Great Locations
Our programs are currently offered on Zoom several times throughout the year. Read more
Mediation Training
We are a Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediation Training Provider and Court Approved Arbitration Trainer. read more
Continuing Education
- CME for Mediators
- CLE for Attorneys
- CEU for Mental Health Professionals
We have answered many of the questions prospective students commonly ask about our training programs, Florida mediator certification, mentorship requirements, attendance, and what happens after training. Please review the FAQs below before contacting us, as your question may already be answered here.
About the Training
1. Who can benefit from mediation training?
Mediation training is beneficial for attorneys, HR professionals, managers, educators, therapists, real estate professionals, business professionals, and anyone interested in developing conflict resolution and negotiation skills or pursuing work as a mediator.
2. What does your mediation training program cover?
Our program aligns with the learning objectives required by the Florida Supreme Court for Certified Mediators. It covers conflict resolution techniques, active listening skills, negotiation strategies, ethical considerations, and hands-on role-playing exercises that simulate real-world mediation scenarios.
We go step-by-step through the mediation process, from initial contact through conducting the mediation and writing the mediation agreement. We also leverage current technology, including Artificial Intelligence, to enhance the training experience and help prepare students for modern mediation practice.
3. Does the circuit training course focus on particular types of disputes or industries?
The course is designed to teach the mediation process and the skills necessary to mediate a wide variety of disputes. Participants come from many professional backgrounds, including law, real estate, construction, business, human resources, education, mental health, and other fields.
While examples and role plays may involve different types of disputes, the training is not designed as a substantive law course in any particular practice area.
4. Do I need any prior experience to enroll in the training?
No prior mediation experience is necessary. Our training is suitable for both beginners and experienced professionals who want to develop or refine their mediation skills.
However, completing the training course by itself does not necessarily qualify someone for Florida Supreme Court mediator certification. Applicants must also satisfy the applicable education, mentorship, background, and other certification requirements.
5. Do you offer online mediation training?
Yes. Our courses are conducted live online through Zoom unless special arrangements are made for a private group.
6. Can I take the training if I live outside Florida or outside the United States?
Yes. Because our Family and Circuit Civil Mediation Training programs are conducted live through Zoom, participants may attend from outside Florida or outside the United States.
Participants are responsible for attending the entire program live during the scheduled Eastern Time hours and for satisfying all Florida certification requirements applicable to them.
7. How long does the training take?
The Family and Circuit Civil Mediation Training courses consist of 40 hours conducted over five days, Wednesday through Sunday, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:15 p.m.
Our Arbitration Training course is four hours.
8. Do I have to attend the entire training program?
Yes. Participants must attend the entire approved training program. We are not able to accommodate missed portions of the course or allow participants to make up missed sessions by watching recordings.
This applies to scheduling conflicts involving religious observance, work, travel, family obligations, or other personal commitments.
9. I observe the Jewish Sabbath (Shabbat) and cannot attend from Friday evening through Saturday evening. Are alternative dates, makeup sessions, recordings, or other accommodations available?
No. Our Family and Circuit Civil Mediation Training programs are five-day programs conducted Wednesday through Sunday, and participants are required to attend the entire approved training program.
We are not able to offer alternative class dates, makeup sessions, recordings, or other arrangements to replace missed portions of the course, including absences due to religious observance. Because all of our regularly scheduled Family and Circuit Civil programs include Saturday, we do not currently offer a class that avoids the Shabbat period.
10. What is the typical class size?
Our classes are intentionally kept relatively small, with a typical class size of approximately 15 participants. This allows for meaningful interaction with the trainers, hands-on exercises, role plays, and individualized feedback.
Certification and Requirements
11. How do I become a Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator?
Completing an approved training program is one part of the Florida Supreme Court mediator certification process. Applicants must also satisfy the applicable educational, mentorship, background, and other requirements established by the Florida Dispute Resolution Center.
For additional information, please refer to the Florida Courts publication, "How to Become a Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator."
12. Can I be certified as a Family or Circuit Civil Mediator if my highest level of education is a Bachelor's Degree?
A Bachelor's Degree by itself does not satisfy the minimum educational requirement for Family or Circuit Civil mediator certification.
To accumulate the required 25 points in the education/mediation experience category, an applicant generally must have either:
(A) a Master's Degree or higher, which provides 25 points; or
(B) a Bachelor's Degree, which provides 20 points, plus either substantial mediation experience as a mediator or a qualifying graduate certificate in Conflict Resolution that provides the additional 5 points.
