Full course description
August 12-14, 2026
In-Person
24.0 CLE Hours
Location
Roman L. Hruska Federal Courthouse
111S. 18th St
Omaha, NE 68102
Registration
$400 by June 1st
$600 starting June 2nd
Description
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.
Designed For
New and experienced lawyer mediators and lawyers representing clients in mediation
Featured Faculty
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
Robert S. Keith
Partner, Rembolt Ludtke LLP
Laurel Stevenson
Director, Mediation and Assessment Program, United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri
Guest Speakers Featured in 2026:
Susan Guthrie
Guthrie Consulting
Jo Colbert Stanley
Stanley Legal Services, LLC
Provided By
- Werner Institute for Negotiation & Conflict Resolution at Creighton University School of Law
- Creighton University College of Professional and Continuing Education
Schedule
Wednesday, August 12
7:30 a.m.
Check-in and light breakfast
8 a.m.
Welcome and Overview of Training
Rachel Goedken
9 a.m.
Court Connected Mediation: Mediation Plan for the United States District Court, District of Nebraska and Settlement Conferences
United States Magistrate Judge Michael Nelson
10 a.m.
Break
10:10 a.m.
Statutory Framework for Mediation
Dispute Resolution Act
Rachel Goedken
Uniform Mediation Act
Robert S. Keith
11 a.m.
Introduction to the Model Standards of Conduct for Mediators and the Intersection with the Model Standards of Professional Conduct
Laurel Stevenson
12 p.m.
Lunch (provided)
12:40 p.m.
Negotiations and Neuroscience
Rachel Goedken
Mediation Goals, Styles, Skills
Rachel Goedken
Preparing to Mediate
Laurel Stevenson
Hossein Fazilatfar
Hypothetical 1: Preparing to Mediate
Robert S. Keith
3 p.m.
Break
3:10 p.m.
Pre-mediation Communication
Rachel Goedken
Opening the Mediation Session
Rachel Goedken
Robert S. Keith
Laurel Stevenson
Hypothetical 2: Who dictates what in mediation?
Robert S. Keith
5 p.m.
Adjournment
Thursday, August 13
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
Rachel Goedken
12 p.m.
Lunch (provided)
12:40 p.m.
Additional Ethical and Elimination of Bias Considerations and the Impact of Lawyer Well-Being
Laurel Stevenson
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
Robert S. Keith
Laurel Stevenson
Initial Primer on Brackets with bracketing hypothetical
Robert S. Keith
Laurel Stevenson
5 p.m.
Adjournment
Friday, August 14
7:30 a.m.
Check-in and light breakfast
8 a.m.
Further discussion of brackets
Robert S. Keith
Laurel Stevenson
Mediator’s Proposal
Robert S. Keith
Laurel Stevenson
Hypothetical 3: Best & Final
Robert S. Keith
Laurel Stevenson
10 a.m.
Morning Break
10:10 a.m.
Strategies for Specific Legal Disputes
10:10-10:30 a.m.
Introduction
Laurel Stevenson
10:30-11:15 a.m.
Overview of Using AI with Zoom practice
Jo Colbert Stanley
11:15-12 p.m.
Hypothetical 4: Mediation Preparation and Responsibilities
Laurel Stevenson
Hypothetical 5: Contracts and/or Estates
Robert S. Keith
12 p.m.
Lunch (provided)
12:40 p.m.
Closure, With or Without Settlement
Rachel Goedken
Hypothetical 6: Settlement
Robert S. Keith
1:30 p.m.
Further Ethical and Elimination of Bias Considerations in Mediation
Laurel Stevenson
2:30 p.m.
Break
2:40 p.m.
Starting a Mediation Practice
Susan Guthrie
3:30 p.m.
Further Skills Development
Laurel Stevenson
Jo Colbert Stanley
4:30 p.m.
Final Questions and Wrap Up
United States Magistrate Judge Michael Nelson
Rachel Goedken
5 p.m.
Adjournment
Continuing Legal Education
Creighton University School of Law is an accredited sponsor of continuing legal education in the states of Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri. CLE applied for:
Nebraska
24.0 hours, including 3.0 hours of Professional Responsibility
Iowa
24.0 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
How To Register
Step 1
Login or create a Lifelong Learning account by selecting "Enroll Now."
If you are unable to create a new account, it is likely you have already registered this email address. Click “Forgot Password” to reset.
*Each registrant must create their own account using their own email.
**Lifelong Learning accounts are not synced to your Creighton NetID.
Step 2
Register for your program by clicking on the Cart and following the prompts to submit payment.
When done, you will receive a Registration Confirmation email.
*You can also view your confirmed registrations in your Creighton Lifelong Learning account under Student Dashboard and Purchases & Enrollments.
Questions?
Office of Continuing Education
College of Professional and Continuing Education
Creighton University
402.280.1830
CLE@creighton.edu