Live Webcast via Zoom
(A link to the Zoom classroom will be emailed to registrants.)
Each Monday from February 2, 2026 to April 27, 2026
4:00 – 7:15 p.m. each session
(Please Note: The last two sessions in this 13-part series will add an additional 30 minutes.)

40 hours MCLE credit, including 40.0 hours Professional Responsibility MCLE credit in the following categories:

• 39.5 Hours Professional, Civility, and Legal Ethics credit
• 0.5 Hours Diversity and Inclusion credit

Mediation is designed to resolve differences both in and out of the courts, and requires a very different mindset than courtroom litigation. Join us for this Master Series program that focuses solely on family and divorce cases and trains practitioners to resolve these type of conflicts in a non-adversarial, non-confrontational manner. The program is offered via the Internet over the course of 13 weeks. The training covers the following topics to meet the standard requirements to serve as a family mediator in Illinois†:

• Conflict resolution skills
• Mediation process, skills, and techniques
• Ethics and professional responsibility requirements of mediators
• Family law
• Mediating property, support, and maintenance issues
• Psychological impact of family conflict, separation, and dissolution on parents, children, and other participants
• Issues and needs of children in family conflict, separation, and dissolution, including considerations on child development and participation of children in mediation
• Impact of culture and diversity on family conflicts
• Screening for and addressing domestic/family violence, child abuse/neglect, substance abuse, and mental health concerns

Attendees will receive a copy of Family Mediation: Theory and Practice, 2^nd Edition, 2015 by Jane C. Murphy and Robert Rubinson, which will be mailed to registrants prior to the program’s start date.

Past Attendee Comments:

I can't say enough good things about both the class and our instructors. I would highly recommend this class to all would-be mediators. Karen Donnelly, Spring 2023

The course was excellent, informative, and the instructors were great. They made a wonderful team. Thank you for making this such a wonderful experience. Attendee, Spring 2023

The program is taught by Case Ellis, Missy Greathouse, and Jerald Kessler – nationally recognized mediators, authors, educators, and full-time alternative dispute resolution practitioners.

Mr. Ellis has been a co-instructor of 40 hour training courses for mediators outside the USA with the head of International Training for ADR, one of the UK’s largest ADR providers. He has taught a graduate course in Conflict Resolution at North Central College in Naperville, IL, and lectured at numerous seminars in the U.S. on various litigation and ADR matters. He has trained mediators in London, UK, Dublin, Ireland, Belfast, Northern Ireland, and Thessaloniki Greece, as well as throughout the Midwestern U.S., and lectured law students on mediation in the Italian cities of Milan, Turin, Modena, Florence, and Rome. He is a frequent lecturer and author of articles regarding ADR and Juries.

Ms. Greathouse serves as the Executive Director of Dispute Resolution Institute, Inc. and has played an integral role in the development, implementation, and administration of all mediation programs provided by DRI. She is very active in various organizations that focus on mediation and other alternative dispute resolution methods. Additionally, she serves on ISBA’s Steering Committee on Racial Inequality and teaches Mediation Skills and Alternative Dispute Resolution at Southern Illinois University School of Law.

Mr. Kessler has conducted over 2,500 mediation cases in the last 32 years. He provides advanced mediation trainings, a monthly case consultation group for other mediators, an internship for new mediators, and has presented at numerous local, state, and national mediation conferences. Mr. Kessler is an Advanced Practitioner Member of the Association for Conflict Resolution, a founding member and Advanced Practitioner Member of the Academy of Professional Family Mediators, founding treasurer of the Illinois Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, and is a past President of the Mediation Council of Illinois. Mr. Kessler was the Mediation Council of Illinois’ delegate to the national consortium which drafted the Model Standards of Divorce Mediation Practice adopted by the ABA, AFCC and ACR.

Program Speakers:
H. Case Ellis, Law Office of H. Case Ellis, Cary
Missy Greathouse, Dispute Resolution Institute, Inc., Glen Carbon
Jerald A. Kessler, Professional Mediation, Libertyville

This course is now a Circuit Court of Cook County Court-Approved Mediation Training Program for those seeking to become a Domestic Relations Division Court-Certified Mediator**

Program Schedule:

Session 1, February 2, 2026
This opening segment offers an introductory look at mediation training, the course materials, and speakers , and an overview of mediation.

Session 2, February 9, 2026
Gain a better understanding of conflict dynamics (including analysis, styles, and perceptions) and the mediation process/stages. This includes a personal conflict assessment and role play to understand the differences between arbitration and mediation.

Session 3, February 16, 2026
This session offers a continued look at the mediation process/stages, the mediator’s toolbox, and discussion of how to conduct an intake for family mediation cases, including how to manage caucuses during the mediation sessions. A role play focusing on negotiation will be utilized to prepare for the next session.

Session 4, February 23, 2026
This segment covers negotiation, the continued discussion of the stages of mediation, and mediator’s opening / orientation to the mediation session. Learn how to identity the issues and interests of the parties involved, as well as how to set the stage for the mediation, your opening statement, and more.

Session 5, March 2, 2026
This week will begin with a role play and exercise regarding the mediator’s opening, and how to work on setting the agenda of the mediation. The session continues with a discussion of family law, parenting plans, children’s issues, and Illinois law/rules regarding family mediation. A discussion on letting both parties describe their view of the problem is also included.

Session 6, March 9, 2026***
The session opens with a 30-minute look at the cultural and diversity impacts in mediation and how to address the challenges to best represent the varied clients’ interests and assure their access to justice. A full role play of a simplified allocation and parenting time case, including debriefing in small groups and the full class is included this week.

