Post Training Mediation Opportunities
Some of the most commonly asked questions upon completion of a basic mediation training are, “Now what?” and “What can I do to find work in the field?” In short, the answer is simple; trained mediators need to mediate. Whether your own goals as a mediator lean more towards it being a casual activity, or eventually an income generating venture, MWI offers two post training options which both solve the problem of attaining valuable case experience and skill building opportunities.
MWI Court Mediation Program
Opportunities are available for recent trainees looking to build their mediation comfort level and acquire real case experience. MWI’s Court Mediation Panel consists of 40-50 active volunteers who work on small claims, summary process, harassment prevention orders and other civil matters in both the District and Municipal Court Departments. These services are provided at no charge to the parties, fulfilling MWI’s mission to build our clients’ ability to collaborate and find mutually beneficial solutions, regardless of their capacity to pay. From years of sustained success and strong relationships with each Court Department, the Court Mediation Panel enjoys a proven reputation for proficiency and professionalism. Steps for becoming an MWI Court Mediation Panel mediator can be found here – https://www.mwi.org/court-mediator-panel-overview
For more information about MWI’s Court Mediation Program, please contact Clarice Parsons at courtmediation@mwi.org with questions.
MWI Mediation Mentorship Program
MWI also provides an advanced, fast track option to both acquiring experience and building skill sets. Our mentoring programs allow trained mediators to increase their capacity through supervised skill-development and coaching provided by experienced MWI mentors. MWI coaches work with interested mentees to design a customized program so that mediators can achieve their desired goals.
- Strategic Mentoring – MWI mentors can be asked to provide general coaching, or to focus on specific areas for improvement such as dealing with difficult parties, overcoming impasse, agreement writing, refining and internalizing the mediator’s introduction while skillfully implementing the remainder of the mediation process.
- Role Play Opportunities –Mentoring programs generally begin with supervised mediation role play opportunities conducted at the MWI office which can be tailored to satisfy the mentee’s area of interest, including commercial, divorce, employment, consumer and other business disputes.
- Observing Experienced Mediators – The next step is usually observing MWI mentors mediate, either in court mediations, housing disputes, employment cases, commercial cases or divorce mediations.
- Mediating While Receiving Feedback – Mentees then have the opportunity to attend court and either solo or co-mediate cases while an MWI mentor observes and provides feedback at the conclusion of the mediation.
- Debriefing of Cases – Debriefing cases is a necessary part of the learning process, one which allows mediators to reflect on the mediation while gaining insights and valuable tools through the feedback received from mentors.
Sample Mentors (click on photo for bio)
Alnoor Maherali-
Robin DiGiammarino
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Vicky Bennet
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Clarice Parsons
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Alnoor Maherali is a highly skilled diplomat, dispute resolution specialist, ombuds, and certified mediator. He resides in New York City and mediates for MWI, Venn Mediation, the New York Peace Institute (NYPI) and New York Small Claims Court. He also serves as a mediation coach for NYPI and MWI and as a mediation and negotiation trainer for MWI. His professional accomplishments include the negotiation of resolutions at the United Nations in Geneva and New York, sharing of best practices in disaster response and civil-military coordination with the Government of Brazil, and important roles in the resolution of two high-profile kidnapping cases in Afghanistan. He has a Bachelor of Science (Honors) in Mathematics from Queen’s University in Canada and a Master’s in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School in the US.
