Family Arbitration Training
(Certificate) Program

Why is family arbitration becoming so popular?

1. Family arbitration is confidential, subject to certain exceptions. This appeals to many who do not want their private business in a public record.
2. Family arbitrators are selected by the parties—they choose you because they trust you.
3. Family arbitration can be structured in an efficient and user-friendly way, unlike court.
4. Family arbitration can be faster than court.
5. Family arbitration is less formal than court but results in a binding decision just like court.
6. Family arbitration can be combined with mediation, for a process known as “med-arb.” This process is increasingly in demand. To read more about the pros and cons of this process, click here.

Why Take Family Arbitration Training with Riverdale Mediation?

Family arbitration is a specialized practice. It is governed by Ontario’s Family Law Act, Arbitration Act as well as a special Regulation that relates specifically to family arbitrators.

Being a family arbitrator is a significant responsibility. The law and best practices are complex and evolving. Arbitrators who are not well trained run significant risks of overseeing processes that fail to comply with the law or are mismanaged and result in failure. It is essential for successful family arbitrators to maintain reputations for the excellence of practice. Failure to do so can cause harm to the parties and their children. It can also lead to complaints to one’s professional body, legal claims and other forms of harm to the family arbitrator.

At Riverdale Mediation, we partner with industry leaders to provide high-quality family arbitration training that can lead to Professional Certification with the ADR Institute of Ontario and the Family Dispute Resolution Institute of Ontario.

• Family Arbitration Law and Skills, co-taught with Dr. Richard Shields, an experienced family arbitrator, mediator and teacher
• Screening for Power Imbalances in Family Arbitration, and Family Violence
• Family Law

Who Should Take Family Arbitration Training?

1. Professionals with legal backgrounds, including family lawyers who wish to move into an arbitration practice, have taken our family arbitration training.
2. Paralegals, who wish to arbitrate certain issues, have taken our family arbitration training.
3. Mental health professionals who wish to become leading parenting coordinators or arbitrators of parenting disputes have also taken our family arbitration training.

…And we have trained other professionals who have the expertise they can bring to their work as a family arbitrator.