MZB Conflict Management is a sister firm of the ADR Initiative focusing on family and workplace disputes. It is founded by Mehak Zaraq Bari, the co-founder of ADR Initiative.
About our Founder
Mehak Zaraq Bari is one of Pakistan’s foremost voices in Mediation. She is an internationally accredited mediator and was nominated and shortlisted for the UK Mediation Awards in 2020. She is a master trainer, educator, and visionary leader who has spent over a decade shaping the future of legal education and peaceful dispute resolution in the country.
A Leader in ADR & Legal Education
Mehak has trained judges, government officials, CEOS, professional and students. She has held senior academic roles including Head of Law at ICMS, Associate Director at Pakistan College of Law, Project Director at Business and Law School. She has designed and led cutting-edge curricula that integrate law, negotiation, mediation, and emotional intelligence preparing the next generation of lawyers and peacemakers.
Founder and leader of:
ADR Initiative
Pakistan’s first provider of internationally accredited mediation trainings, building a nationwide network of professional mediators.
Justice Initiative
Creating legal literacy for access of justice and awareness programs that empower women and youth to understand their rights and navigate disputes constructively.
MZB Conflict Management
Opening doors for resolution of conflict in private spaces rather than the courts
Accomplished Mediator & Trainer
With extensive knowledge and practice in family, workplace, civil, and commercial mediation, Mehak combines empathy, structure, and psychological insight to help parties move from confrontation to cooperation.
She holds top international credentials:
- Accredited Mediator – SIMI, IMI, CMC
- Certified Negotiator – ADR ODR International
- Certified Counsellor – CPCAB UK
- UNESCO-Certified Trainer – Social & Emotional Learning (SEL)
Her approach addresses not just the legal dispute, but the emotional dynamics beneath it ensuring lasting, practical outcomes.
Policy, Research & Thought Leadership
A published author and researcher, Mehak has designed over 400 professional online trainings for Informanagement (Netherlands & UK) and has served as the World Bank’s Local Expert for the Women, Business and the Law (WBL) Project since 2020.
She advises on national projects through USAID and Asia Foundation partnerships, focusing on ADR and foreign investment, ADR in trade disputes, and ADR In Pakistan’s FOREX regime, making her a key contributor to legal and economic reform efforts.
Vision & Impact
Mehak sees ADR not just as a legal mechanism but as a peacebuilding tool one that strengthens families, workplaces, and communities. Her mission is clear:
To make conflict resolution, mental well-being, and socio-legal education accessible and transformative so that individuals and institutions can thrive, even in the face of conflict.
My Work Journey
With 18+ years of experience across law, education, and human rights, I bring a unique, holistic approach to conflict resolution.
- Accredited Mediator – Among the few formally trained in family, workplace, and civil mediation in Pakistan.
- Legal Expertise – LLM in Human Rights Law from Queen Mary University of London, grounding my practice in justice and equity.
- Founder & Director, ADR Initiative – Pakistan’s first provider of internationally accredited mediation training in five languages.
- Family & Workplace Mediation Leader– Conducted mediations and created systems for families, corporations, and HR teams.
- Educator & Mentor – 10+ years of academic leadership, curriculum design, and dissertation supervision.
- Published Thought Leader – Speaker and author advancing ADR, negotiation, and peacebuilding nationally and internationally.
- Policy & Governance Advocate – Partnered with USAID, Asia Foundation, and others on ADR and rule of law reforms.
- Justice Initiative Designer – Trained women and youth on divorce, custody, and legal rights, building conflict navigation skills.
- Blending Law & Psychology – CPCAB UK-certified counsellor with a Diploma in Psychotherapy, integrating emotional well-being into mediation.
Why I Chose Mediation
I have witnessed families torn apart in courtrooms, workplaces silently suffer under unresolved conflicts, and communities fracture over disputes that could have been mended. I have seen the emotional, financial, and cultural scars that remain long after the judgment is passed and I knew there had to be a kinder, more human way forward.
I chose mediation because I believe justice should heal, not hurt. Mediation protects dignity where litigation can take it away. It gives people the power to make their own choices instead of having decisions imposed on them. And most of all, it creates space for peace to be built not by a court, but by those who must live with the outcome.
For me, mediation is not just a process. It is a calling to help people find clarity, fairness, and new beginnings together.
Beyond Mediation Building Systems for Peace
My work extends beyond individual cases. I am the founder of The ADR Initiative and The Justice Initiative, platforms dedicated to mainstreaming mediation and improving access to justice in Pakistan.
Trained teachers, professionals, and students in negotiation, mediation, and legal education.
Collaborated with the World Bank, Asia Foundation, and USAID on justice reform, foreign investment, and policy development.
Introduced IMI-accredited mediation training in five local languages.
Vision & Philosophy
Conflict is not failure it is an opportunity for growth and renewal.
Children’s welfare must be at the centre of family mediation.
Workplaces thrive when disputes become collaboration.
Communities grow stronger when disputes are resolved through fairness, not force.
“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there.”
-Rumi
If you are facing conflict in your family, workplace, or community you do not need to face it alone. Together, we can find a path that restores dignity, protects relationships, and builds stronger futures.