Chartered Arbitration Drafter

Chartered Arbitration Drafter (CAD-CH) 

A Professional Specialized Skill Training Program by Indian Arbitration Institution (IAI)

• Eligibility: Any Basic Qualification or any Formal Education with Post Graduate Diploma or Masters along with any prior work experience.

• Total Fees: Rs. 10,000/-
  (Everything Included from Admission, Course Fees and Delivery of Certificate, no additional Fees Apart from it)

• Mode: Online

• Study Material:  Will be provided through Learning Dashboard/Portal

• Learning Type: Self Paced

• Duration:  3 Months (Preferably, but can be completed anytime as soon as you give the Exam)

• Enrollment:  Any Time, there is no Fixed Enrolment Date or Day. A candidate can choose any time and the enrolment will be processed real time.

• Exam: One Online Exam, MCQ and Subjective Type Questions of 100 Marks. Passing Marks 40%. If unsuccessful, you can give additional two attempts.

• Procedure: Fill the Apply Now Form →  Pay the Requisite Amount of Fees by Clicking Pay Now Button → Then Click on Payment Confirmation button and fill the form with all the Details → Then login to the Dashboard.

Course Overview

In modern commercial dispute resolution, the outcome of arbitration proceedings is frequently dictated not inside the hearing room, but across the written pages submitted before the tribunal. Precision, clarity, and structural rigor in written submissions form the bedrock of successful arbitral advocacy. The Chartered Arbitration Drafter (CAD-CH), established and certified by the Indian Arbitration Institution (IAI), is an elite, hands-on skill training program created to transform candidates into master drafting specialists capable of producing high-impact, enforceable, and bulletproof arbitration documentation across domestic and cross-border commercial landscapes.

While theoretical familiarity with arbitration law is widespread, the specialized technical ability to draft dispute resolution clauses, comprehensive statements of claim, interim relief applications, and well-reasoned arbitral awards remains exceptionally rare. The CAD-CH curriculum directly resolves this industry deficit. It shifts focus away from mere abstract legal doctrine to the exacting mechanics of practical drafting. Participants are immersed in the architectural construction of every critical legal instrument used throughout an arbitration's life cycle—from the initial framing of an airtight arbitration clause before a transaction even closes, to the execution and challenge of the final award.

Throughout this specialized program, trainees systematically break down complex commercial facts, isolate core legal issues, and translate massive volumes of documentary evidence into cohesive, persuasive written narratives. The course trains professionals to balance procedural compliance under institutional rules (such as ICC, SIAC, LCIA, and MCIA) with the domestic statutory mandates of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act. Drafters learn to construct precise prayers for relief, frame watertight preliminary objections, formulate sharp interrogatories, and draft orders that withstand intense judicial review.

By bridging the divide between high-level procedural strategy and micro-level drafting craftsmanship, the IAI ensures that Chartered Arbitration Drafters operate with distinct executive-level precision. Whether structuring multi-tiered dispute resolution clauses for transnational joint ventures or articulating urgent applications for emergency measures, CAD-CH graduates possess the technical command, stylistic discipline, and structural mastery necessary to act as foundational assets to law firms, corporate legal departments, and arbitral tribunals worldwide.

Course Structure and Modules

The tentative modules are as follows and are subject to periodic enrichment based on directions issued by the IAI Board of Skill Studies:

Module 1: Drafting Dispute Resolution Clauses and Arbitration Agreements

• Mechanics of standard, multi-tiered, and hybrid arbitration clauses.

• Formulating seat, venue, governing law, and institutional rule specifications.

• Identifying and remedying pathological, ambiguous, or unenforceable drafting traps.

Module 2: Pre-Arbitral Notices and Preliminary Invocations

• Drafting Section 21 statutory notices of arbitration and formal dispute triggers.

• Formulating responses, default notices, and reservations of rights.

• Applications for tribunal constitution and emergency arbitrator appointments.

Module 3: Pleadings I – Statements of Claim and Defense

• Structural anatomy of Statements of Claim, Statements of Defense, and Counterclaims.

• Chronology building, pleading essential facts, and articulating legal foundations.

• Framing specific heads of claim, quantum calculations, interest, and prayer clauses.

Module 4: Interim Applications and Urgent Relief Drafting

• Drafting Section 9 and Section 17 applications for preserving assets and evidence.

• Formulating replies, counter-affidavits, and urgent status-quo petitions.

• Crafting security-for-costs, bank guarantee stays, and provisional measure motions.

Module 5: Evidentiary and Interlocutory Documentation

• Drafting comprehensive lists of documents, notices to produce, and redaction schedules.

• Framing affidavits of evidence in chief (witness statements) and expert witness reports.

• Structuring interrogatories, requests for admissions, and evidentiary privilege objections.

Module 6: Written Submissions, Memorials, and Post-Hearing Briefs

• Constructing persuasive legal memorials and structured lists of dates/issues.

• Synthesizing oral cross-examination records into definitive written post-hearing briefs.

• Formulating detailed statements of costs and costs-allocation justifications.

Module 7: Drafting Arbitral Awards and Procedural Orders

• Structural composition of procedural orders, interim awards, and consent awards.

• Drafting dispositive sections, reasoning frameworks, and operative relief in final awards.

• Formulating corrections, interpretations, and additional awards under statutory timelines.

Module 8: Post-Award Pleadings: Challenges, Enforcement, and Execution

• Drafting Section 34 petitions to set aside awards on public policy and patent illegality grounds.