Points earned through mentorship or miscellaneous categories may not be used to satisfy the 25-point minimum in the education/mediation experience category.
13. Do you assist with obtaining the required mentorship points?
Yes. Most of our trainers provide our students with opportunities to obtain mentorship points, and we also have a network of Certified Mediators and court programs that have agreed to provide mentorship opportunities to our students.
Under the current Florida Dispute Resolution Center requirements, applicants must obtain 40 points in the mentorship category. An observation is worth 10 points, and a co-mediation, also called a supervised mediation, is worth 15 points. Students may satisfy the mentorship requirement through observations or an appropriate combination of observations and supervised mediations.
Most mentorship opportunities are conducted remotely through Zoom, as relatively few mediations in Florida are currently conducted in person.
Mentorship opportunities depend on mediator availability, case scheduling, and the student's availability, so we cannot guarantee placement or completion within a particular period of time.
14. Is there a charge for observations or supervised mediations?
The Florida Dispute Resolution Center prohibits mediators from charging students to observe a mediation for mentorship credit.
A mentor may, however, charge a fee for participating in a co-mediation or supervised mediation. Any such fee would be arranged directly between the student and the mentor.
15. How long do I have to complete the certification requirements, and how long does the process usually take?
Under the current Florida Dispute Resolution Center requirements, applicants have two years to complete the application requirements and submit their application for certification.
In addition to completing the required mentorship points, applicants must obtain other materials such as college transcripts and a criminal background check.
The amount of time needed to complete the process varies significantly from person to person and depends on a number of factors outside of our control. For that reason, we cannot estimate how long the certification process will take for an individual student.
16. Can I take both the Family and Circuit Civil Mediation Training programs?
Yes. Many participants are interested in pursuing more than one area of mediator certification, and the Family and Circuit Civil programs may be taken relatively close together.
There is no single correct order in which to take the courses. The best place to begin depends on your professional background, interests, and the type of mediation practice you hope to develop.
17. Do you assist students with the Florida Dispute Resolution Center certification application?
Our training explains the Florida mediator certification process and the requirements students will need to satisfy after completing the course.
We do not complete or assist students in completing the Dispute Resolution Center certification application.
18. Can I practice as a mediator after completing your training?
Yes. In Florida, a person may serve as a mediator without being Florida Supreme Court certified. However, certification is required to accept court-appointed mediations, and many governmental or administrative programs also require certification.
Florida Supreme Court certification also provides certain additional benefits and protections. We discuss these distinctions in detail during the training.
Cost, Credits, and Materials
19. What is the cost of the training, and what if I need to cancel?
The Family and Circuit Civil Mediation Training courses are $945. Arbitration Training is $350.
If you cancel at least two weeks before the program start date, you may transfer to another class or receive a refund less a $75 administrative fee.
There are no refunds or transfers if you cancel within two weeks of the program start date.
20. Is your mediation training approved by the Florida Supreme Court?
Yes. Our mediation training programs meet the requirements established by the Florida Supreme Court for mediator certification. Our Arbitration Training is also approved by the Florida Supreme Court.
21. What will I receive upon completion of the course?
Participants who successfully complete the training receive a Certificate of Completion. The certificate is used as part of the certification application process and may also qualify for applicable continuing education or professional development credit.
22. Do I earn continuing education credits for taking your course?
Yes. Florida attorneys may earn continuing legal education credit for the course, subject to the Florida Bar's applicable reporting requirements.
Our Family Mediation Training is also approved for continuing education credit through applicable accrediting organizations, and Florida Certified Mediators may receive CME credit.
23. How are the training materials provided?
We provide participants with a hard copy of the training materials, which is shipped approximately two weeks before the course. We send a courtesy email with the Zoom instructions approximately five days before the training (Zoom instructions also inside the manual). We do not currently offer the training manual in digital format.
International participants should register sufficiently in advance to allow time for delivery and will be responsible for all shipping costs.
Registration and Getting Started
24. Does the course provide information about getting started as a mediator?
The course includes practical information about mediation practice, professional responsibilities, and the realities of working as a mediator.
However, completing a training program does not guarantee court appointments, private mediation work, placement on a mediation panel, or the development of a private mediation practice. Building a mediation practice depends on a number of factors, including professional background, experience, networking, marketing, and the type of mediation work being pursued.
25. How do I enroll in a mediation training course?
You can enroll by visiting the Registration Page on our website, selecting the course you wish to attend, and completing the online registration process.
Your registration is confirmed once you receive your receipt by email.
For any additional questions, feel free to contact us at 386-269-0942.