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Riffat Inam Butt
Senior Legal Consultant | Advocate High Court | Accredited Civil & Commercial Mediator
Arshad Ghaffar, a barrister, arbitrator and mediator called to the English Bar, is a highly regarded and trusted commercial dispute resolution lawyer. His experience encompasses the full spectrum of the business cycle. His clients are based in numerous jurisdictions, earning him unrivalled experience of cross-jurisdictional matters as well as different, and often challenging, bodies of law. He represents his clients in a broad array of resolution forums, from the English commercial chancery high court and appellate courts through to domestic and international arbitrations, and frequently receives nominations to sit as an arbitrator and as a mediator in areas of his expertise.
She has played a pioneering role in institutionalising ADR in Pakistan. As Secretary, Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (Supreme Court of Pakistan), she led national-level initiatives to strengthen arbitration and mediation frameworks, including:
- Drafting and steering the Arbitration Bill, 2024, aligned with the UNCITRAL Model Law
- Establishing a National ADR Committee in the Supreme Court of Pakistan
- Facilitating court-annexed and private mediation centres across provinces and ICT
- Developing ADR manuals and training judges and lawyers
- Organising international judicial exchange programs on ADR and commercial dispute resolution (USA, Malaysia)
Her ADR practice is informed by extensive experience in civil, commercial, banking, employment, and public sector disputes, as well as deep familiarity with government decision-making and institutional processes.
Ms. Butt is an accredited Civil and Commercial Mediator (ADR/ODR- UK) and has consistently promoted consensual, time-efficient, and interest-based dispute resolution, particularly in complex, high-stakes disputes involving public bodies, regulators and commercial entities.
She combines neutral facilitation skills, strong legal analysis, and an understanding of organizational dynamics, making her particularly effective in court-referred mediation, institutional ADR, policy linked disputes, and multi-party matters.
