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