Originally from Alternatives to the High Cost of Litigation

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There are many reasons mediators want to improve the quality of practice in their geographic or subject area.

Most mediators have a strong sense of professionalism and sincerely want to help people in conflict. When parties and lawyers are in a difficult dispute, sometimes the only way they can get out of that jam is through skillful mediation. So many lawyers and parties have come to really appreciate the process. 

Moreover, if parties, lawyers, judges, and observers are satisfied with mediation, the overall volume of mediation practice is likely to grow. Thus mediators have a shared interest in providing the best possible quality of mediation service in all cases.

To help achieve these goals, the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution created a Task Force on Improving Mediation Quality, which recently issued a report describing its two-year research project. See “ABA Task Force Releases Mediation Recommendations—And Calls for More Research,” 26 Alternatives 79 (April 2008).