International Online Dispute Resolution Center

INTERNATIONAL ONLINE DISPUTE RESOLUTION CENTER

Background:

My name is Andrii Trapizonian; I am a young Ukrainian lawyer of Armenian descent. I have obtained Bachelor’s Degree in Law with honors at Cherkasy National University in Ukraine and recently received a Master’s Degree in Law at Kyiv National Economic University.

For two years, I have developed my own Law Firm with a few colleagues. We worked mostly on small civil and commercial cases. However, I always felt that I need something more far-reaching in the meaning of legal practice. I have analyzed various transnational commercial and investment disputes. The way these disputes resolved made me think how important the role of international law and how efficient in this case could be international dispute resolution mechanisms.

I decided to leave my firm and find opportunity to work on relevant legal practice. Words fail to convey how difficult it was to leave the firm I started. Moreover, it was hard to transition from a managing partner of my own law firm to an intern in one of the biggest international law firms in Ukraine. However, I wanted to deal with something of global social importance, and that impulse was stronger than anything I felt.

The strongest inspiration I got from the activities in Ukrainian Bar Association Students’League. Being a Board member of the biggest Ukrainian law - student society gave me unique opportunity to develop skills of public speaking and outreach program formation. Experience of conflict resolution and team building helps me today during cooperation with colleagues and negotiations with clients. Thanks to the professional forums of Ukrainian Bar Association, where I assisted to the Secretariat in organization of events, I became acquainted with many famous practicing lawyers from leading international law firms such as «White & Case», «Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer», «Baker & McKenzie».

Project:

Making a research, I have found that arisen international commercial disputes seriously affect present world economy. The thing is that these disputes arise not only between private companies, but also between state-owned one. That can be disputes in different important for each country industries like pharmaceuticals or oil and gas. Frequently such disputes grow into transnational political issues and that is one of the biggest problem in commercial relationships between countries and private transnational enterprises.

In this regard, each country should have efficient legal instruments in order to resolve any dispute arisen. Parties can apply to the State Courts, International Arbitration Courts or to Private Mediator. However, this often takes a huge amount of money and a very long time. That is why I think about other more innovative legal instruments.

What about International Online Dispute Resolution Center? Does it sound good or too unrealistic? Probably both. Nevertheless, I am sure that in our modern world, such digital legal instrument will be much more efficient and economical. It will be not necessary to visit other countries for participation in court or arbitration hearings, or meetings during mediation procedure. Professionals that will resolve the parties’ dispute could be arbitrators, mediators, judges, attorneys with experience and recognition in the appropriate areas.

How I plan to realize the project and what I need on this stage:

I have several ideas and plan how I will realize the project. However, first I need to improve my education studying LL.M. program in the Unites States. Today I have received offers of admission from ten U.S. Law Schools. You can see the list with information in regards to Scholarships received below. I need to study LL.M. in American Law for Foreign Lawyers in order to broaden my legal mindset. To realize my project in creation of International Online Dispute Resolution Center I need to obtain experience of American lawyers, because they have another view on legal reasoning and approach to resolving disputes as a whole. Moreover, in my opinion, precedent law can be more efficient in comparison with civil law in dispute resolution; often common law is applicable to arbitration agreements and procedure. Mediation firstly was created in the Unites States.

List of Universities, where I have received an offer of admission:

1. Yeshiva University Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law - Dean’s Scholarship award in the amount of $30,000. The total cost of attendance including all living expenses, insurance, board is $84,209.

2. University of Southern California Gould School of Law - Dean’s Scholarship award, Merits Scholarship Award and Housing Stipend in the amount of $38,559. The total cost of attendance including all living expenses, insurance, board is $83,442.

3. Pepperdine University School of Law - Dean’s Scholarship award in the amount of $25,000. The total cost of attendance including all living expenses, insurance, board is $76,140.

4. University of Miami School of Law - Scholarship award in the amount of $10,000. The total cost of attendance including all living expenses, insurance, board is $85,070.

5. Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law - Dean’s Scholarship award in the amount of $25,000. The total cost of attendance including all living expenses, insurance, board is $53,442.

6. Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law - Global Leadership Scholarship in the amount of $27,840. The total cost of attendance including all living expenses, insurance, board is approximately $66,000.

7. University of Pittsburg School of Law - Dean’s Scholarship award in the amount of $20,000. The total cost of attendance including all living expenses, insurance, board is $57,560.

8. University of Arkansas School of Law - Full Tuition Scholarship award in the amount of $30,000. In addition, during studies it will be provided Graduate Assistantship in the amount of $10,000. The total cost of attendance including all living expenses, insurance, board is approximately $48,000.

9. University Illinois School of Law - Scholarship award in the amount of $45,000. The total cost of attendance including all living expenses, insurance, board is $71,288.

10. Loyola University Chicago School of Law - Scholarship award in the amount of $14,217. The total cost of attendance including all living expenses, insurance, board is approximately $55,000.