Training

Conventional wisdom, Developing the Field, Ethics, Impasse, mediation as a career, Mediation Institutions and Rules, Mediation Outcomes, Mediation Practice, Mediators’ Conduct, Mentoring, Practical Challenges for Mediators, Stories, Success in mediation, Training, Uncategorized

(University of Strathclyde)/ /6 Comments

Professions (and hence professionals) are both blessed and cursed with high expectations. The upside is clear: the public expects high standards, expertise and care, and in return is prepared to pay handsomely. The downside typically involves disciplinary sanctions against those not measuring up to those standards, although issues of probity rather than competence tend to…

ADR, Developing the Field, Dispute Resolution, General, Mentoring, Training, Transformation

(National University of Singapore, Faculty of Law)/ /2 Comments

Part of my June was spent preparing for and being involved in a peer mediation initiative in Singapore called Peacemakers. This project was first run in 2010 and had as its purpose the goal of bringing the ideas of mediation and collaborative problem solving to young people. This initiative saw students (aged between 13 to…

Book Review, Developing the Field, Family Mediation, Governments/Public Sector, Ireland, Mediation Practice, Mediation Schemes (In Courts, etc.), Public Policy, Regulation, Training

(Sabine Walsh Mediation)/ /Leave a comment

This month I want to share with you a little gem of a mediation book, published late last year by the Irish state-funded Family Mediation Service (FMS). I wanted to review this book for two reasons – first of all, because it is an excellent publication which, though written in the context of the 25th…

ADR, Communication, Conflict, Dispute Resolution, General, Skills, Training

(Singapore International Dispute Resolution Academy)/ /4 Comments

It is often said that listening is one of a mediator’s core skills. At the same time the parties’ ability to listen to each other is equally important. Where parties’ communication has broken down to such an extent that they are unable to really hear what each other is saying, mediators can step in and…

Book Review, Commercial Mediation, Community Mediation, Developing the Field, Efficiency, Language, Lawyers and Psychologists, Mediation Practice, Mediators’ Conduct, Success in mediation, Technology, Training, Uncategorized

(Brick Court Chambers / Clifton Chambers)/ /1 Comment

I recall in the early days of mediation practice it seemed like one of the hardest interventions to make – to be standing in front of a room full of people and have to create a coherent whiteboard out of their discussion. The humble whiteboard has been used for every conceivable task in the mediation room –…

Conflict, Developing the Field, General, Humorous Pieces, Mediation Practice, Practical Challenges for Mediators, Success in mediation, Training

(University of Strathclyde)/ /2 Comments

I was recently given an extraordinary birthday present: a day at the Nick Nairn Cook School (www.nicknairncookschool.com). Nick Nairn is one of Scotland’s most famous celebrity chefs, known for his respect for traditional Scottish fare, and as something of a foody I couldn’t think of a better way to spend a Saturday. I wasn’t disappointed….

Causes of Conflict, Clients, Confidentiality and Transparency, Conflict, Developing the Field, Ethics, General, Growth of the Field (Challenges, New Sectors, etc.), Mediation Practice, Mediators’ Conduct, Training

(Pel Mediation)/ /Leave a comment

In mediation, the art of the mediator is to lead the mediation participants to the best possible solution of their conflict, based on their underlying interests. It is the art of seduction to shift the focus from their points of view and desired outcomes to interests, and also from the escalation-driven wish to “win” and…

Accreditation, Developing the Field, Dispute Resolution, General, Growth of the Field (Challenges, New Sectors, etc.), mediation as a career, Mediation Practice, Success in mediation, Training

(Singapore International Dispute Resolution Academy)/ /3 Comments

In my capacity as a trainer and educator of mediators, I am frequently asked about entry into the mediation profession: “Once I pass my accreditation assessment, I want to become a full-time mediator…” The mediation training market continues to boom, confirming a continuing strong interest in mediation as a career path. However the supply of…

Cross-cultural, Developing the Field, Europe, General, International Mediation, Mediation Practice, Training, Uncategorized

(Brick Court Chambers / Clifton Chambers)/ /Leave a comment

It´s about the students and they did themselves proud with South Texas College of Law taking out the magnificent glass trophy – goodness knows how they got it past security at Charles de Gaulle.  Bar Ilan University (Israel) was runner up and there was not much in it. The beautiful people of the mediation world were…

Commercial Mediation, Developing the Field, Dispute Resolution, Growth of the Field (Challenges, New Sectors, etc.), Lawyers, Legal Practice, Mediation Practice, Training, Uncategorized

(University of Strathclyde)/ /1 Comment

I was pleased to read that this year’s ICC Competition went so well. Having hosted the UK Law Student Mediation Competition in Glasgow in November I was first-hand witness to the wholehearted, thoughtful way young mediators throw themselves into this work. They appear unaffected by the scepticism of older lawyers. All of this is very…