Certificate in Mediator Training

Programme objectives

On completion of this Mediator training programme, participants will be able to:

• Recognise the drivers and causes of conflict;
• Respond to conflict behaviours;
• Distinguish between different mediation models and their practical application;
• Demonstrate core mediation skills;
• Identify common challenges experienced by mediators and lawyers in mediation;
• Apply Irish mediation law to practice;
• Prepare for future developments in mediation.

Programme structure and approach to learning

The goal of this certificate is to provide an appreciation of the theoretical foundations and practical strategies and skills of mediation in a variety of contexts.  Upon successful completion, participants will be awarded a:

1. Certificate in Mediator Training from the Law Society of Ireland
   and
2. Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Foundation (CIArb) Foundation Level Certificate in Commercial Mediation which entitles them to join CIArb at associate level.

This course is designed not only to equip participants with the skills to act as a mediator but also to consider fully how the practice of mediation will be affected by the new statutory framework. It examines the Mediation Act 2017, which entered into force in 2018, and its objective to promote mediation as a viable, effective, and efficient alternative to court proceedings, thereby reducing legal costs, speeding up the resolution of disputes, and relieving the stress involved in court proceedings.

Modules

The programme is based on the following module scheme and covers key themes as listed below:

Module 1: Conflict and dispute resolution

Key themes:

• Conflict and disputes,
• Conflict analysis,
• Working with conflict,
• Resolving disputes.

Module 2: Mediation principles and processes

Key themes:

• Principles of mediation,
• Mediation processes and models,
• The role of the mediator,
• The future of mediation,

Module 3: Civil and Commercial Mediation Practice and Skills

Key themes:

• Core mediation skills,
• Process choices,
• Ethics and practice,
• Lawyers and other participants in mediation.

Module 4: Mediation law in Ireland

Key themes:

• The development of mediation in the Irish legal system,
• Case law and legislation,
• The Mediation Act 2017,
• The impact of law on practice.

Workshops

Live interactive workshops are crucial to learning outcomes for the course.

Workshops will take place on Wednesday nights. Exact dates will be confirmed.   

Assessment

The continuous assessment items include final assessment worth 50%, 30% online assessment and online forum posts worth 20%.

Who should attend?

This course is suitable for solicitors, barristers, and trainees interested in the mediation process as well as suitably qualified non-legal professionals whose work requires them to engage in alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, whether that is in the workplace setting, family matters, or commercial disputes.

We welcome applications for this course from suitably qualified non-members. Please explain your interest and set out any relevant experience in a cover letter and a brief CV. Such applications are subject to a supplemental fee of €100.

Faculty

The course is facilitated by experienced mediation practitioners with extensive knowledge and insight of how the mediation process interacts with more traditional forms of dispute resolution. Faculty include Sabine Walsh, solicitor and Aled Davies of Mediator Academy, together with other prominent experts, including members of the legal and mediation profession and the judiciary.

Core Faculty

Sabine Walsh, Past President, Mediators’ Institute of Ireland, Co-Founder and Head of Learning, Mediator Academy.

Sabine left practice as a solicitor to pursue a full-time career in mediation in 2009.
She is an academic writer and commentator on mediation and is co-editor of the EU Mediation Handbook (Kluwer). She has just completed a 3-year term as President of the MII, Ireland’s national mediation body and, during her term as President, was instrumental in helping get Ireland’s Mediation Act 2017 across the line.

Sabine is passionate about mediator education and has designed and coordinated two postgraduate programmes in mediation and conflict in one of Ireland’s national universities. Sabine joined Mediator Academy full-time as co-founder in 2019.

Aled Davies, mediator, founder and CEO, Mediator Academy.
Aled Davies is the founder and CEO of MediatorAcademy.com – an online education company that produces and delivers the highest quality educational resources to those at the front line of dispute resolution. He first trained as a mediator in South Africa 20 years ago and has since mediated community, workplace and commercial disputes. Aled’s passion for mediation and excellence in education drove him to reimagine how mediation education could be delivered throughout the world. Before that Aled ran a venture-backed alluvial diamond mining business in Central Africa, but that’s another story altogether!

Online and face-to-face sessions will also feature other experts, including members of the legal and mediation profession and the judiciary.

CPD

We have designed our courses to enable you to satisfy as much of your CPD requirement as possible. Time spent attending lectures and workshops in person or completing these via e-learning as part of your course can be claimed towards your annual CPD requirement. The number of hours of CPD that you may claim in relation to your diploma/certificate course will depend on the way in which you access each of the individual sessions. Please note that the limit for e-learning has been removed for the 2021 CPD cycle. For further information, visit the CPD scheme and download the CPD booklet.

The Diploma Centre team will host our annual CPD conference in November 2021. This complimentary event is a dedicated management and professional development skills and regulatory matters session. We will post an invitation on your Diploma Hub page later in the year.