University of Virginia law students learn great mediation skills courtesy of a law clinic. Read the whole story at The Daily Progress…

University law clinic takes on mediation
By Tasha Kates

It was a bad night on the nursing home wing for incontinence.

Understaffed and underpaid, Nurse Phoebe was trying to clean up all 10 of her patients without any help. Allie, a resident’s daughter, arrived to find her mother in a mess and approached Phoebe about it.

Allie’s comments were the last straw for Phoebe, who was frustrated by Allie’s constant complaining. The women met again Friday in mock mediation, where two mediators-in-training helped the characters sort out their issues.

The role-play was part of a three-day basic mediation training session through the Mediation Center of Charlottesville. The latest session was held at the University of Virginia’s law school, where students received training as part of the new Family Alternative Dispute Resolution Clinic.

Patrice Kyger, the center’s acting director, said the 20-hour basic mediation course the clinic participants underwent will provide them with mediation basics and positive and reflective listening skills. The course prepares people to co-mediate cases referred from juvenile and domestic relations courts.

Kimberly Emery, the law school’s assistant dean for pro bono and public interest, said she was inspired to create the clinic because of the difficulties families have getting a lawyer to represent them pro bono in custody cases.

“Alternative dispute resolution is a low-cost alternative to litigation that gives people some options outside of the courtroom,” Emery said.