Step-by-step guide to becoming a mediator

by Holly Covington, Polly Dallyn, Mariam Cassamoali

Mediation is a growing practice are and one that could offer huge benefits in building you career

You may have considered whether being a family mediator is for you, and it can be daunting knowing where to start. This article will set out the key steps involved to become a mediator and then, hopefully (!), achieving accreditation.

Step one

You will first need to understand why you want to train as a mediator so that you can make your case to your firm. The demands of the course itself and subsequent ongoing training and development requirements mean that it is crucial to have the backing of your Head of Team and those in the firm who make the decisions about training and development.

You will therefore need to be able to explain the benefits to the firm of you becoming a mediator. This is especially important if you work in a multi-service firm where those signing off on the course may not understand family law work or family mediation. In those cases, you may even need to explain what family mediation is and how it is different to other family law services but is just as important!

We would also recommend that you speak to other family mediators in your network (or at your firm if there are mediators in your team already) and ask them what they find most rewarding and beneficial about their work as a mediator. They will also be honest with you about the work involved. If you don’t know any mediators, then the authors of this article would be happy to hear from you!

Some key points to raise when pitching your case to train as a family mediator could be:

Expansion of services: It allows you, and therefore your team, to offer non-court dispute resolution (NCDR) to clients. This is vital for your team to show that it is in touch with what the law and clients expect. Explain to the decisionmaker/s how the FPR changes in April 2024 mean that all couples must properly consider using NCDR before issuing and before each hearing. This means that demand is high from both clients and other solicitors for mediation services. As a newly trained mediator or a mediator working towards accreditation, you can set your rates competitively as you build your experience and caseload.
Increased marketability: The growing demand for mediators in family law means you’ll be in a better position to serve your clients and gain new ones. Your network will immediately open right up as you will bond with those on your course and then join a POD (more about this below) of local solicitors and professionals who do NCDR work. This is a great opportunity to expose yourself and the firm to a much wider network and generate more business in your roles as both a solicitor and a mediator.
Personal satisfaction and career development: Mediating family disputes allows you to play a part in reducing conflict and helping people come to amicable resolutions which work for their family. We will already be doing this to some extent but doing this as a mediator is a unique and challenging job as you will now be in the room with both spouses or parents. You will learn so many skills in managing conflict, maintaining impartiality, problem solving and having difficult conversations, all of which will enhance your solicitor practice enormously and make you a better solicitor.

Step two

As part of making your case, you will need to set out which family mediation training course you wish to attend, the training dates and course fees.

Family mediation is a regulated profession in the UK, with specific training and accreditation requirements set by professional bodies. To practice as a qualified family mediator, you must complete the necessary training and meet the standards set by these organisations.

The first set of training required to become a family mediator is to complete a Family Mediation Council (FMC) accredited training program. The course will provide you with the theoretical and practical skills needed to mediate family disputes. You’ll cover topics such as:

the mediation process and stages
managing high-conflict situations
understanding the legal framework surrounding family disputes (though mediators don’t give legal advice, understanding the law is important for facilitating resolutions)
safeguarding and ethical considerations in mediation

Many training providers offer flexible courses, including in-person and online modules. Some programs are tailored for solicitors or legal professionals. Resolution offers an FMC-accredited foundation course, which comes highly recommended by the authors of this article.

Providing that your firm has agreed to you training as a mediator, you then need to get booked onto your course and look out for the pre-course reading and preparation materials.

Step three

Complete the foundation course! The exact schedule will depend on which course you attend but usually the course will be held over eight or so days (Resolution breaks these up into two- or three-day blocks over about three to four months).

There will also be coursework and reading to do in between sessions and as part of your assessment. The training itself will usually involve role plays with the others on your course. These can be daunting and awkward at first, but you soon realise that you are all in this together and everyone wants each other to do well.

Step four

Once you have completed the training (well done!) you can now mediate! But before you get started you must also:

join an FMC Member Organisation. There are four: Resolution; the Family Mediators Association (FMA); National Family Mediation (NFM) and the College of Mediators. (In the September/October 2025 issue of The Review Alison Bull set out more detail on these organisations.)
find a Professional Practice Consultant (PPC). A PPC is an experienced mediator who has full accreditation and has fulfilled a number of requirements set by the FMSB (Family Mediation Standards Board). Your trainers and colleagues on your training course can assist with this if you have trouble finding one, although there are also resources on the FMC website. Your PPC will be on hand to help you work towards your accreditation and help you with any queries or issues you may have when you first begin mediating. Your PPC plays a central role in getting you started, as you meet with them for a post-training review, and a pre-meeting discussion before your first mediation. It’s really important that you establish a good working relationship with your PPC, so finding the right fit is well worth taking the time over
observe a mediation session conducted by your PPC or another accredited PPC
register with the FMC as working towards your accreditation

You should also join a POD in your local area. This is a network of other NCDR professionals. Together you will run meetings to discuss developments and best practice, and you can run training events which support the FMC requirements when working towards accreditation. Your POD will provide invaluable support as you embark on your new role as a mediator.

Once you have done all of the above, you can then start mediating and working on your accreditation portfolio. This can feel like a really daunting stage in becoming a mediator. Compared to our legal training, the training period for a mediator is relatively short and as you can see above there are limited steps for you to take before you can get started. It is something that you can tailor to what feels right for you though, and I know many mediators started their practice by observing numerous sessions run by other mediators or even co-mediating to build up their confidence.

