The Role of Mediation in Post-Conflict Transitional Justice in Achieving Truth, Accountability, and Reparations

I am Soumya Patnaik, a BBA-LLB (Hons) law student at Birla Global University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha (Graduating Class of 2028), focusing heavily on corporate law, statutory compliance, and international dispute resolution frameworks. Professionally, I have completed practical legal internships spanning public sector undertakings, corporate legal departments, and judicial aid organizations, including the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd., District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Tata Power Central Odisha Distribution Ltd., and the Odisha Mining Corporation Ltd. Furthermore, I actively engage with the procedural mechanics of dispute resolution as an appointed member of my university’s Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) and Moot Court Committees, alongside competing in national moots and client counseling competitions. My motivation to intern at World Mediation Organization stems from a firm belief that traditional adversarial litigation must evolve alongside a rapidly globalization-driven and technology-dependent corporate landscape. Having worked closely with grassroots legal aid through the DLSA as well as complex state-level corporate litigations, I have witnessed firsthand how protracted disputes drain institutional resources. Joining the WMO offers an unparalleled global platform to research how structured mediation can bridge cross-border commercial friction and systemic legal gaps. I am eager to leverage my background in multi-sectoral legal research to contribute high-quality, citable literature to the WMO journal, while learning from international dispute resolution professionals.