• Preparing counter-affidavits defending the integrity and finality of arbitral awards.

• Drafting Section 36 execution petitions and foreign award enforcement suits.

Importance of Doing this Course

In high-stakes commercial disputes, a poorly drafted submission cannot be rescued by eloquent oral advocacy. Tribunals form their critical early impressions based entirely on written briefs. A single omission in the statement of claim, a failure to plead an essential jurisdictional fact, or a vaguely framed prayer can permanently compromise a multi-million-dollar claim. Undertaking the Chartered Arbitration Drafter (CAD-CH) program is therefore vital for any professional who aims to operate at the peak of dispute resolution practice.

This qualification equips you with the specialized ability to produce clean, cohesive, and commercially sound legal instruments that leave zero room for ambiguity. Rather than relying on generic boilerplate templates that frequently fail under judicial scrutiny, you learn the core architectural principles required to build custom pleadings from first principles. This skill is invaluable when managing intricate construction disputes, intellectual property claims, joint-venture deadlocks, and cross-border financial transactions where precision in terminology is non-negotiable.

Moreover, the CAD-CH credential signals rigorous technical diligence. While many practitioners understand procedural law in the abstract, few possess the disciplined ability to draft complex witness affidavits, structured memorials, and enforceable arbitral awards that conform strictly to international best practices. Completing this program gives you an undeniable competitive edge: you become the professional trusted by law firm partners, senior advocates, and corporate counsel to handle their most delicate, high-exposure drafting assignments with complete accuracy and strategic foresight.

Career Prospects

Earning the Chartered Arbitration Drafter (CAD-CH) designation positions professionals for specialized, highly valued roles across the domestic and international dispute resolution marketplace.

Dispute Resolution Associates and Drafting Specialists: Premier law firms and senior advocates continually seek professionals who can draft complex arbitration pleadings independently and without structural errors. CAD-CH credential holders are prime candidates to lead the drafting of statements of claim, counterclaims, and high-stakes interim petitions, fast-tracking their progression toward partnership and chamber leadership.

Corporate In-House Legal Counsel: Multinational corporations, infrastructure conglomerates, and banking institutions handle extensive contractual disputes where costly outside counsel must be managed effectively. Certified drafters serve as vital in-house assets, capable of drafting airtight dispute resolution agreements, managing preliminary arbitral notices internally, and reviewing external counsel submissions for strategic fidelity.

Tribunal Clerks, Arbitral Secretaries, and Legal Researchers: High-profile arbitrators and arbitral tribunals consistently require dedicated secretaries to draft complex procedural orders, summarize voluminous evidence, and assist in drafting the formal architecture of final arbitral awards. CAD-CH professionals possess the exact technical discipline required to excel in these roles, gaining exceptional exposure alongside leading arbitrators.

Independent Arbitration Consultants and Contract Architects: Graduates can build independent practices advising commercial entities on the architecture of dispute resolution mechanisms, reviewing transaction documents to remove pathological clauses, and offering specialized drafting consultancy for complicated Section 34 challenge petitions and award enforcement proceedings.

Necessary Details

The Indian Arbitration Institution (IAI) has engineered the delivery of the CAD-CH program to ensure that elite, practitioner-focused credentialing fits seamlessly into the demanding schedules of mid-career professionals, advocates, and corporate executives.

Eligibility To preserve the professional rigor and advanced standard of the credential, enrollment requires candidates to possess:

• Any Basic Qualification or any Formal Education, combined with a Post Graduate Diploma or Master’s Degree, along with prior work experience.

This ensures that all enrolled candidates bring foundational intellectual maturity and practical workplace context to the demanding drafting coursework.

Total Fees The complete investment for the program is Rs. 10,000/-. The IAI operates with absolute financial transparency: this is a fully inclusive one-time fee. It covers the complete admission process, unrestricted access to the learning portal, all drafting curriculum resources, examination fees, and the production and physical delivery of your verified Certificate. There are no recurring fees or post-enrollment charges.

Mode and Study Material The program is delivered 100% Online, enabling candidates to balance professional duties with their coursework. All comprehensive Study Material—including extensive drafting manuals, precedent templates, annotated institutional clauses, model claims, and case-study fact sheets—is made available directly through the secure IAI Learning Dashboard/Portal.

Learning Type and Duration The program operates on a Self-Paced structure. While the recommended learning schedule is 3 Months, candidates have total freedom over their pace. You can progress rapidly or deliberately and are eligible to complete the credential as soon as you schedule and pass the examination.

Enrollment Enrollment is open Any Time, with no rigid deadlines, term intakes, or cohort cycles. A candidate can enroll whenever convenient, and access credentials are issued in real time upon payment confirmation.

Examination Structure Certification requires completing One Online Exam of 100 Marks, comprising both Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) testing procedural knowledge and Subjective Drafting Questions evaluating real-world drafting execution. The qualifying benchmark is 40%. Candidates who do not clear the examination on their initial attempt receive two additional attempts at no supplementary charge.

Application Procedure

1. Apply: Complete and submit the official Apply Now Form on the IAI portal.

2. Pay: Pay the requisite program fee of Rs. 10,000/- by clicking the Pay Now button.

3. Confirm: Click the Payment Confirmation button and complete the registration form with your transaction and contact details.

4. Access: Log in to your personal Learning Dashboard to begin your drafting specialization immediately.