The Winter 2010-2011 edition of NE-ACR News, the newsletter of the New England Chapter of the Association for Conflict Resolution (“NE-ACR”), contains a number of excellent articles concerning the sometimes controversial topic of mediator certification, including an article I wrote entitled, “Should States Regulate the Mediation Profession?” I argue that “proponents of state licensure [of mediators] should be careful what they wish for,” and explain why that is so. The article appears on page one of the newsletter, which you can read here.
The article expands upon and refines some of the arguments I made in a July 30, 2009 post entitled, Should the States Certify and Regulate Mediators? It also argues that state licensure of mediators would likely target non-lawyer members of the profession, and points out three reasons why that would harm both the public and the profession.
I would like to thank Louisa Williams, President-elect and Board Member of NE-ACR — and editor of NE-ACR News — whose skilled and thoughtful editorial comments and guidance were not only invaluable, but much appreciated. I would also like to thank Diane Levin, a noted Massachusetts-based mediator and blogger, who was kind enough to recommend me to Louisa as a contributor to the Winter 2010-2011 issue.
