RUSLAN MIRZAYEV

Senior Fellow – Azerbaijan

Ruslan Mirzayev is an ADR expert, international mediator, trainer and an international arbitration attorney qualified in the State of New York and Azerbaijan with extensive experience in international dispute resolution.

About Ruslan Mirzayev

Ruslan Mirzayev is a leading mediator based in Azerbaijan. He is an ADR expert, international mediator, trainer and an international arbitration attorney qualified in the State of New York and Azerbaijan with extensive experience in international dispute resolution. Ruslan Mirzayev has more than 10 years of practical experience in Azerbaijan and abroad, and has also been teaching mediation and ADR courses at universities and training mediators, judge candidates, attorneys, government officers, and other professionals in arbitration and ADR since 2008. Currently, Ruslan Mizayev is the Head of Education and Training at the International Chamber of Commerce responsible for developing and implementing learning strategy in dispute resolution for the stakeholders globally.

Ruslan Mirzayev also holds a very prestigious position as a scientific expert on mediation at the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice of the Council of Europe. He is also included in the panel of mediators of numerous prominent international organizations, including the UN, World Bank and Asian Development Bank. With proven knowledge of the theory and practice of ADR internationally and in the region, Ruslan Mirzayev has acted as an ADR and mediation expert under numerous projects financed by the European Union and the World Bank, and before the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Ruslan Mirzayev advised the Government of Azerbaijan on the development of its mediation and arbitration policy, adoption of Mediation Law, and implementation of the mediation legislation.

Mr. Mirzayev’s experience in ADR also includes mediating disputes, including as an international mediator appointed by an international organization to mediate large public disputes and representing parties in international investment and commercial arbitration cases as a member of international arbitration teams.

Litigation Practice

Mr. Mirzayev has represented parties in multi-million dollar international commercial and investment arbitration cases and negotiations both as a lead and local counsel. In addition, he has acted as lead counsel for major Azerbaijani corporations in local litigations, mergers and acquisitions, and other transactions, primarily involving banking, finance, corporate and commercial law.

Mediation Practice

Mr. Mirzayev has actively promoted mediation for more than 10 years. Since 2017, his practice has provided mediation services. He has been involved in the design and implementation of mediation programs in connection with the courts in Azerbaijan and has trained mediators to mediate disputes in court. He also took part in the drafting of mediation laws and rules.

Mr. Mirzayev is engaged as a mediator by the Compliance Advisor Office, an independent accountability mechanism of the World Bank Group, to mediate disputes of social and environmental importance, and by the UN and Asia Development Bank to mediate employment disputes.

ADR Achievements and Training

Advised the Government of Azerbaijan on the development of its mediation policy, adoption of Mediation Law, forming of the Mediation Council, and implementation of the mediation legislation
Engaged by the Office of the Compliance Advisor / Ombudsman of the World Bank Group as a mediator
As an expert under a project financed by the World Bank and European Union, was responsible for overseeing the effective operation and administration of the first court-annexed mediation centers in Azerbaijan, and successfully mediated numerous cases
Represented private parties and states both as a lead and local counsel in multi-million investment and commercial arbitration cases
Acted as ADR Expert before the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Azerbaijan and is often invited to international conferences as an expert in Alternative Dispute Resolution in Azerbaijan
Awarded a Weinstein JAMS International Fellowship (2017)
Has undergone extensive negotiation and mediation training at the Program on Negotiation, Harvard Law School, and JAMS.
Recognized by Legal 500, UK’s leading ranking publication, as one of the leading arbitration practitioners in Russia and the CIS Region (International Arbitration Powerlist 2020).

ADR Teaching and Mentoring

Mr. Mirzayev has taught alternative dispute resolution courses, including negotiation, mediation, and arbitration, for judicial candidates, attorneys, government officers, other professionals, and students at the Judicial Academy of the Ministry of Justice of Azerbaijan and Baku State University for the last ten years. He has also trained mediators and mediation trainers in Azerbaijan under international projects.

Publications and Education

Publications

Mr. Mirzayev has written a book on mediation, guidelines for arbitration practitioners, and authored numerous articles on alternative dispute resolution, published by reputable local and international law journals, including the prestigious Journal of International Arbitration (Kluwer) and Kluwer Mediation Blog.

Educational Qualifications

Executive Program (PON), Advanced Negotiations, Harvard University Law School (June 2017)
LL.M. in International and Comparative Law, George Washington University Law School (2011)
LL.M. in International Commercial Arbitration Law, Stockholm University Law School (2008)
Bachelor of Laws, Baku State University Law School (2007)