Find Mediators Near You:

Quick Reference for Selecting a Mediator



Five Steps to Choosing a Qualified Mediator

Checklist 1: What Do You Want?
1. What are your goals?
2. What mediation approach do you prefer?
3. Assess your abilities: strengths, weaknesses
4. What is your timeframe?
5. What is your budget?
Checklist 2: Get Names
1. Ask people and professionals whom you know
2. Look at directories
3. Call referral services (ask whether they charge to
refer you to a mediator)
Checklist 3: Evaluate Written
Materials
1. Fees: Hourly? Daily? How much?
2. Education: How much? What? How recent?
3. Experience: What kinds of disputes? How many
mediations? Areas of specialization?
4. Written (if available): Understandable? Complete?
Concise
?
5. Insurance: Yes? What kind?
6. Professional memberships, certifications,
adherence to ethical standards?
Checklist 4: Interview
Mediator
1. What ethical standards apply?
2. Confidentiality?
3. What approach to mediation?
4. More about training and experience?
5. Logistics (meetings, written agreements)?
6. How much will this cost?
7. Domestic abuse concerns?
Checklist 5: Evaluate
1. Evaluate the mediator’s skills and abilities
against the tasks listed above.
2. Did the mediator understand you, listen well, act
neutral, understand the problem, convey respect, analyze
well?
3. Can you afford the services?
4. Can the mediator work with your time frame?
5. Will the other parties agree to the mediator?




The information on this page has been excerpted from the
Consumer’s Guide to Mediation
published by the Alaska Judicial Council,
with funding from the State Justice Institute.





                        author

Featured Mediators

ad
View all

Read these next

Category

Lessons From the ABA’s Excellent Report on Mediator Techniques

The ABA Section of Dispute Resolution Task Force on Research on Mediator Techniques recently released an excellent report really worth reading.  It should be of value to anyone interested in mediation. ...

By John Lande
Category

AudioBlog: Name Calling

Texas Conflict Coach Audio Blog by Pattie Porter Robert Fulghum, an American author, is quoted as saying “Sticks and stones will break our bones, but words will break our hearts”...

By Patricia Porter
Category

Culturally Responsive Alternative Dispute Resolution For Latinos

Culturally Responsive Alternative Dispute Resolution For Latinos is a recently published report (by Steven Weller and John A. Martin, State Justice Institute / Center for Public Policy Studies (1996) ),...

By John Sarmiento
×