The Principal Judge, Jane Frances Abodo, has urged Bar Course students to embrace Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) as a cornerstone of modern legal practice, emphasising that effective lawyering should prioritise resolving disputes efficiently rather than prolonging courtroom battles.
Speaking as a guest lecturer to the Bar Course students at the Law Development Centre in Kampala, the Principal Judge encouraged the next generation of advocates to rethink the traditional adversarial approach to litigation and instead focus on solutions that meet the real needs of clients.
Addressing a packed lecture hall at the LDC campus on Makerere Hill Road, Justice Abodo said clients primarily seek timely, affordable and conclusive solutions to their disputes.
“ADR should be your strategic lawyering, not full litigation. You must always ask yourselves what the client truly wants. Most clients want speed, cost efficiency, and closure, not endless litigation,” she said.
She reminded the students that lawyers are fundamentally problem solvers whose responsibility is to guide disputing parties toward workable solutions rather than escalate conflicts through prolonged legal battles.
Justice Abodo encouraged the students to explore the expanding opportunities within the ADR field, noting that the Judiciary and its justice-sector partners are increasingly investing in training in arbitration, mediation, negotiation and other dispute resolution mechanisms.
Reflecting on the significance of the Law Development Centre, Justice Abodo described the institution as one that holds deep meaning for both the Judiciary and the country.
“The Law Development Centre is a very special place to us in the Judiciary and to Uganda as a whole. It is where many of our legal journeys begin. Coming here always speaks to my heart, and I felt compelled to come and share with you on this timely and important topic,” she said.
Justice Abodo explained that although ADR is often viewed as a modern legal innovation, its foundations are deeply embedded in Africa’s traditional justice systems.
Long before the establishment of formal courts, communities relied on clan elders, mediators and communal dialogue to settle disputes while preserving social harmony.
“ADR is therefore not foreign to us. It reflects the traditional African way of resolving conflict — through dialogue, mediation and community consensus,” she said.
Justice Abodo cautioned that justice systems plagued by prolonged delays risk losing public confidence. She observed that when disputes take years, sometimes decades, to resolve, communities may resort to informal or unlawful means of seeking justice.
She also highlighted the damaging effects of adversarial litigation on relationships, noting that prolonged court battles often entrench hostility between parties and destroy commercial, family and community ties.
By contrast, ADR mechanisms promote dialogue and compromise, enabling parties to reach mutually beneficial outcomes while preserving relationships.
Justice Abodo further noted that prolonged litigation places a heavy financial burden on litigants through legal fees, transport costs and time lost attending court sessions, factors that often make justice inaccessible for many citizens.
Beyond individual disputes, she explained, unresolved commercial conflicts can undermine economic growth by discouraging investment.
“A strong ADR system signals that Uganda is open for business. It assures investors that disputes will be resolved quickly, fairly and efficiently,” she said.
Justice Abodo also outlined the various ADR mechanisms currently utilised within Uganda’s justice system.
These include arbitration, a private and binding process governed by the Arbitration and Conciliation Act; mediation, where a neutral mediator facilitates dialogue between disputing parties; and reconciliation, which is recognised under Article 126(2)(e) of the Constitution of Uganda, encouraging courts to promote reconciliation between parties where appropriate.
