4th Annual Mediation Training for Lawyers

The Werner Institute for Negotiation & Conflict Resolution presents the fourth annual Mediation Training for Lawyers. Designed for new and experienced lawyer mediators and for lawyers representing clients in mediation, this three-day in-person training focuses on mediating claims before and during litigation. Experienced mediators lead interactive training covering effective mediator styles, effective advocate styles, negotiations and barriers to settlement, mediator techniques for assisting parties to reach settlement, ethical issues, and emerging best practices for in-person and online mediation. Back by popular demand, this year’s training includes small group sessions for attendees to practice skills used in mediation. This training also fulfills the training requirement for mediators on the District of Nebraska’s mediator roster.

Roman L. Hruska Federal Courthouse
August 13-15, 2025

Guest Speakers Featured in 2025 Include:

Susan Guthrie
Guthrie Consulting

Jo Colbert Stanley
Stanley Legal Services, LLC

Designed For

New and experienced lawyer mediators and lawyers representing clients in mediation

Provided By

• Werner Institute for Negotiation & Conflict Resolution at Creighton University School of Law
• Creighton University Office of Continuing Education

Featured Faculty

United States Magistrate Judge Michael Nelson
District of Nebraska

Hossein Fazilatfar
Associate Professor of Law, Creighton University School of Law

Rachel Goedken
Associate Professor of Law and Director, Werner Institute for Negotiation & Conflict Resolution
Creighton University School of Law

Michael Kinney
Mediator and Partner, Cassem, Tierney, Adams, Gotch & Douglas PC

Laurel Stevenson
Director, Mediation and Assessment Program, United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri

CLE applied for

Nebraska
24.0 hours, including 3.0 hours of Professional Responsibility

Iowa
24 hours, including 1 hour of ethics, 1 hour of diversity and inclusion, and 1 hour of attorney wellness

Missouri
28.8 hours, including 2.4 hours of ethics and 1.2 hours of elimination of bias

---

Agenda

Wednesday, August 13

7:30 a.m.
Check-in and light breakfast

8 a.m.
Welcome and Overview of Training

9 a.m.
Court Connected Mediation: Mediation Plan for the United States District Court, District of Nebraska and Settlement Conferences

10 a.m.
Break

10:10 a.m.
Statutory Framework for Mediation

11 a.m.
Introduction to the Model Standards of Conduct for Mediators and the Intersection with the Model Standards of Professional Conduct

12 p.m.
Lunch (provided)

12:40 p.m.
Negotiations and Neuroscience
Mediation Goals, Styles, Skills
Preparing to Mediate

3 p.m.
Break

3:10 p.m.
Pre-mediation Communication
Opening the Mediation Session

5 p.m.
Adjournment

Thursday, August 14

7:30 a.m.
Check-in and light breakfast

8 a.m.
Small Group Skills Practice: opening the mediation session, defining the issue(s), developing information

11 a.m.
Initial Offer and Counteroffer
Emotions in Bargaining
Techniques to Facilitate Movement

12 p.m.
Lunch (provided)       

12:40 p.m.
Additional Ethical and Elimination of Bias Considerations and the Impact of Lawyer Well-Being

1:40 p.m.
Small Group Skills Practice and Debrief: delivering an offer/counteroffer, addressing emotions, facilitating movement

3 p.m.
Break

3:15 p.m.
Generating Movement
Primer on Brackets

5 p.m.
Adjournment

 
Friday, August 15

7:30 a.m.
Check-in and light breakfast

8 a.m.
More on Brackets

10 a.m.
Morning Break

10:10 a.m.
Strategies for Specific Legal Disputes
Using AI with Zoom Practice – Jo Colbert Stanley

12 p.m.
Lunch (provided)

12:40 p.m.
Closure, With or Without Settlement

1:30 p.m.
Further Ethical and Elimination of Bias Considerations in Mediation

2:30 p.m.
Break

2:40 p.m.
Starting a Mediation Practice - Susan Guthrie, Guthrie Consulting

3:30 p.m.
Further Skills Development - Jo Colbert Stanley, Stanley Legal Services

4:30 p.m.
Final Questions and Wrap Up 

5 p.m.
Adjournment

---

Registration

$300

Refund Policy

Continuing education and professional development courses may be cancelled by the attendee in writing up to 7 days before the course begins for a full refund, less a $25 processing fee. No refund will be given 7 days prior to the course. Some courses are not eligible for a refund; these exceptions are noted in specific course descriptions. If a course is cancelled by the University for non-weather related issues, the student will be notified and a full refund will be processed. In the event of a weather related closure, the course will be rescheduled.