Who We Are
FEAM — the Forum for Excellence in Arbitration & Mediation — is an institutional dispute resolution body built to bring structure, timelines, and accountability to arbitration and mediation in India.
Commercial disputes in India have long faced a choice between slow court litigation and ad hoc arbitration that leaves procedure, fees, and timelines to be negotiated case by case — often after the dispute has already begun.
FEAM was set up to close that gap: a dedicated institution administering arbitration, mediation, and online dispute resolution under one published rulebook, so parties know the process before they ever need to use it.
Our Story
FEAM is based in Mumbai and was established to give businesses, professionals, and individuals a structured alternative to both court litigation and unadministered ad hoc arbitration. Rather than leaving procedure to be worked out mid-dispute, FEAM administers every matter under a single, published set of Arbitration and Mediation Rules — covering everything from how a tribunal is constituted to how fees are calculated and how long each stage should take.
The Forum brings arbitration, mediation, and online dispute resolution together under one institution, supported by dedicated hearing facilities in Jogeshwari East, Mumbai, and a panel of arbitrators and mediators admitted against written empanelment criteria — so that whichever mechanism a dispute calls for, it is administered to the same institutional standard.
Our Mission
To administer arbitration, mediation, and online dispute resolution in India with the structure, transparency, and timeliness that businesses and individuals need to resolve disputes with confidence.
Our Vision
To be the institution Indian parties turn to first — where choosing FEAM in a contract means knowing exactly how a future dispute will be resolved, and by whom.
Our core values
Neutrality
FEAM does not act on behalf of any party. Every matter is administered impartially, under rules that apply equally regardless of who brings the claim.
Integrity
Arbitrators and mediators are admitted to our panel against written empanelment criteria and a code of ethics — not informal reputation alone.
Efficiency
Our rules build defined timelines and fast-track pathways into the process itself, so cases move forward with a schedule, not just an intention.
Transparency
Fees, procedure, and eligibility are published and known upfront — parties should never have to guess what a dispute will cost or how long it will take.
Accessibility
From online dispute resolution to hybrid hearings, FEAM is built so that geography and scale don't decide who can access institutional dispute resolution.
Accountability
As an institution — not an individual arbitrator or a one-off panel — FEAM is answerable for the standard of every case it administers.
Want to know more about how we work?
Read the rules that govern every FEAM matter, or get in touch with the Secretariat directly.