Requirements for Certification as a Mediator in NC Courts

Requirements for certification are different for lawyers and non-lawyers. All background experience and education requirements can be found on the website of the NC Dispute Resolution Commission www.ncdrc.org. Look for Rule 8 in the Mediated Settlement Conference Program (Superior Court) and Rule 8 in the FFS or Family Financial Settlement Procedures Program. Contact the Commission's Executive Director, Leslie Ratlif, if you need to discuss whether you might meet those criteria.

If those basic experience and education criteria are met, then an applicant must complete an approved forty hour mediation training program. All of our trainings are approved by the Commission. An applicant must also observe two mediations from beginning to completion. Non-attorneys have to observe three additional mediations. Members of MEDIATION, INC. are available to class participants for observations. Non-attorneys must also take a 6 hour course in NC law and procedure. This course if offered by Prof. Mark Morris at the law school of NC Central.

We have a significant number of participants, lawyers and non-lawyers alike, from other states and have worked with them to obtain credit for continuing legal education hours and certification in other states. If you are seeking certification elsewhere, please contact Beth Adkins to discuss how courses will satisfy your state's training requirement.

We teach mediation skills in our trainings. We also discuss marketing opportunities. However, everyone taking the course should be aware that developing a practice as a mediator is an individual undertaking and requires the same kind of effort that starting any new business or profession requires. In other words, we do not guarantee that you will find work as a mediator by virtue or your successfully completing our training.