Session 7, March 16, 2026
This session discusses mediating property and financial issues, and includes a full role play of a simplified allocation and parenting time case, including debriefing in small groups and the full class.

Session 8, March 23, 2026
This session examines drafting mediation agreements – including confirming and finalizing agreements – and includes a full role play of a simplified allocation and parenting time case, including debriefing in small groups and the full class.

Session 9, March 30, 2026
Learn how to screen for and address domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, substance abuse, capacity issues, and mental health concerns with this informative presentation. Additionally, this session gives an overview of the psychological impact on the family and the issues and needs of children.

Session 10, April 6, 2026
This session consists of a full role play of a full allocation and parenting time case, including debriefing in small groups and the full class.

Session 11, April 13, 2026
This session includes a full role play of a full allocation and parenting time case involving domestic violence, including debriefing in small groups and the full class.

Session 12, April 20, 2026 (Please note the adjusted time on this session: 4:00-7:45 p.m.)
This session discusses the professional responsibilities of the mediator (both attorney-mediators and non-attorney-mediators), and includes a full role play of a full allocation and parenting time case involving financial and property issues, including debriefing in small groups and the full class.

Session 13, April 27, 2026 (Please note the adjusted time on this session: 4:00-7:45 p.m.)
This session wraps-up the training, including setting up and marketing your mediation practice, the logistics of running a mediation practice (engagement letters, agreements to mediate, screening, etc.), any issues that need further discussion, questions for the trainers, and to reflect on all that has been learned through this 13-week program.

**Upon completion of the course, you may visit the court’s website for application details to be certified as a mediator in the Domestic Relations Division of the Cook County Court.
***This session includes 0.5 hours of Diversity and Inclusion MCLE credit
†Please check with your local circuit court to confirm this training will comply with the local rules.

Pricing Information

Fees:

• ISBA Member - $1,250
• Non-Member - $1,650

Cancellation Policy:
A full refund is available up to 7 days prior to the program, less a $25 administrative fee.

Live Webcast
Tuesday, February 24, 2026 – Tuesday, June 30, 2026
Each Tuesday: 5:15 – 6:45 p.m.

27.0 hours MCLE credit, including 27.0* hours Professional Responsibility in the following category: Professionalism, Civility, Legal Ethics, or Sexual Harassment Prevention credit

Improve your trial skills in this “learn-by-doing” program that covers all phases of trial work from both a plaintiff/prosecutor and defendant’s viewpoint, in both civil and criminal cases. Through this course, you will learn and practice new trial techniques that are most effective and consistent with the Illinois Rules of Evidence and the Federal Rules of Evidence. Each session is audio-video taped so you can see and hear the improvements in your voice, manner, and trial technique. The course has been proven to be of value whether your practice includes trying jury and non-jury cases, administrative hearings, arbitrations, or even mediations.

Fred Lane’s Trial Technique Institute consists of two semesters and runs approximately four months per semester. We are offering the Spring 2026 Semester as a stand-alone option via Zoom to make it available to all Illinois attorneys. Classes take place each Tuesday evening from 5:15 – 6:45 p.m. Breaks for holiday consideration do exist.

• Spring Semester: February – June
• Fall Semester: September – January

Spring Semester topics include:

• An overview of the principles of communication, argument and persuasion on behalf of the plaintiff/prosecutor and defendant.
• Jury Selection
• Making winning Opening Statements/Closing Arguments to the jury in various type of cases, such as:
  • Personal Injury Case (Motor vehicle malpractice, product liability, attractive nuisance, federal employers’ liability, wrongful death, suits against municipalities, dram shops, airline cases, etc.)
  • Contract Cases (Goods, wares and merchandise, breach of contract, real estate broker’s commission, and life insurance)
  • Special Actions (Will contests, assault and battery, slander, malicious prosecution, false arrest and imprisonment)

About the Speakers:
Scott Lane is a partner of the firm of Lane Brown, LLC, a plaintiff’s personal injury firm in Chicago, Prior to his present practice, Scott was a Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney for several years. He is an Adjunct Professor at the Loyola University of Chicago of Law where he is a founding member of Loyola’s Circle of Advocates and has coached their Trial Team. Scott frequently lectures at bar association seminars and has authored numerous articles, chapters, and texts pertaining to various aspects of civil litigation and trial technique. He is a contributing author and editor to “Lane’s Goldstein Trial Technique” and “Lane Medical Litigation Guide” and co-authored the book, “Illinois Motions in Limine”. Scott has been consistently selected as an “Illinois Super Lawyer” as published by the Law & Politics and Chicago Magazine, and in 2014 he became a member of The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100.

Fred Lane , the original founder of this course, will serve as an occasional guest instructor. Mr. Lane is a former Assistant State’s Attorney and has had over 40 years of litigation experience. Mr. Lane is a lecturer and author on Trial Technique Subject: author of Lane’s Goldstein Trial Technique (3 vols.): editor of Medical Trial Technique Quarterly : author of Lane Medical Litigation Guide (4 vols.): author of Lane’s Goldstein Litigation Forms (3 vol.). He is the co-author of Lane & Calkins Mediation Practice Guid e and co-founder of the International Academy of Dispute Resolution. Mr. Lane is also past president of the following organizations and associations: Illinois Trial Lawyers Association: Diplomat and Past President of the American Board of Trial Advocates IL; Fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, Past President of the Illinois State Bar Association: and Past President of the Decalogue Society of Lawyers.
*Professional Responsibility MCLE credit subject to approval