Scissors Cut Paper: A
“Guildhall” Helps Maryland's Mediators Sharpen Their Skills
Charles
Pou, Jr.
Growing use of
mediation and other alternative means of dispute resolution has led many courts
and ADR programs to develop “mediator credentialing” and other approaches
that seek to ensure quality mediation. A variety of practical and
political difficulties have led these entities to take very diverse, and
sometimes debatable, paths to quality assurance (QA). Recently,
Maryland
’s judiciary sponsored a three-year project that led to an innovative QA
system for
Maryland
mediators. The new
Maryland
Program for Mediator Excellence deemphasizes "pass-fail" barriers, as
well as paper-based certification based on legal expertise and other substitute
credentials; instead, this system seeks to promote and reward mediators who wish
to develop their practice skills. This article offers an overview of
Maryland’s new QA system; compares it to approaches that have been taken
elsewhere; and commends it to courts and other mediation users as a vehicle for
improving mediation practice and for serving as a trustworthy indicator of
skilled performance.
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