Description
Course Information
- Day 1- 9/10 (6 hours)
Day 2- 9/11 (6 hours)
Day 3- 9/30 (3 hours)
Day 4- 10/1 (3 hours) - Venue: Delaware History Museum (Located on Market Street)
504 N Market Street
Wilmington, Delaware 19801
Copeland Room- 2nd Floor - In-person only- All days are required to attend
- 18 hours of CLE credits, including 4 hours of Enhanced Ethics credit automatically reported to the Delaware Commission on Continuing Legal Education
Overview
Under Superior Court Rules and Policy, Attorneys wishing to serve as mediators for any Superior Court case must be trained by a Superior Court sanctioned training program. Once trained, certification lasts for 7 years, after which further training will be necessary. The Delaware Institute has been authorized by the Superior Court to train attorneys on their behalf with this four day/18 hour training program. This training will not be videotaped, so attendance at all four dates will be required for certification.
This training will take attendees through the basics of mediation, provides skills training, allows an opportunity to witness an established mediation of a case, permits trainees to practice mock mediations and roleplay, and connects new mediators with mentors during the training.
Event Timeline
| Day 1- September 10, 2026 | ||
| 8:30am-9:00am | Registration and Continental Breakfast (provided) | Delaware History Museum Copeland Room, Floor 2 |
| 9:00am-9:05am | Welcome Remarks | The Honorable Eric M. Davis President Judge, Superior Court of the State of Delaware |
| 9:05am-10:05am | Introductions
History of ADR in Superior Court |
Program Facilitator: Mark S. Vavala, Esquire Delaware Institute for Continuing Legal Education |
| 10:05am-11:05am | Ethics in Mediation** AI Arbitration, Part 1 |
The Honorable Mary M. Johnson Delaware ADR, Inc. |
| 11:05am-11:15am | Break | Coffee, soft drinks, snacks provided
|
| 11:15am-12:15pm | Ethics in Mediation**
AI Arbitration, Part 2 |
The Honorable Mary M. Johnston Delaware ADR, Inc. Â |
| 12:15pm-12:45pm | Lunch (provided) | Classroom 1 and 2 |
| 12:45pm-2:45pm | Conflict, Positions, and Values ** | Mark S. Vavala, Esquire |
| 2:45pm-3:00pm | Break | Coffee, soft drinks, snacks provided |
| 3:00pm-4:00pm | Practical Advice from an Active Mediator | The Honorable Vivian Medinilla Weiss, Saville, Medinilla & Houser, P.A. |
| — End of Day 1— | ||
| Day 2- September 11, 2026 | ||
| 8:30am-9:00am | Registration and Continental Breakfast (provided) | Copeland Room, Floor 2 |
| 9:00am-11:00am | Skills and Active Listening | Mark S. Vavala, Esquire
|
| 11:00am-11:15am | Break | Coffee, soft drinks, snacks
|
| 11:15am-12:00pm | Confidentiality and Conversations within Mediation | Mark S. Vavala, Esquire
The Honorable David A. White |
| 12:00pm-12:30pm | Lunch (provided) | Classroom 1 and 2
|
| 12:30pm-2:00pm | Short Mediation Exercises | Mark S. Vavala, Esquire
|
| 2:00pm-2:15pm | Break | Coffee, soft drinks, and snacks |
| 2:15pm-4:00pm | Advice for an Active Mediator/ Developing an ADR Practice | Laura F. Browning, Esquire Laura Browning, Mediation & Arbitration |
| —End of Day 2— | ||
| Day 3- September 30, 2026 | ||
| 8:30am-9:00am | Registration and Continental Breakfast (provided) | Copeland Room, Floor 2 |
| 9:00am-11:00am | Mock Mediation by Experts
Attendees watch at trained mediators manage a mock mediation scenario |
The Honorable Lynne M. Parke Superior Court of the State of Delaware Bernard G. Conaway, Esquire Conaway-Legal LLC Ryan Newell, Esquire Newell Dispute Resolution Suzanne Holly, Esquire Gabel Beaver Law |
| 11:00am-12:00pm | Round Table- Questions and Answer with Trained Mediators | The Honorable Lynne M. Parke Superior Court of the State of Delaware Bernard G. Conaway, Esquire Conaway-Legal LLC Ryan Newell, Esquire Newell Dispute Resolution Suzanne Holly, Esquire Gabel Beaver Law |
| —End of Day 3— | ||
| Day 4- October 1, 2026 | ||
| 8:30am-9:00am | Registration and Continental Breakfast (provided) | Copeland Room, Floor 2 |
| 9:00am-12:00am | Guided Mediation Scenarios with Mentors
Attendees perform various mediation scenarios |
The Honorable Lynne M. Parke Superior Court of the State of DelawareBernard G. Conaway, Esquire Conaway-Legal LLCRyan Newell, Esquire Newell Dispute Resolution Suzanne Holly, Esquire Gabel Beaver Law |
| —End of Day 4— | ||
** Enhanced Ethics Credit
For more information regarding mediation in Superior Court, please visit: https://courts.delaware.gov/superior/adr/
The Delaware Institute is proud to partner with the Superior Court of Delaware to present and administer the Superior Court Mediation Training Program. This collaborative program brings together experienced and highly respected members of Delaware’s legal and judicial community, whose expertise provides participants with practical skills and valuable insight into the mediation process. Through this partnership, the Institute and the Superior Court remain committed to advancing excellence in mediation and preparing professionals to serve as effective, ethical mediators.
About the Delaware Institute for Continuing Legal Education
The Delaware Institute for Continuing Legal Education is a 501(c)(3) certified non-profit organization dedicated to providing comprehensive, accessible, and affordable continuing legal education (CLEs) for attorneys and their staff.
All of our seminars are low- or no-cost, open to all Delaware attorneys and their staff, and include the timely reporting of your completed credits to the Delaware CLE Commission.
