How Do I Become a Mediator?

-- End Ad Box --->you can offer to these professional organizations
People from a wide variety of backgrounds can makewhich will help you advance your mediation skills while
good mediators. Presently, California has no mediatorhelping the organization itself. For example, as a new
licensing requirements, which makes the answer to themember of SCMA, I volunteered to co-chair the Los
question “How do I become a mediator?” asAngeles Roundtable. As I helped to organize each
individual as the mediators themselves.meeting, I!met the area’s top mediators and had
Before embarking on the journey to become aan intimate opportunity to hear them speak. I
mediator, there are some questions you may wish todidn’t know much about mediation when I
ask yourself in order to have a realistic approach instarted, but by the end of the year I’d learned
developing a career in mediation. Going from mediationthe best tips from the top practitioners in Los Angeles.
training to a full-time mediation practice is difficult road,You may find that the professional organization for
like building any quality business. Before you getyour underlying field also has a mediation committee,
started, ask yourself:such as the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee
• Why do I want to become a mediator?for the local Bar Association, Therapists’
• What do I hope to accomplish?Association, or Construction Contractors’
• What will I use my mediation skills to do?Association. And, if your underlying field does not have
• How will my background contribute to my futurean ADR Committee, here’s your change to get
practice in mediation?one started!
• Do I need a steady paycheck, or do I prefer to beMediating Actual Conflicts
self-employed?Once you’ve got your training, the next question
• Do I want to mediate full-time, part-time, or as anmost people ask is “how do I get started in
adjunct service to my existing career or practice?mediating actual conflicts?” There are as many
• Do I want to be paid for my services, or do Iways to get started mediating as there are paths to
prefer to mediate as a volunteer?the profession itself. Many people choose to join
Trainingvolunteer panels and community mediation programs.
Once you’ve answered these questions forSome examples of these are the programs offered
yourself, you’re going to need some training.by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the
Most people start out with a 40-hour basic mediationCentinela Valley Juvenile Diversion Program, the United
class, but before investing your time and money in aStates Postal Service, and the Superior Court. There
class, you may wish to read The Mediation Process,are also several local for-profit panels of mediators, as
by Christopher Moore (2nd Edition, Wiley/Jossey-Basswell as nationally known panels like JAMS and the
2002). This book is a classic in the mediation field, andAmerican Arbitration Association. Most beginning
describes the process from beginning to end. Whilemediators start out on a smaller local panel or
there are many great mediation titles available, novolunteer panel, however. Many of these programs
other book takes the process from start to finish likeoffer mentoring programs, or you can sign up for a
The Mediation Process.mentor through your local bar association or mediator
>From there, you may wish to sign up for a 40-hourassociation.
course. Most mediation panels, both volunteer and paid,Career Opportunities
require at least that much training in order to join. A 40Except for the large panels and in-house corporate or
hour course is a great place to start to acquire,government positions, mediation practices are, by and
develop and hone your mediation skills. How much orlarge, boutique firms or solo practices. The
how little training you wish to receive is up to you, butopportunities for being employed by one of these firms
you’ll want to start out with programs certifiedare few and far between, but there are nevertheless
by the Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR), asopportunities. The SCMA web site has a listing of job
well as your local mediator organization, like theoffers, but networking through professional
Southern California Mediation Association (SCMA).organizations is a great way to hear about these
Even though there’s no formal certification[often unadvertised] jobs. Starting and building your
process for mediators in California, solid training isown practice is also a choice many mediators
essential.ultimately make. Adding mediation to your existing
Many mediators train and re-train throughout theircareer is where many mediators start their transition
lifetimes, enjoying the new perspective that eachinto a mediation career.
conference or training course gives. There are manyOnce you’ve been to a mediation training, you
quality courses offered in California, some privately andcan start to implement your mediation skills on a daily
some through government agencies. The Associationbasis in your current work situation, form helping
for Conflict Resolution lists certified training courses onmanage employee conflicts, or offering mediation as
its web site, Training classes are also listed on and theone of your services to existing clients. You may wish
Southern California Mediation Association’s webto take a mediation marketing course, such as the
site, ACR holds an annual conference, as does thecourses offered by Golden Media, Mosten Mediation
SCMA. Although the ACR conference is a nationalTraining, or the Straus Institute of Dispute Resolution at
conference, held in different states each year, you canPepperdine. There are also several books on the
find more local conferences like the California Statesubject, such as Mediation Career Guide (Wiley
Bar Association’s ADR SouthJossey Bass 2002) by Forrest S. Mosten and
Committee’s one-day conference, held eachBecoming a Mediator: Your Guide to Career
year at Pepperdine University in Malibu. These are justOpportunities (Nolo Press 2004) by Peter Lovenheim.
a few of the places you might look for a taste ofThere are also opportunities to work in mediation with
what a !career in mediation might look like.a paycheck in private industry or government service,
You’ll also want to join professionalsuch as:
organizations, like the Dispute Resolution Section of the• Ombudsperson for a corporation;
American Bar Association, the ADR Section of the• Teaching and training;
California Bar Association, and your local bar• Teaching and training in schools and peer mediation
associations as well as ACR and the California Disputeprograms;
Resolution Council, to keep abreast of developments in• Human resources departments;
the field as well as to network and form study groups.• Conciliation Court (Family Court Services, Superior
Join a few professional organizations, and volunteer onCourt);
the committees. You’ll get the opportunity to• Non-profit organizations and community mediation
propose legislation that affects the mediation field,programs administration;
you’ll help the group offer training in mediation or• As a volunteer, e.g., Centinela Valley Juvenile
specialized skill areas that affect mediation, andDiversion Program, US Postal Service;
you’ll increase your profile in the field. Even if• Government agencies like the EEOC;
you’re new to mediation, you have skills which• Mediation coach or consultant.