Featured Event:
40-Hour Family Court Mediation Course
In West Virginia, mediation is required in custody cases when parents cannot agree on a parenting plan. Trained mediators play a critical role in helping families navigate these disputes while reducing litigation's stress, cost, and adversarial nature.
This West Virginia Supreme Court-approved training provides the necessary education and practical experience to qualify as a family court mediator. The program follows a hybrid format, combining weekly online sessions with a two-day, in-person program at Blackwater Falls State Park in beautiful Davis, West Virginia.
This program has been approved by the West Virginia State Bar for 45 CLE hours AND 3.6 ethics hours. Attorneys who complete this program will fully satisfy the continuing education requirements for 2024-2025!
Course Schedule
Live Online Sessions (6:00 - 9:00 p.m. ET via Zoom) beginning on August 7, 2025 and continuing weekly until September 11, 2025
In-Person Training at Blackwater Falls State Park, Davis, WV (September 17, 2025, 6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m., September 18, 2025, 8:30 a.m. 5:00 p.m., September 19, 2025, 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.)
Final Online Session (6:00-9:00 p.m. ET via Zoom ) September 27, 2025.
For a full outline of the schedule, click here.
What This Program Covers
Participants will gain hands-on experience in:
Mediation fundamentals and ethics
Custody and parenting agreements
Conflict resolution techniques
Addressing domestic violence in mediation
Court procedures and best practices
The course is designed and will be led by attorney-mediator Brenda Waugh. We have invited guest speakers, including family court judges, professional mediators, and child specialists. To review Brenda’s CV click here.
We will be seeking continuing legal education credits for the program.
This program fulfills the full educational requirement for certification in West Virginia. Before being eligible to receive court appointments, participants will be required to complete all other requirements.
Tuition & Payment
Early Bird Rate: $600.00 (Register by June 30, 2025)
Regular Registration: $850.00 (Register by July 15, 2025)
Deposit: $150.00 due at registration will be applied to the registration fee. (non-refundable)
Remaining Balance: Due July 15, 2025.
The tuition covers all training sessions, course materials, and certification upon completion. Tuition does not include any lodging, meals, or travel.
Who Should Enroll?
This training is ideal for:
Family lawyers seeking to expand their practice into mediation
Civil Mediators who want to improve their skills
Social workers and counselors working with families
Professionals interested in alternative dispute resolution
West Virginia lawyers seeking continuing education credits
Register Now
Enrollment is limited to 30 participants to ensure a hands-on, interactive experience.
For questions, feel free to contact Brenda.
Other Upcoming Events
Brenda will examine the “money myth” about mediation, and how sometimes the dispute may be about more than just money, with the West Virginia Bar Association at their lunch and learn program on July 22, 2025.
In anticipation of the publication of Brenda’s book, Becoming a Restorative Lawyer: How to Transform Your Legal Practice for Self, Client, and Community Growth, several events have been scheduled. She will be presenting on this topic at the Virginia Mediation Network conference on October 3-4, 2025, in Richmond, Virginia.
We are in the process of creating a program on implementing a Restorative Justice-based practiced of law for June 2026. The session will be designed to create an immersive experience and provide up to fifteen hours of continuing legal education credits.