Once you have completed your foundation training you have three years within which to apply for your mediation accreditation. As a word of warning, the FMC is becoming more stringent on enforcing this three-year deadline and there is talk of changing rules and regulations around mediation so that becoming accredited is more essential than it is now, so it is important to diarise your three-year end and make sure you are working towards your portfolio well in advance.

It is a good idea once you have completed your foundation training to have a look at the accreditation process and note what steps you need to take to complete an accreditation portfolio. You can apply for accreditation either through the FMC directly or through The Law Society, and whilst the applications are slightly different, the steps required are broadly the same. There is also talk of an alternative route to accreditation being piloted shortly, but at the time of writing the “portfolio” route is the primary avenue.

Both The Law Society and the FMC have helpful guidance documents on what is required for accreditation and what you will need to include in your portfolio. It is a mountain to climb, and our best advice would be to get started on it early on, and tick things off little and often as you build your practice. The main elements that you will need to include in your accreditation portfolio are:

a record of the time you have spent with your PPC – you will need to spend direct time with them for at least four hours per year, plus an additional ten hours working specifically on your accreditation portfolio
a record of your learning and development – for each year that you are a mediator you must complete at least ten hours of learning and development (this can be seminars, webinars, training courses, or reading or writing articles)
an analysis of how your training and experience have covered key elements of learning and development such as keeping up with the law, understanding safeguarding and understanding theories and developments in mediation
attendance at a Child Inclusive Mediation (CIM) information day – Resolution runs these and they are a great way of understanding what CIM is and how it can be used in mediation – we recommend attending the CIM information day as early as possible once you have completed your foundation training
theoretical essay-based questions based on fictional case studies – these are certainly easier when the foundation training is fresh in your mind so the sooner you tackle them the better
a reflective account of your experiences as a mediator over your first three years of practice
an observation by you of another mediator’s session and an observation by your PPC of one of your sessions
case analysis and production of documents for at least three of your mediation cases, to include one all-issues case (children and finances)

As you can see there is a lot to do, but the main reason for the three-year period to work towards accreditation is to do with that last point – establishing clients and building experience. For your accreditation portfolio you will need to prepare case analyses for at least three mediation cases and produce outcome documents that have been prepared for clients. So, before you can be accredited, you need mediation clients!

The ability to build a mediation practice can be heavily influenced by where you work. If you work in a firm that already has an established NCDR practice and promotes building an NCDR client base, you may be able to pick up general enquiries straightaway and use the established reputation of your firm to kickstart your practice. If your firm does not have that reputation, or the mediation referrals they get are to specific individuals, you may need to be more creative. Some top tips for building your practice are:

establish relationships with other mediators so that you can do some co-mediation or take on any overflow work that they don’t have the capacity for – this is where PODs come in very useful
reach out to solicitors in your network who you have worked with, or you know from YRes or other networking, and arrange lunches, dinners, coffees or small group events to talk about your recent training
make sure you write lots of LinkedIn posts about your training, qualification and experience so that the wider family law community are aware that you are now a mediator
ensure you have updated your profile on Resolution, FMC and The Law Society so that you appear as a mediator on all three, as these have search functions that are often used by clients
think about writing a blog or article about your mediation practice, what you can offer and your wider experience
shamelessly bring up mediation in every conversation you have – some of the best advice I’ve been given is that your next client could be the person behind you in the supermarket queue! Don’t be afraid to talk to friends, family members, anyone you come across, about what you do and how you can help families
think about offering reduced or fixed fees to get your practice started and encourage people through the door – it can be a hard sell commercially for your firm but well worth the investment in the longer term

This all may seem like a lot but the benefits to establishing a mediation practice, broadening your experience and creating a varied workload are well worth the work. It is a growing practice area without a doubt and definitely one we would highly recommend getting in on!

Practical considerations and tips for solicitors when instructing a mediator

Appropriateness of mediation

Assess whether mediation is suitable for the case, particularly if there are concerns about child safeguarding, personal safety or domestic abuse.
When voluntarily instructing mediators, consider whether both parties are open to mediation or if one party is unlikely to engage.

Experience and expertise

Ensure the mediator is accredited by the relevant recognised body.
Consider whether the client’s cultural or religious background will have any influence in how they approach the conflict. A mediator with the relevant background knowledge of these issues should be instructed where possible. The mediator should understand cultural and religious sensitivities and practices, and should avoid cultural bias or preconceived notions in their approach. If the conflict involves issues that touch on religious doctrines or ethical boundaries, the mediator must be respectful of those values.
For cases involving vulnerable individuals, such as those with additional needs, choose a mediator with experience in those areas and who is able to provide the relevant accommodations.

Fees and funding

Clarify the mediator’s fees prior to instruction. Family mediation may be covered by Legal Aid in some cases, so check whether your client qualifies and check whether the mediator undertakes work with Legal Aid clients.

Availability and location

Choose a mediator with availability that fits the timeline of the case.
Consider the mediator’s location, especially if the case involves multiple parties who live in different areas. Consider whether remote mediation would be helpful or a hindrance.

Expectations of the parties

Discuss with the client the expectations they should have of the mediation process.
Ensure that the client understands that mediation is not a “win/lose” process but an opportunity to reach a mutually acceptable agreement while avoiding lengthy litigation.

Post-mediation follow-up

Clarify whether the mediator will assist with drafting a formal agreement after mediation or if that will be handled by solicitors.
Confirm that the mediator is able to provide follow-up sessions or support should it be necessary or requested.

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