Cooperation for amicable dispute resolution
An agreement on cooperation between seven key legal and economic institutions in the region was signed in Katowice: the Bar Association in Katowice, the District Chamber of Legal Advisers in Katowice, the Silesian Center for Mediation and Arbitration, the Silesian Chamber of Construction, the Business Centre Club Employers' Association – Katowice Lodge, the Silesian Chamber of Employers, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Katowice.
The signatories to the agreement have declared joint action to promote mediation and arbitration as effective, faster, and less costly methods of dispute resolution in the business environment. The aim of the cooperation is not only to exchange experiences and organize joint events, but also to educate entrepreneurs and integrate legal and business circles in a spirit of dialogue and trust.
During the meeting, the director of the Silesian Arbitration and Mediation Center, Dr. Anna Bicz-Kordonets, emphasized that:
- People do not want to go to mediation because they consider it an admission of wrongdoing. But do we want to be right or get our money back.
Economic law expert Mariusz Filipek noted that despite 20 years of discussions about mediation, awareness among entrepreneurs remains low:
- The biggest problem with mediation is that entrepreneurs—the very people who should be using it—simply don't know about it. Litigation is not bad, but it takes a long time and is expensive. Mediation should be mandatory, at least at a certain stage of the proceedings.
Dr. Andrzej Torbus, on the other hand, drew attention to the economic dimension of agreements:
- The purpose of a settlement is to ensure that the injured party receives compensation, but also that the other party is not punished too severely. Litigation without mediation is always a more expensive solution—a clear economic mechanism is needed to encourage settlement.
New appointments to the Court of Arbitration
During the event, the appointments of new judges to the Silesian Court of Arbitration were also announced.
The following persons joined the group of arbitrators:
- dr Aleksandra Makarucha,
- r. pr. Rafał Sołtysik,
- notariusz Aleksandra Reck,
- r.pr. Jakub Rzeszotarski
The newly appointed judges are expected to strengthen the court's competence in resolving economic disputes and build entrepreneurs' trust in arbitration as an alternative to lengthy court proceedings.