BRIDGING THE GAPS IN MEDIATION: AMT for ALL Michigan Mediators

BRIDGING THE GAPS IN MEDIATOR SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

Training Topics

⚖️ Legislative & Regulatory Developments Impacting Mediators

• Redefining the Standards: Explore the newly revised Model Standards for Family and Divorce Mediation from the ABA and AFCC—what’s changed, and how it helps mediators.
• Attorney-Mediators Under the Microscope: Unpack the implications of the ABA’s new Formal Opinion 518 advising attorneys who serve as mediators.
• Harassment and Professional Conduct: Track the Michigan Supreme Court’s deliberations on amending the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct to broaden definitions of harassment, What could this mean for mediator ethics?

💻 Digital Competence in the Virtual Mediation Era

• Ethical Tech Fluency: Are you meeting your duty of competence when mediating online? This is an introduction to these specific ethical obligations and the practical skills required for virtual platforms.

🧠 From ‘Capacity’ to Possibility: An Important Shift in Mediation Practice

• For years, mediators have been asked to be gatekeepers. Ethical standards have provided guidance about who can productively participate in mediation. But the case for changing this approach is being made by many stakeholders in mediation. Understanding this issue can’t help but improve mediation practice.

🤝 Mediators as Strategic Allies to Counsel

• Supporting Counsel, Enhancing Outcomes: Consider how mediators can actively support attorneys in mediation—creating space for better advocacy, deeper client engagement, and more satisfying resolutions.

😊 Emotional Intelligence in Mediation

• Beyond Reason, Toward Resolution: Researchers have documented that “positive emotion” fosters better negotiated outcomes than negotiations conducted without it. What is “positive emotion”, and how mediators can use it to improve their mediations.
• Pre-Session Assignment. To obtain the full eight hours of advanced mediation training credit, attendees will need to complete a pre-session assignment. The assignment is budgeted to take only one hour to complete and merely requires trainees to consider and reflect on engaging videos and articles. Details will be sent upon registering.

SCAO Approval The Michigan State Court Administrative Office has approved this training for up to eight hours of advanced civil or domestic mediation training credits required to remain on court rosters. The full eight hours of credit consists of seven hours of in-class training plus one-hour of pre-session "homework."

What past attendees have had to say about our online trainings:

• Trainers were very knowledgeable and did an excellent job!

• I liked the friendly, disarming environment.

• Appreciated the cadence, variety, and depth.

• High-energy cogent presenters, with good topics.

• A well-planned session. The opportunities to discuss problems with the trainers was very valuable.

• Online format with access to materials is most convenient for me.

• Good combination of trainer presentations and breakouts.

• Appreciated the interaction with presenters, the breakouts, exchanging ideas and real-life experiences.

ADMISSION PRICE & REFUND POLICY:

Admission: $315.00; Full refunds (minus Eventbrite's small admin fee) until February 11, 2026