mediation worldwide.

Key Note: Rethinking cross-border mediation for next practice

Panel 1 will explore whether, and if so, how the evolving landscape regarding mediation laws, specializations, and the market reshape the mediator’s role. The panel looks at the shifting ground beneath the feet of today’s and tomorrow’s mediators. From changing client expectations and growing specialization to the globalization of dispute resolution practices, our experts will reflect on how the profession has transformed over the past decade—and forecast where it may be headed next. Our experts will ask: 


International Commercial Mediation – A Standardized Concept?
Is the Landscape for Training in the Field of Mediation Changing?
Are mediators increasingly expected to have subject matter expertise?
Are future Mediators Neutral Facilitators or Strategic Conflict Advisors?
Will types of disputes, including ESG and investor-state mediation, reshape the mediator’s competencies?
Should mediators take on expanded, advisory roles, including conflict prevention and dispute system design?

Tomorrow’s Mediator: Evolving Roles, Rising Expectations and External Challeng

Fueling your brain and your network with expertly brewed coffee – simply a perfect blend.

Coffee Break

Panel 2 will consider the practical, ethical, and strategic implications for the future of mediation as technology makes its way into our practice. The experts will explore everyday and cutting-edge applications of AI in mediation, from drafting tools to data analysis, and the unique benefits they offer. But as technology grows, so do questions of transparency, digital security, and trust. Our experts will ask:


Can machines replicate empathy and intuition?
Will future advances in AI or quantum computing close these gaps?
Should parties be told when AI is involved? If so, when and how?
What are the main legal and data protection issues raised by using AI in mediation?
How should they be addressed, is there a need for better / further regulation?
How do we strike the right balance between human judgment and technological input? 

AI and the Mediator’s Mind: Technology, Trust, and Transformation

The Christophe Leitl Lounge will be Networking Central that night! And then join us at Aux Gazelle for Apres-CDRC. Chilled tunes, laid-back atmosphere... just the right thing after a day of learning, considering, suggesting!

Building Bridges: Trends, Technology, and Tomorrow’s Mediators

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Building Bridges: Trends, Technology, and Tomorrow’s Mediators

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