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PUPILLAGE WORKSHOP
Rod O'Driscoll - 2nd October 2006
On 2 October 2006 seventeen potential chartered arbitrators, including me, attended a pupillage workshop at the Reigate Manor Hotel. Some had travelled from London and other areas to attend, which demonstrates the problems people are having in working out the Institute's requirements. The workshop was very capably run by Rod O'Driscoll with help from Robin Orme, Peter Horne, Philip Fidler and James Mumford.
The changes to the pupillage system proposed by the CIArb are planned to come into effect in February 2007. Anyone on the current system who has not submitted their logbook for approval by the Institute by then will no longer be eligible for consideration to become a Chartered Arbitrator by the current route and will be subject to the new requirements, one of which is that the candidate must be able to demonstrate they have experience as an arbitrator before they can be considered for Chartered status.
Everyone firstly attended a plenary session led by Rod who had produced a very useful checklist of the various things that enable a candidate to fulfil the requirements of the Institute. The checklist included both the requirements in respect of examinations as well as practical training and courses. He had also taken the opportunity to check with the Institute that the list was definitive and they had confirmed it was.
However, it soon became apparent that the situation was far from straightforward. A number of those attending had previously been subject to the earlier regime and are now classified as "left-over fellows". These are basically those who have achieved Fellowship status but who have not yet completed their pupillage and become Chartered Arbitrators. In particular it was not clear exactly what these attendees needed to do because the current log book is not relevant to them. In particular it is not clear whether one or two documents only awards are required to be written, or whether the attendance at two substantive hearings also includes a court hearing as well as an arbitration hearing (it does) and whether or not there is another Fellowship Assessment Course planned after the one in November (apparently there is).
The meeting then split into four groups to enable candidates to discuss their own personal circumstances in more detail and in particular to discuss training requirements and what each needed to do to complete their logbook.
The attendees agreed that the meeting had been very useful, if only to clarify the apparent ambiguities in the Institute's requirements! Most left with a much better idea of what they needed to achieve in what is now a very limited period. The consensus was that this sort of meeting was invaluable to members and ought to be arranged more regularly in an attempt to demystify the Institute's sometimes confusing requirements and thanks should go to Rod for his efforts and to the others who led the discussion groups.
POSTSCRIPT: I attended the CIArb's own course entitled "Preparation for the Panel Interview" in November. The tutors attempted to explain the requirements of the Institute but there were some problems, primarily with those were training under one of the old systems. For those carrying out pupillage training under the system that is to be phased out in February the requirements appear to be that you have passed all the Institute's examinations (or attended a course that gives exemption), that you have attended at least two preliminary meetings and written Orders for Directions (the Institute's mock preliminary meetings count if you are unable to sit in on real ones), that you have attended at least one arbitration hearing and written an award (the Institute's mock hearings count if you are unable to sit in on real ones), that ideally you have sat in on at least a two day hearing and taken notes (this apparently is waived if you have attended the Institute's mock hearing, although it is advised that you try to obtain this experience as it will be helpful in the interview), that you have attended the Practical Arbitration two day course and that you have attended the Assessment for Fellowship two day assessment. On this route, if you achieve the status of Chartered Arbitrator, you also obtain Fellowship.
Just to confuse matters the Institute now also have Peer Interviews for Fellowship. This is nothing to do with those who are completing pupillage and those people do not need to attend this!! This is part of the new, incoming, system and this interview is for those who are not eligible to complete their pupillage before 28 February 2007 and who would not otherwise be able to progress to Fellowship. To achieve Fellowship you need to demonstrate you have achieved the academic requirements of the Institute and have knowledge of its workings and ethical standards, etc. I am told this interview is not as rigorous as that for Chartered Arbitrator status and I will be finding out because although I am trying to qualify under the pupillage system I did not realise that this interview was part of the new system and not the old and so registered accordingly!
I hope that clarifies the situation, although by the time you read this all those wishing to complete their pupillage must have completed almost all of the above.
POST POST SCRIPT: All of you attempting to complete your pupillage and submit your logbook by the end of February 2007 should by now have received notification that the deadline has been extended until the end of December 2007).
Murray Armes