Best Practices for the Mediator and for Participants

Best Practices for the Mediator and Participants

Best Practices for the Mediator

• We do NOT make our meetings public.
• We do NOT share the meeting link publicly or on social media.
• We password protect all scheduled meetings.
• We change the “screen sharing” option to “Host Only”.
• We disable all recording functionality.
• We have a very specific contract for rules and confidentiality we send to our mediation clients which MUST be signed before mediation begins.
• We request submission of the name, email and cell phone number of EVERY participant before the online mediation begins.
• We send out a 2-minute practice video to participants before the mediation begins.
• We place the mediation participants in a “virtual waiting room” where my coordinator greets them, verifies all of their submitted ID information and assigns then to a “named”, confidential breakout room.
• Once all participants are present, we LOCK the meeting down.
• We immediately download all Zoom software updates.
• We use a secure network with ethernet line connection.
• We keep a backup laptop ready to go, just in case of last-minute issues!

Best Practices for Participants

• Connect to meeting from a secure network, preferably via ethernet rather than WiFi. (Never from a public hotspot!)
• Practice Makes Perfect — participants who intend to present materials are asked to practice using screen share or whiteboard tools in advance of the mediation.
• Ensure a closed-room, with no possibility of interruption or having discussions overheard.
• No recording of the mediation permitted by participants, in whole or part.
• Ideally, a cell-phone and email free environment, to concentrate minds on the case at hand.
• Participants should feel free to ask mediator for assurances on privacy/confidentiality.