Mogul Completes Mediation Training
After more than 40 years’ experience in civil litigation, on October 30, attorney Steven Mogul completed a 40-hour mediation training. Offered by the University of Maine’s Division of Lifelong Learning, the training spanned two months and included the submission of an independent project. The course was entitled, Mediation and Process of Conflict Transformation, and was based on the most current knowledge and theory regarding conflict resolution. As his project, attorney Mogul submitted, The Transformative Mediator’s Tool Kit.
“I’m proof that you can teach an old dog new tricks,” said Mogul. “I learned a lot about how to facilitate conversation between two parties to a dispute, and how different things motivate different types of people. That’s a big change from what I’ve been used to as an attorney representing clients in mediations.” According to Mogul, another change was understanding the importance of letting the parties control the process. “Having just a bit of a control streak in me, this was a tough one. But I learned to let go of the reins and encourage the parties to direct the proceedings.”
Mogul noted how his years representing parties in Collaborative Divorces was helpful in learning the methods of Transformative Mediation. He explained, “Collaborative Divorce involves the two parties who wish to divorce, sitting around a conference table with their attorneys, brainstorming and problem solving to achieve a resolution without a winner and loser, but in a way that is acceptable to both. This involves a lot of conversation facilitated by the attorneys. The skills I learned and developed in the realm of Collaborative Divorce are very transferable to the realm of Transformative Mediation, where we’re trying to let the parties direct the process.”
“I’m really looking forward to putting my training and my 40 years of civil litigation to use for parties seeking resolution of their disputes, and avoiding the long hard road through litigation.”
For mediation services, contact Steven Mogul at 207-942-4644.