The Mediation Process
Foundation Mediation Training | Module 4
TRAINERS
Prof. Joel Lee
Proferssor of Negotiation & Mediation, Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore
Susan Tay
Mediator & Co-Founder, PracticeForte Pte Ltd
Practice Area
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Training Level
Foundation
SILE Public CPD Points
TBC
Date
Fri, 31 July 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
Effective mediators don’t improvise—they prepare. And preparation begins long before the parties enter the room.
About This Workshop:
Every mediation has a structure — even when it doesn’t feel like one. The difference between a mediator who struggles to hold the room and one who moves parties steadily toward resolution is rarely talent. It is process literacy: knowing where you are in the mediation, where you need to go next, and how to get there without the parties noticing you’re steering.
This half-day module gives participants that map. Opening with a rigorous introduction to the Seven Stages of Mediation and the four phases of process management — Begin, Information Gathering, Problem Solving, and Resolution — the session establishes a clear framework for understanding how a mediation moves, stalls, and recovers. Participants then turn to one of the most consequential moments in any mediation: the opening statement. In a supervised activity, they prepare and deliver their own, receiving structured guidance on what works, what undermines trust, and how tone and framing shape everything that follows.
The module closes with a faculty-led fishbowl demonstration, in which participants observe an experienced mediation team navigate the full process arc in real time. Watching skilled mediators manage transitions, handle resistance, and keep the process productive — even as the dynamics shift — makes the framework concrete in a way that instruction alone cannot.
What You’ll Learn:
- Map the Mediation Stages: Understand the full arc of a mediation session and what each stage requires of the mediator in terms of focus, technique, and process discipline
- Manage the Process: Navigate the four phases of process management — Begin, Information Gathering, Problem Solving, and Resolution — and develop a feel for when and how to move between them
- Craft an Effective Opening Statement: Prepare and deliver a mediator’s opening statement in a supervised setting, and understand how tone, structure, and framing establish the conditions for productive dialogue
- Observe Process in Action: Watch faculty model a full mediation in a fishbowl setting, paying close attention to how they manage transitions, handle resistance, and keep parties engaged across the stages
- Develop Process Instincts: Begin building the situational awareness that allows experienced mediators to track where they are in the process — and respond fluidly when parties push back or the session stalls
Who Should Attend:
- Legal professionals seeking to understand the full mediation lifecycle from a practitioner’s perspective
- Lawyers developing skills as mediation advocates or mediators
- Human resource practitioners managing workplace dispute resolution processes
- Professionals seeking SIMI Level 1 Accreditation
- Anyone who has completed Module 3 (The Mediation Process I) or equivalent foundation training
Meet Your Speakers:
Joel Lee is a Professor of Negotiation and Mediation at the Faculty of Law, the National University of Singapore, and a co-pioneer in teaching Negotiation and Mediation in Singapore Universities. A graduate of Victoria University of Wellington and Harvard Law Schools, Joel is a principal mediator with the Singapore Mediation Centre and a Master Trainer with Peacemakers. Joel was a member of the International Mediation Institute’s Independent Standards Commission and Intercultural Taskforce, and was also a key member of the Ministry of Law’s Working Group on International Commercial Mediation. He is the founding and immediate past Chair of the Board of the Singapore International Mediation Institute, and a Certified Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) trainer.
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.
Seats are limited!
Process mastery is what separates a mediator who hopes for resolution from one who helps create it. Join us on 31 July 2026 for a session that brings the structure of mediation to life — through framework, practice, and observation. This module is available as a standalone workshop or as part of the full Foundation Mediation Training programme.
