Advanced Mediation for Commercial Disputes
The Advanced Mediation for Commercial Disputes program is designed for experienced negotiators, mediators, attorneys, and conflict and dispute resolution professionals seeking to elevate their mediation toolkit and refine their professional practice.
The 15-hour course will be conducted remotely (on Zoom) and emphasizes practical application through interactive exercises, simulations, and peer learning opportunities, including the use of AI (see below). Participants will have the opportunity to learn from fellow experienced practitioners while sharing insights from their own mediation and negotiation practices.
Leveraging Generative AI as a Mediation Support Tool
Participants explore how to responsibly integrate generative AI as a co-neutral "thinking partner" for case preparation, submission summarization, and creative option generation. The curriculum provides essential guardrails for AI-assisted dispute resolution, emphasizing statutory confidentiality under the Uniform Mediation Act , data security and transcription privacy risks, reality-testing AI-anchored party expectations, and ensuring that human mediator judgment remains paramount.
IMPORTANT NOTE
The curriculum is geared toward individuals with substantial experience in negotiation, mediation, or legal practice. Students who complete our 40-hour Mediation Skills Training, are encouraged to take the next step with our Advanced Mediation course.
Additionally, individuals who have not completed a formal basic mediation training course but possess significant professional experience in negotiation, mediation, or law practice are welcome to enroll. If you have questions about your readiness for this course, please contact pdp@northwestern.edu.
The skills taught in this course will be applicable across a broad range of commercial disputes, including:
- Contracts
- Corporate Governance and Realignment
- Employment
- Personal Injury
- Construction
- Real Estate
- Intellectual Property
- Trusts and Estates
Register hereRequest Information
Upcoming remote sessions will be announced for winter quarter 2027
| Summer 2026 | Registration Deadline: | |
|---|---|---|
| MED_SKIL 100-0 Mediation Skills Training (On Campus) Course Dates: Monday, August 10–Friday, August 14 |
August 4, 2026 | REGISTER |
| Fall 2026 | Registration Deadline: | |
| MED_SKIL 100-0 Mediation Skills Training (Remote) Course Dates: Thursday, November 5–Saturday, November 21 |
October 1, 2026 | REGISTER |