Focus Areas
Alnoor frequently mediates the following:
- Workplace Mediation
- Outsourced Ombuds Services
- Divorce Mediation
- Family Mediation
- Co-Parenting
- Couples – Mediation to stay married
- Special Education
- Housing and Eviction Mediation
Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities
- Outsourced Ombuds, CVS Health
- ADR ODR Corporate International Partnership
- Advanced Mediation Coaching Program
- Association of Conflict Resolution Professionals of Greater New York (ACRGNY)
Lectures and ADR Trainings Conducted
- Massachusetts Office of the Trial Court, Housing Division, Mediation Coach
- Negotiation Workshops, Trainer
- Salary Negotiation and Difficult Conversations
Background and Education
- Master’s in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School in the US
- Bachelor of Science (Honors) in Mathematics from Queen’s University in Canada
- New York Peace Institute, Apprenticeship Program
- Certificate in Management, Leadership, and Decision Sciences
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Mediating workplace and housing matters | Mediation Trainer | Mentor
Phone: 617-895-4026 | Email: rdigiammarino@mwi.org
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Dispute Resolution Experience
Robin DiGiammarino brings her experience in local government, health care and small business to her work in the field of conflict management. She has worked with MWI since 2003 serving as a mediator, trainer, facilitator and mentor. A proponent of life long learning, Robin served as a public official on a local school board, providing stewardship for a public education system serving over six thousand students. Robin holds a Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy and she incorporates her expertise working with clients and her supervisory experience in clinical settings into her work as a coach, trainer and mentor. Since 2007, Robin has provided supervision and coaching to new mediators in the MWI Mentor Program. Robin enjoys mentoring adult learners providing opportunities for mentees to sharpen their mediation skills and reinforce good habits.
Focus Areas
- MWI MA District and Municipal Court panelist for civil and advanced civil cases, housing evictions, family and probate disputes.
- Pilot program in the Quincy District Court, Harassment Prevention Orders
- Boston EEOC Office: Employment discrimination cases
- MassHousing: Public housing disputes, Tenant’s Assistance Program, TAP
- Numerous private disputes involving dissolution of business partnerships
Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities
- Association for Conflict Resolution, New England Chapter, member
- ASTD, American Society for Training & Development
- MassUMA Working Group: Co Chair, Mediator Training/Definition Committee, 2006-09
Lectures and ADR Trainings Conducted
- The Community Builders Annual Conference, Hyannis MA, Presenter, 2014
- Fitchburg State University, Fitchburg MA, Mediator and Consultant, 2014
- Aspiring Leaders, NOVA, Workforce Development Division, USDA, Boston MA, Trainer, 2013
- Attleboro MA High School, Peer Mediation Training, Co-Trainer, 2013
- Autistic Self Advocacy Network Focus Group, Boston MA, Facilitator, 2013
- Tips & Tools for Mediating 258E District Court Cases, MWI,Boston MA, Presenter, 2013
- Advanced Mediation Refresher Training, MWI, Boston MA, Trainer, 2012
- Cary Memorial Library Foundation Professional Advisors, Lexington MA, Facilitator, 2012
- Partnership for Community Schools, PCSM, Malden MA, Trainer, 2010
- America Speaks, Framingham MA, Advancing Futures for Adults with Autism, Facilitator, 2009
- Tufts University, Medford, MA, Negotiation Course, Guest Speaker, since 2009
- Dept. of Public History, UMASS Amherst MA, Mediation for Historians, Trainer, 2008
- Massachusetts Association of School Committees, MASC Conference, Hyannis MA, Presenter, 2007
- Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, Tufts University, Medford MA, Trainer & Coach, since 2008
- Boston College Law School, Newton MA, Mediation Course, Trainer & Coach, since 2006
- Suffolk University Law School, Boston MA, Mediation Course, Trainer & Coach, since 2006
- MWI, Boston MA, Coach since 2004 and Trainer & Mentor, since 2007
Background and Education
- American Society of Training & Development, Alexandria VA, certificate program, 2008
- Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Boston MA, practicum 2007
- Program on Negotiation, Negotiation & Dispute Resolution, Harvard University, Fall 2006
- Cultivating Mindfulness in the Law & Dispute Resolution, Harvard University, 2005
- Mediation Works Incorporated Trainings, MWI Basic Mediation Training, 2003; Summary Process Training, 2004; Advanced Divorce Training, 2007; Train the Trainer, 2009
- Negotiation Training, CMI/The Negotiation Group, Harvard Graduate School of Education, 1998
- Boston University, Master of Science, Occupational Therapy, 1978
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Mediation Trainer with MWI
Phone:617-973-9739 | Fax: 617-973-9532 | Email: vbennet@mwi.org | Web: www.mwi.org/mentor
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Dispute Resolution Experience
Victoria Bennet is a mediator, trainer, facilitator and consultant, providing services throughout New England since 2003. She has mediated a wide range of court-referred, government agency and private disputes, including commercial, employment, contract, tort, foreclosure, family, divorce, juvenile, community and criminal cases. Vicky has extensive experience training people from diverse backgrounds in conflict resolution skills, including custom workshop design and one-on-one executive coaching. As a consultant, she advises business owners and executive teams on partnership and board issues and managing workplace conflict.
