General membership of the Family Mediation Accreditation Scheme is for a one-off, two-year period. It is a stepping stone to practitioner membership for solicitors and legal executives who lack the experience required to apply directly for practitioner membership.

At some point during their two-year period as general members, they must apply to become practitioner members.

All mediators who belong to the scheme have successfully completed training course approved by the Law Society.

Non-members of the scheme are not barred in any way from working in mediation. However, mediators who belong to the Family Mediation Accreditation Scheme are guaranteed to have achieved a given level of competence; they have also agreed to abide by our code of practice.

How are general members assessed?

All members have:

a minimum of three years' experience as a solicitor or legal executive
attended an approved training course
agreed to comply with the standards for practitioner membership within two years
agreed to be bound by the Law Society's code of practice for family mediators

How can solicitors and legal executives become general members?

If you are a solicitor or legal executive and are interested in becoming a general member of the Family Mediation Accreditation Scheme, please download:

Professional accreditation schemes: application criteria and guidance notes (PDF, 86kb)
Family Mediation Accreditation Scheme guidance notes (PDF, 83kb)

These documents comprehensive information on how to apply and the conditions of membership.

After reading them, you should download, complete and submit an application form for Family Mediation Accreditation Scheme applicants (general membership).

Practitioner member

Practitioner members are trained and experienced family mediators who can take the lead in all-issues mediations.

There are defined essential competencies and an established code of practice for family mediators. All scheme members must agree to abide by these rules.

Mediators who are scheme members have successfully completed a training course approved by the Law Society.

Non-members of the scheme are not barred in any way from working in mediation.

How are practitioner members assessed?

All members have:

a minimum of three years' experience as a solicitor or legal executive
attended an approved training course
submitted a detailed application about their family mediation practice (applications are graded by independent assessors)
met the standards of competence for family mediators
agreed to be bound by the Law Society's code of practice for family mediators

How can solicitors and legal executives become practitioner members?

There are three routes to practitioner membership: passported route, development route and direct route.

Passported route

The passported route is open to solicitors and FILEX who have successfully completed the Legal Services Commission's family mediation competence assessment, and have been recognised as competent in all issues.

Development route

The development route involves solicitors and legal executives first becoming a general member. They subsequently have a maximum of two years in which to achieve the level of expertise required to become a practitioner member.

Direct route

The direct route is for solicitors and legal executives who are already trained and experienced family mediators but have chosen not to join the Legal Services Commission's scheme. In effect, the applicant skips the general membership period.

If you are a solicitor or legal executive and are interested in becoming a practitioner member of the Family Mediation Accreditation Scheme, please download:

Professional accreditation schemes: application criteria and guidance notes (PDF, 86kb)
Family Mediation Accreditation Scheme guidance notes (PDF, 83kb)

These documents contain comprehensive information about applying for practitioner membership. After reading them, you should download, complete and submit the appropriate application form:

Useful links

Resolution – first for family law

More than 5,000 solicitors belong to Resolution – first for family law (formerly the Solicitors Family Law Association, or SFLA). Resolution members are committed to promoting a non-confrontational atmosphere in which family law matters are dealt with in a sensitive, constructive and cost-effective way.

Law Society Dispute Resolution Section

The Law Society Dispute Resolution Section focuses on all areas of dispute resolution, including arbitration, litigation and mediation. Law sections are representative membership associations offering CPD training and best practice information and advice.

Accreditation scheme logos

The Law Society has a dedicated website for accreditation scheme members which offers secure access to the Family Mediation Accreditation Scheme logo.

Code of practice

Family Mediation Accreditation Scheme members are bound by the Law Society's code of practice for family mediation.

The code deals with the fundamentals of family mediation, but it doesn't cover every situation that may arise.

The code covers many aspects of mediation work:

not giving legal advice to the parties
the objectives of family mediation
conflicts of interest
decision-making
power imbalances
confidentiality and privilege
families and children
the impartiality of the mediator

Failure to comply with the code may result in disciplinary action.

Continuing professional development

The Law Society requires all Family Mediation Accreditation Scheme members to familiarise themselves with changes in law, practice and procedure, by completing six hours of family law-related continuing professional development (CPD) training per year throughout their period of membership.

The amount of training that members must undertake depends upon their level of membership. As part of the re-accreditation process, we will require you to supply details of training you have completed during your period of membership.

General member requirements

General members of the Family Mediation Accreditation Scheme must complete a minimum of 11 hours per year of CPD training in family mediation issues.

Practitioner member requirements

Practitioner members must complete a minimum of eight hours of CPD training per year, consisting of:

four hours in family law or children law
four hours in family mediation and related topics

Re-accreditation

Practitioner membership will usually be valid for an initial period of three years; members will normally be subject to re-accreditation at the end of the period.

At a meeting on 15 September 2008, the SRA's Education and Training Committee extended the membership of all Family Mediation Accreditation Scheme practitioner members to 1 January 2010.

Please contact the Accreditation Unit for information about re-accreditation.