Mediation Accreditation

The Law Society of Western Australia is now a Recognised Mediation Accreditation Body (“RMAB”) under the National Mediation Accreditation Scheme (“NMAS” or “National Scheme”).

The NMAS is a national scheme which identifies national standards of practice and competencies for mediators in Australia. Although the national scheme is voluntary, it has gained wide acceptance. The Supreme Court Consolidated Practice Direction states that the Chief Justice will not approve a person to be a mediator under the Rules of the Supreme Court unless that person is accredited to NMAS standards.

The accreditation of individual mediators under the NMAS is carried out by various RMABs throughout Australia. In its role as an RMAB, the Society is now able to accredit mediators to NMAS standards.

The National Standards require an applicant to provide an application to the Law Society which contains: 

1. Evidence of good character
2. An undertaking to comply with ongoing practice standards and comply with any legislative and approval requirements
3. Evidence of relevant insurance, statutory indemnity or employee status
4. Evidence of membership of, or a relationship with, an appropriate association or organisation that has appropriate and relevant ethical requirements, complaints and disciplinary processes as well as ongoing professional support. This may be the Law Society itself but may also include other relevant memberships or relationships, and
5. Evidence of mediator competence by reference to education, training and experience

A full copy of the National Standards is available from the NADRAC website.  

Members of the Society interested in accreditation by the Society can contact:

• Laurie James, Convenor of the Society’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, by email at cross@kottgunning.com.au  
• Scott Ellis, Deputy Convenor of the Society’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, by email at sellis@francisburt.com.au, or
• Lillian Makinda, Law Society Policy Lawyer, by email at lmakinda@lawsocietywa.asn.au or by telephone on (08) 9324 8622.

The Society has also produced Model Mediation Rules and a Panel of Mediators and Arbitrators, which can be found on our Professional Resources and Guidelines page.