Focus Areas
- Workplace
- Human resources
- Court Mediations including Harassment Prevention and Eviction
- Family
Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities
- Mediator, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunities Commission Mediation Panel
- Mediator, Boston Bar Association Boston Municipal Court ADR Panel
- Mediator, ADR Network Superior Court Mediation Panel
- MWI Mediation Panels: Probate and Family Court, Juvenile Court, District Court
Lectures and ADR Trainings Conducted
- MIT Sloan School of Management: designed and presented negotiation skills workshops
- MWI mediation training team: MWI Executive and Mediation Trainings, MWI Mediation Training at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Administrative Office of the Trial Courts Conference
- Mediation Coach, MWI Mentor Program
- Guest Lecturer, “Representing Clients in Mediation,” Suffolk University Law School and Boston College Law School
- Mediation training team, Boston College and Suffolk University School of Law
- Mediation coach, Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School Mediation and Dispute Resolution Seminar
- “Managing Growth: Navigating Conflict While Building Your Enterprise,” Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- “Effective Communication in Conflict,” 495-128 HR Collaborative
- Mediation Skills Training, Roger Williams/University Middle East Partnership Initiative Student Leaders Program
- “Dealing With Difficult People,” Dimeo Construction Company
- “Tools for Difficult Conversations,” Massachusetts Association of School Committees
Background and Education
- 300+ hours mediation and conflict resolution trainings, seminars, symposia and roundtables including:
- MWI Executive Mediation Training, MWI Divorce Mediation Training, MWI Mentor Program, MWI Negotiation Training
- Negotiation and Dispute Resolution Seminar, Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School
- Mediation and Conflict Management Seminar, Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School
- Diploma in Translation, University of Geneva, Switzerland
- B.A. (French) Dalhousie University, Canada
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617-895-4030 | cparsons@mwi.org
Title: Court Program Coordinator
Clarice Parsons, J.D., is a mediator and manages MWI’s Court Mediation Program. As Court Program Coordinator, she supports MWI’s panel of 100+ volunteer neutrals who facilitate pre-trial mediations in 14 of Greater Boston’s District and Municipal Courts. As a neutral, Clarice mediates small claims, eviction, and civil cases for Massachusetts Trial Courts. Clarice also leads the internship program at MWI and supports MWI’s training programs.
Before joining MWI, Clarice worked for several years as a paralegal and law firm manager. She earned a dual Bachelor of Arts degree in Applied Legal Studies and Political Science from Suffolk University and a Juris Doctorate from New England School of Law.
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Advanced Mediation Training Options
For those who have completed a basic mediation training and are looking for advanced mediation opportunities, MWI also holds a number of additional mediation trainings throughout the year. Below you will find links to more information about those advanced mediation training options offered at MWI.
- Mediation Skills Refresher – An eight-hour advanced mediation training program designed to refresh, recharge, and prepare mediators to effectively facilitate the mediation process. The program is offered three times per year and is the requirement for mediators who wish to join MWI’s Court Mediation Panel, but who completed their basic mediation training with a different provider.
- Housing and Eviction Mediation Training – An advanced mediation training designed for mediators interested in helping tenants and landlords resolve housing and eviction disputes. The training is offered twice per year, and the eligibility requirements are completion of a basic mediation training and a minimum of five small claims cases mediated.
- Mediator Roundtables – Monthly workshops with a rotation of topics and presenters offering continuing education and networking opportunities. These events are free and there are no prerequisites. Registration in advance of each workshop is still required.
For more information about the Mediation Skills Refresher program, Housing and Eviction Mediation Training or Mediator Roundtables, please email Clarice Parsons at courtmediation@mwi.org.
