Mediation Toolkit – II
Foundation Mediation Training | Module 6
TRAINERS
Susan Tay
Mediator & Co-Founder, PracticeForte Pte Ltd
Marcus Lim
Conflict Management Specialist & Adjunct Professor, National University of Singapore
Practice Area
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Training Level
Foundation
SILE Public CPD Points
TBC
Date
Sat, 1 August 2026
Time
1pm to 5.30pm
Venue / Format
PracticeForte Resolution Space /
In-person
Registration Fee
SGD S$300
SGD S$255 early bird rate (register before 30 June 2026)
SGD S$240 for PracticeForte Affiliates only
When parties dig in, when power imbalances distort the process, or when conversations drift from resolution to recrimination—what does the mediator do?
About This Workshop:
This module shifts from communication skills to process skills—the problem-solving and process management capabilities that a mediator brings to the table when mediation gets difficult. Drawing on practical case experience, Susan Tay and Marcus Lim equip participants with strategies for managing the challenging dynamics that arise in real-world mediations.
Topics include structured problem-solving frameworks, strategies for keeping mediations productive and on track, and techniques for building client trust and credibility. The module devotes significant attention to the management of power imbalances—a pervasive challenge in many mediation contexts—and to the handling of threats to the mediation process, from threatened walkouts to bad faith behaviour.
Participants will engage in a role play specifically designed to simulate different types of power imbalance, giving them hands-on experience of the dynamics they will face in practice.
What You’ll Learn:
- Apply Problem-Solving Frameworks: Use structured approaches to help parties move from conflict and competing positions towards creative, interest-based solutions
- Manage the Process Effectively: Develop skills for keeping mediations productive, focused, and oriented towards resolution even under pressure
- Build Client Trust: Learn how to prepare for client meetings, establish credibility, and develop trust in challenging circumstances
- Address Power Imbalances: Understand how to identify and manage different types of power imbalance—including status, moral authority, and information asymmetry
- Handle Threats to the Process: Build strategies for managing impasse, threatened walkouts, bad faith conduct, and other challenges to the integrity of the mediation
Who Should Attend:
- Legal professionals developing practical mediation and dispute resolution skills
- Mediators seeking to build confidence in managing difficult process dynamics
- Human resource practitioners handling workplace conflicts involving power imbalances
- Anyone who has completed Mediation Toolkit I or equivalent communication skills training
- Aspiring or practising mediators
Meet Your Speakers:
Susan Tay is a veteran family lawyer, mediator, and mediation advocate with over three decades of legal experience. She is the co-founder of PracticeForte and the founder of OTP Law Corporation. Certified by both the International Mediation Institute and the Singapore International Mediation Institute, Susan has mediated and advocated in highly complex cross-border disputes. Her practice focuses on family and matrimonial law, parenting
coordination, and collaborative divorce processes. As a trainer, she combines practical case experience with compassionate teaching, guiding participants to understand mediation both as a professional practice and a mindset for peacebuilding.
Marcus Lim is a legal professional and conflict management specialist with over a decade of experience applying the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) and interest-based negotiation methods. A former CEO of the Singapore International Mediation Institute, Marcus brings both academic depth and real-world insight to the table. He regularly trains civil servants at the Civil Service College of Singapore and has delivered workshops for CMS Hong Kong and Assas International. He is also an Adjunct Associate Professor with the National University of Singapore teaching Negotiation and Mediation.
Seats are limited!
Develop the process management skills that help mediators hold the space—even in the most challenging of situations. This module is available as a standalone workshop or as part of the full Foundation Mediation Training programme.
