The Dispute Brief

Augusta Shahin
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Welcome to The Dispute Brief with Augusta Shahin, where we talk about arbitration and mediation from a Nigeria-based perspective. Each episode breaks down one dispute issue in plain terms, with practical next steps for lawyers, in-house teams, and business owners. Questions or topic requests: hello@thedisputebrief.com New episodes every Thursday.

Episodes

  1. 1D AGO

    Choosing Mediation: When It’s Smart, When It’s Weak

    In this episode, Augusta Shahin breaks down a practical framework for assessing when mediation is the right approach for dispute resolution, emphasising the importance of structure, decision-making authority, and understanding the dispute's true nature. This insight helps legal and business professionals avoid time sinks and leverage mediation effectively. The fundamental purpose of mediation as a structured negotiation processRed flags indicating when mediation is likely to failConditions that make mediation a strategic choice, including relationship preservation and cost considerationsEssential pre-mediation agreements on attendance, documents, and timelinesThe importance of clear decision-making authority and a defined escalation plan00:00 - Mediation as a strategic choice, not a personality trait00:28 - Benefits of mediation: preserving value, protecting relationships, quick resolution01:26 - The common mistake: choosing mediation based on instinct, not case assessment01:56 - Risks of unstructured mediation sessions and prolonged negotiations02:25 - Introducing a simple framework: understanding what mediation really is02:53 - The core of mediation: structured negotiation and the importance of a real settlement zone03:22 - When mediation is most appropriate: payment disputes, ongoing relationships, messy facts, confidentiality, urgent time frames04:41 - Red flags signaling weak mediation prospects: urgent protection needs, refusal to share key info, lack of decision maker, avoidance of figures and commitments, need for legal rulings06:01 - How to control the mediation process if red flags are identified06:48 - The key concept: mediation with structure leads to real settlement discussions07:02 - Essential pre-mediation agreements: attendance, documents, timetable, escalation plan08:17 - What to expect in a well-run mediation: clarity, strategic caucusing, and offer shuttling08:46 - Mediation Go/No-Go checklist: assessing the settlement zone, decision-maker availability, necessary documents, and deadlines09:16 - The importance of arriving prepared: numbers, documents, draft terms10:03 - Enforcing the timetable and protecting legal limitations during talks10:27 - Final takeaway: mediation is powerful when both sides are ready — structure it tightly otherwise Next episode: Third Party Funding in Nigeria: The Disclosure People Forget.

    11 min

  2. FEB 12

    Document Production 101: IBA vs “Give Me Everything”

    In Episode 4 of The Dispute Brief, Augusta Shahin explains document production in plain terms for disputes lawyers, in-house counsel, and contract teams. This episode covers: what document production is (and what it is not) the IBA approach: targeted requests with reasons, not fishing trips what tribunals actually test for: relevance, materiality, possession or control, proportionality, and limits like privilege and confidentiality common red flags in Nigerian disputes, and how to rewrite them into workable requests privilege without panic, and why overclaiming destroys credibility preservation for real life: emails, WhatsApp, staff exits, and “lost phones” If you have a document request you want sanity-checked, remove names and figures and email it.

    12 min

  3. FEB 5

    Multi-Door Courthouse: A Reality Check

    Multi-Door Courthouse sounds like progress. Sometimes it is. Sometimes it is a pause button dressed up as progress. In this episode, Augusta Shahin breaks down what court-connected ADR is meant to do, where it goes wrong in real practice, and how to stop your matter from drifting into endless “we’ll continue settlement” sessions. You’ll hear a simple suitability test, a practical playbook for running referrals like case management, and the legal points under the Arbitration and Mediation Act 2023 that protect you (and how to document them properly). If you have ever left a mediation session feeling like you just did attendance, this one is for you. Related Product: Multi-Door Case Management Kit (Nigeria), including Lagos (LMDC) and FCT (AMDC) annexes, plus a fully drafted Terms of Settlement template with modular clauses you can deploy fast. Email hello@thedisputebrief.com with subject “MULTI-DOOR KIT”. SHOW NOTES What multi-door is meant to be (triage, not theatre) Why referrals fail: weak screening, no authority, no timelines, ADR as delay The “two-session rule” and how to exit cleanly AMA 2023: limitation suspension, settlement enforceability, documentation requirements Toolkit: templates, trackers, settlement drafting pack, Lagos and FCT annexes

    10 min

  4. JAN 29

    Court vs Emergency Arbitrator: What Works, What Is Hype

    Episode 2 is about urgent relief, when waiting is dangerous, not just inconvenient. Augusta Shahin breaks down the real choice between going to court and using an emergency arbitrator: what each option is good for, what’s mostly hype, and the three questions that decide the right route. If you’re dealing with a threatened guarantee call, asset dissipation, stock diversion, or document destruction, this episode gives you a practical checklist to act fast and file clean. Paid resource: Urgent Relief Toolkit (Nigeria), checklists + templates for interim relief, email hello@thedisputebrief.com, subject ‘URGENT RELIEF TOOLKIT’.

    12 min

  5. JAN 22

    5 Clause Mistakes That Ruin ADR Clauses in Nigeria

    A dispute clause can save you months, or hand the other side a delay tool before the real fight even starts. In this episode, Augusta Shahin breaks down five clause mistakes that keep showing up in Nigeria, why they cause side fights over seat, rules, appointments, and service, and the simple fixes that make a clause workable. You will leave with a minimum checklist you can use before you sign any contract. Have a clause you want reviewed on a future episode? Remove names and figures and email it to hello@thedisputebrief.com.

    9 min

  6. TRAILER

    Trailer, The Dispute Brief

    A short weekly podcast on arbitration and mediation, Nigeria-based. Each episode breaks down one issue in plain terms, with practical next steps. New episodes every Thursday.

    1 min

Trailer

About

Welcome to The Dispute Brief with Augusta Shahin, where we talk about arbitration and mediation from a Nigeria-based perspective. Each episode breaks down one dispute issue in plain terms, with practical next steps for lawyers, in-house teams, and business owners. Questions or topic requests: hello@thedisputebrief.com New episodes every Thursday.

Information

  • Creator
    Augusta Shahin
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    6
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Augusta Shahin
  • Show Website
    The Dispute Brief