International panel builds off half-decade of collaboration between United States and China, further strengthening and diversifying the approach to cross-border mediation

September 8, 2020

Irvine, Calif. / Shanghai - JAMS, the largest private provider of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services worldwide, and the Shanghai Commercial Mediation Center (SCMC) are proud to announce the implementation of the Sino-U.S. International Commercial Co-Mediation Panel, a joint panel between China and the United States that provides solutions for cross-border commercial disputes. The Co-Mediation Panel will be enacted on September 15, 2020.

（Christopher K. Poole, CEO of JAMS announce the implementation of the Sino-U.S. International Commercial Co-Mediation Mechanism on  Practice and Prospect of International Commercial Mediation Forum, 14th September )

This milestone comes as JAMS and the SCMC enter the fifth year of their partnership, which was established in March 2016. Both JAMS and SCMC assist parties in dispute resolution processes in areas including trade, investment, securities, intellectual property rights, real estate, and insurance matters

Partnering SCMC’s understanding of Chinese culture and domestic and foreign commercial legal issues with JAMS’ experienced panel of U.S. neutrals has facilitated the exploration and development of the Co-Mediation panel, which seeks to promote a new era of settlements in economic, trade and commercial disputes between the two countries. JAMS and SCMC have common International Mediation Rules, which can be applied to better settle commercial disputes and resolve conflicts on culture, legal systems and theoretical concepts on commercial mediation.

(Richard Birke, Executive Director of the JAMS Institute discuss with Wei ZHANG, Director of SCMC  regarding training of the Sino-U.S. International Commercial Co-Mediation Panel)

（Mediator from SCMC and JAMS attend Mock Co-Mediation online )

The Co-Mediation Panel is comprised of a professional team of Sino-U.S. joint international mediators, including 11 from SCMC and 11 from JAMS, combining decades of expertise with market-leading professional, cross-cultural and linguistic skills. Starting in July of 2020, the 22 Sino-U.S. international mediators have been conducting virtual training sessions, furthering the discussion of resolving cross-border disputes. Leveraging their collective experience with the principles of cross-border mediation, as well as key procedures and technology, the mediators worked together to simulate joint mediation and establish best practices to more fully serve domestic and international markets.

“The Co-Mediation Panel marks five years of close collaboration and is a product of the SCMC and JAMS’ collective experience and expertise in our regions,” said Chris Poole, JAMS President and CEO. “The international commercial panel will be vital as we work together to navigate complex disputes in years to come.”

“Our partnership with JAMS for the past five years helped us to expand awareness and understanding of international commercial dispute resolution and broaden our team’s professional competence,” said Wei Zhang, Director of SCMC. “The establishment of the Co-Mediation Panel will lead us to a closer and more efficient collaboration.”

Working to provide guidance to facilitate international mediation, the establishment of the Co-Mediation Panel will aim to reinforce the goals of the Singapore Convention, a uniform framework for international settlement agreements resulting from mediation. The United States and China are among the first signatories for the Singapore Convention, which will be officially implemented on September 12, 2020.

About JAMS – Local Solutions. Global Reach.

Founded in 1979, JAMS is the largest private provider of alternative dispute resolution services worldwide. JAMS successfully resolves and manages business and legal disputes by providing efficient, cost-effective and impartial ways to overcome barriers at any stage of conflict. JAMS offers customized dispute resolution services locally and globally through a combination of industry-specific experience, first-class client service, top-notch facilities and highly trained panelists.

With a roster of over 400 neutrals and 28 locations, JAMS resolves thousands of the world’s important cases every year. JAMS also offers remote dispute resolution through videoconferencing and other platforms. JAMS neutrals are adept at managing the resolution process whether they are conducting in-person or virtual hearings.

More information is available at www.jamsadr.com, and you can connect with us on Twitter, LinkedIn and our JAMS ADR blog.

About SCMC - Win-Win Choice in Economic

Founded in 2011, SCMC is the first dependent institution in China specializing in commercial dispute mediation. It is also the project unit of Diversified Dispute Resolution mechanism reform of the Judicial Reform Office of the Supreme People’s Court, PRC.  It has been praised by the Supreme People’s Court as the most iconic and influential institution in China.

The SCMC has a team of mediation professionals who have not only an in-depth knowledge of domestic and foreign commercial legal practices but also a deep understanding of Chinese culture. These professions possess high standards for work and morality, profound professional backgrounds and rich practical experience. 

More information is available at http://www.scmc.org.cn/.