Certification and Standardization of Mediators Essay

Certification and Standardization of Mediators - Essay ExampleWhile it is true in most states a private individual can set himself or herself up as a private mediator, having the aid of the State and the judiciary is what sets others apart from a mediocre mediator with no training and creates a commonwealth of professionalism. It stands to reason that any kind of profession should have modelized training and credentials.In many states a person can offer private mediation services without taking a class, passing a test or having a special license or certification. Other States require certification from 20 hours to 40 hours, plus continuing education units, according to the Mediation Training Institute International. A some states require a substantive understanding of the area of law to be mediated and stop shortly of requiring a juris doctor degree. Several universities now offer masters level degrees in the fresh area of mediation and alternative dispute resolution (Notre Dame , Creighton Law, Colorado Tech, Regis and Baker University to name but a few). Hawaii, according to the Hawaii State Judiciary (1996), is one of the States with minimal requirements.Professions, such as chiropractors, Certified creation Accountants and lawyers, must all receive rigorous training and pass a State test in order to receive their credentials. It is clear from the assigned reading materials that there is a model code of professional expression to achieve positive results in mediation. Indeed, the American Bar Association endorses a specific standard (2000). Without a certain level of training and testing there is no way to regulate standards of behavior and practices within the profession of mediation.As a nascent field, the lack of standardization is normal. At one epoch a lawyer did not attend college of any sort and became a lawyer by entirely reading the law under an older lawyer. That model has its