Current Panel Members Only
Applying to Become a Mediator or Early Neutral Evaluator
The United States District Court for the Northern District of California is now accepting applications to join the court’s Mediation and Early Neutral Evaluation panels. The court welcomes and is especially interested in applicants whose participation will increase the diversity of its ADR panels to better serve the diverse backgrounds of ADR participants and in applicants with sufficient skill or expertise to serve as neutrals in one or more of our high-volume practice areas: ADA, Consumer Credit, ERISA, Government, and Civil Rights, including Police Practices, and those who are willing and able to support pro se litigants.
Deadline: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis beginning immediately and must be received no later than Monday, July 15, 2024, to be considered. The application process is competitive. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applications received after the deadline will be held for future consideration.
Mandatory Training: Court-sponsored training for service as an ADR neutral is by invitation only and satisfactory completion of the training is mandatory. The court will provide two group trainings for applicants for each of the Mediation and ENE panels. Applicants invited to train for the ENE panel, must participate in one of the one-day training sessions held on September 24 or 26, 2024. Applicants invited to train for the Mediation Panel must participate in one of the four-day trainings as follows: Group 1 (October 16, 17, 24 and 25, 2024); or Group 2 (October 21, 22, 29 and 30, 2024). All training dates will be held at the Phillip Burton Federal Building and Courthouse in San Francisco. Applicants should reserve the training dates on their calendars to ensure availability if selected by the court for training.
If you are interested in joining the court’s Mediation and/or ENE panels and meet the requirements listed below on this webpage, please register in our online portal, and submit your online application here: https://apps.cand.uscourts.gov/ADR
Contact: For additional information on the application process, please email adr@cand.uscourts.gov. Thank you for your interest in joining our panel.
Mediation Panel Requirements
Attorney applicants must be members of the bar of this Court (or of the faculty of an accredited law school), be admitted to the practice of law for at least seven years and be knowledgeable about civil litigation in federal court. Exceptional non-attorney applicants will be considered but must have professional credentials in another discipline and be knowledgeable about civil litigation in federal court. All applicants must have the temperament to listen well, facilitate communication across party lines, and assist the parties with settlement negotiations. Successful completion of initial and periodic Court-sponsored training is required for service on the panel, as described below.
Initial Training:
Full participation in the Court’s own four-day, two-part Mediation training is required, regardless of whether an applicant has received prior Mediation training. The training is offered free of charge to those invited to attend and provides approximately 6.5 hours of MCLE credit per day, including some ethics and elimination of bias credit.
Continuing Training and Education:
Mediators who complete the Court’s Mediation training successfully and who are then invited to join the Court’s panel of neutrals, will be expected to meet the following requirements to remain on the panel:
- Either co-mediate or have an experienced District Court Mediation Panel member observe the first one to three mediation sessions. The ADR staff will assist in making appropriate arrangements to meet this qualification.
- For at least the first year of service, either participate in an Advanced Mediation Practice Group or establish a mentoring relationship with an experienced District Court Mediation Panel member. Advanced Mediation Practice groups, which are led by ADR legal staff, meet monthly on a regularly scheduled basis to discuss cases. In their first year, Members are expected to attend at least seven sessions. Mentoring entails a commitment to debrief mediation sessions with an experienced panel member who can provide guidance and advice as needed. The ADR staff will assist in matching new mediators with appropriate mentors.
- Participate in three hours of continuing education relevant to mediation each year, including Court “brown bag” sessions or trainings or other mediation, negotiation, or communication trainings. Participation in an Advanced Mediation Practice Group satisfies this requirement.
- Spend a minimum of ten hours each year reading books, articles, or reported cases relevant to mediation, negotiation, or communication.
ENE Panel Requirements
Applicants must be members of the bar of this Court (or of the faculty of an accredited law school), admitted to the practice of law for at least 15 years, have considerable experience with civil litigation in federal court, and have substantial expertise in the subject matter of the cases they evaluate. Applicants must have the temperament to listen well, facilitate communication across party lines, and assist the parties with settlement negotiations. Successful completion of initial and periodic Court-sponsored training is required for service on the panel, as described below.
Initial Training:
Full participation in the Court’s own one-day ENE training is required, regardless of whether an applicant has received prior training. This training is offered free of charge to those invited to attend, and provides approximately 6.5 hours of MCLE credit, including some ethics and elimination of bias credit.
Continuing Training and Education:
Evaluators successfully completing the Court’s ENE training, who are then invited to join the Court’s panel of neutrals, will be expected to meet the following requirements to remain on the panel:
- Participate in three hours of continuing education relevant to the panelist’s areas of expertise each year.
- Participate periodically in Court-sponsored ENE continuing education as offered by the Court.
- Spend a minimum of ten hours each year reading books, articles, or reported cases relevant to the panelist’s areas of expertise.
For more information, please contact the ADR Unit at 415-522-2199 or adr@cand.uscourts.gov.