Well, I have waited some time for the 40 hour mediation training to be offered by our local bar association- Denton County Bar- and it finally happened! I finished up the course on Friday and I can't believe what all I learned. I am not sure what expectations I had going in, I have participated in several mediations as an attorney and even once as a mediator. That being said, I was really excited to get the training. Denton County has an alternative dispute resolution center, DCAP. The purpose of the center is to provide low cost mediation for parties to resolve their disputes without having to leave it up to the Judge.
I love it, I think it is an invaluable resource to litigants, especially in family cases. No, it does not work in every case, but I believe a majority can be solved this way. Think about families with children, parents divorcing who have to co parent these children for the rest of their lives, a nasty court battle does not foster co parenting. Mediation truly gives the parties a chance to tell their story and work through their case with a sense of control over the issues.
So, the training, it was great! Not only did I learn a lot but I also got to have a couple of my law school professors as teachers again. Learning the mediation process from those who have been practicing mediation since it came to be in Texas was a great learning experience. It has given me a new outlook and renewed hope to help people restore their lives with a greater amount of peace than the courtroom can every offer.
Happy Mediating!!
