What is required in order to become a mediator in Louisiana?
If you have mediation training from another state and want to become a mediator in Louisiana, this blog is for you. There are three types of mediators in Louisiana, civil mediators, family mediators, and juvenile court mediators. Each type of mediation is governed by a different qualifications statute.
Civil Mediation in Louisiana
To become a civil mediator in Louisiana, there are no specific qualifications that must be met. In other words, the private practice of mediation in Louisiana is not regulated. Therefore, if you want to become a mediator today, there is no impediment - you need to simply convince other people that you have a skill set that will benefit them.
On the other hand, if you want to be listed on the civil mediation register, you must obtain mediation training in a program that has been approved by the Louisiana State Bar Association Alternative Dispute Resolution Section (LSBA ADR Section) or the Louisiana Supreme Court MCLE Committee (MCLE Committee). A summary of the qualifications necessary to be listed on the Louisiana civil mediation register can be found below.
If your mediation training program was not approved by the LSBA ADR Section or the MCLE Committee and you want to be approved for a listing on the civil mediation register, you can petition the LSBA ADR Section for approval. You can call the Louisiana Bar Center at 504-566-1600 and ask for the contact information for the section chair. You might wish to do this if you have significant experience mediating in another state or if you received mediation training from another state and you meet the statutory requirements.
Family Mediation in Louisiana
If you are a professional coming from another state and/or you have received mediation training in another state, and you want to be a Louisiana family mediator and mediate child custody and visitation issues, you need to meet the training requirements of LRS 9:334. The statute is summarized below.
Unlike civil mediation in Louisiana, which is not regulated, the qualifications of mediators of family child custody and visitation disputes in Louisiana are regulated by LRS 9:334. That means that if you want to mediate those types of disputes, you must obtain mediation training that includes the substantive areas detailed in the mediator qualifications statute, LRS 9:334.
To ensure that your mediation training complies with Louisiana law, you might wish to receive training approved by the LSBA ADR Section, the entity that maintains the three mediation registers in Louisiana, the civil, family, and juvenile registers. If you believe that you are sufficiently qualified to mediate family child custody and visitation disputes in Louisiana because of your mediation training and/or experience in another state, you might consider petitioning the LSBA ADR Section for approval to be a qualified family child custody and visitation mediator in Louisiana. You can call the Louisiana Bar Center at 504-566-1600 and ask for the contact information for the section chair.
Juvenile Mediation in Louisiana
If you are a professional coming from another state and/or you have received mediation training in another state, and you want to be a Louisiana juvenile mediator, you need to meet the training requirements of Louisiana Children’s Code Article 439. The statute is summarized below. Unlike civil mediation in Louisiana, which is not regulated, the mediation of juvenile disputes in Louisiana is regulated by Louisiana Children’s Code Article 439. That means that if you want to mediate those types of disputes, you must obtain mediation training that includes the substantive areas detailed in the mediator qualifications statute, Louisiana Children’s Code Article 439.
To ensure that your mediation training complies with Louisiana law, you might wish to receive training approved by the LSBA ADR Section, the entity that maintains the three mediation registers in Louisiana. If you believe that you are sufficiently qualified to mediate juvenile disputes in Louisiana because of your mediation training and/or experience in another state, you might consider petitioning the LSBA ADR Section for approval to be a qualified family child custody and visitation mediator in Louisiana. You can call the Louisiana Bar Center at 504-566-1600 and ask for the contact information for the section chair.
Get Mediation Training Today!
If you would like to receive family or civil mediation training, please visit our web site at
www.MediationTrainingCompany.com. Or if you would like to have your disputes mediated by Conflict Free Resolutions or Mediation Training Company, please feel free to contact us today at 504-302-2462 or by email at Mediationtrainingcompany@cox.net.