Mediation

What is mediation?

Championed by Supreme Court judges, mediation is a form of dispute resolution where a third party attempts to resolve a dispute between two or more people, saving them the time, money and stress of a court case.

It’s one of the biggest growth areas in the legal profession today and we’re proud to be leading the way in its training, with two family-focused courses.

What do the courses involve?

Led by professionally trained mediators this course teaches the art of successfully facilitating an effective settlement between parties. As well as contributing to the Go Herts Award, it’s designed to equip you with hugely valuable skills that will make your CV stand out to potential employers. It’s split into two parts, one in each semester:

Family Mediation 1: Children - This course introduces you to the aspects of family mediation involving children. It follows the Family Mediation Council framework for alternative dispute resolution, giving you the opportunity to learn through practical experience. You’ll learn about professional codes, principles of mediation, conflict management and drafting key documents such as memoranda of understanding and parenting plans. It’s an intensive course that relies on active participation and role play, as well as ongoing reflection of your experiences.

Family Mediation 2: Property and Finance - Once you’ve taken the first mediation course, you can move onto the second stage, focused on property and finance. Again following the Family Mediation Council guidelines, it introduces you to the current legal framework.

How do they build on my degree studies?

Both courses broaden the understanding and approaches you’ll be able to offer future clients. They also give you valuable understanding of how to resolve some of the most difficult situations clients may face. Not only will this build your confidence, but it will also make you a stronger candidate for graduate positions.

What new skills will they give me?

You’ll develop the skills of a confident, competent mediator, including how to read body language, work empathetically with parties, deduce substantive facts, listen effectively and remain impartial. You’ll also build strengths in effective interviewing, problem-solving, dispute resolution, conflict management, mediation and negotiation. We’ll teach you to confidently interpret and complete complex documents and forms.

How can they help me open new doors?

If you’re interested in a career in family mediation, this course gives you an excellent head start, with specialist skills. Even if that’s not where your legal ambitions lie, family law touches many legal cases and situations, so a good understanding is a valuable asset, along with effective mediation and negotiation skills.