First Impressions of Mediation

First Impressions of Mediation – As an Intern

I am a rising senior at Nazareth university majoring in legal studies. Throughout my life, both
personally and professionally, I have always been drawn to handling conflict. It has always come
natural to me, and because of this I wanted to find a career where I could use those skills daily.
Like many people interested in law, I initially assumed becoming a lawyer was the only path.
However as I progressed through my legal studies journey at Nazareth I began to question
whether that career was truly the right fit for me. I loved the legality side, learning the law was
exciting for me whether it involved business law, or family law, or even learning the
constitution. But, at the same time, I found myself less drawn to the “cut throat” nature of
litigation, and the emotional toll that many cases can take on lawyers and their firms.
When I shared these reservations with my advisor I explained that the aspect of law that I’m
chasing after is resolving conflict. She asked me a simple question: “Have you heard of
mediation?”

Immediately after her explanation of mediation, my interest was sparked. Mediation still heavily
involves the law, but its primary focus is helping parties work toward healthy and constructive
resolutions. Rather than emphasizing winning or losing, mediation focuses on communication,
agreement, and problem solving. It felt like a career path that aligned much more closely with
what I was truly passionate about.

After that conversation I began researching mediation firms in my area for possible internship
opportunities for the upcoming summer. When The Mediation Center in Rochester responded
and expressed interest in having me join them as a summer intern, I was thrilled.
I started my first day nervous, as I would any new job. Those nerves quickly disappeared as I
had the opportunity to sit in and observe my supervisor, Renee LaPoint, mediate sessions with her
clients. From the very beginning I was fascinated by the way she guided these conversations
between the two conflicting parties. Watching these discussions unfold gave me an immediate
appreciation for the skill, patience, and professionalism required to be an effective mediator.

Most of the mediation sessions I have observed so far have been divorce cases, many of which
include children. In these situations, the goal of mediation is to help both parties align and reach
a settlement agreement that addresses every aspect of their divorce in a collaborative and
constructive way.

The process begins with an introductory meeting, where my supervisor explains what clients can
expect from mediation, including the timeline, clauses, costs, and overall process. These
meetings are purely informational and allow clients to determine whether mediation is the right
fit for them. From there, the next 3-4 sessions focus on working through the many decisions that
must be made before an agreement can be finalized. This includes, but is not limited to,
parenting plans (in cases with children) figuring out residency and custody arrangements,
financial disclosures, division of assets, and, when applicable, child and spousal support. Once
the agreement has been drafted it is reviewed by the clients to make any necessary changes, and
if they choose, have it examined by an independent attorney before it is ultimately filed with the
court.

While learning more about the mediation process and the many components involved was
fascinating, what interested me most was observing how my supervisor facilitated these
conversations. I paid close attention to the language and tone and my supervisor she uses during
different levels of conflict, the questions she asks to better understand each client’s needs and
priorities, and the level of care and professionalism she uses when approaching these sensitive,
and often difficult discussions.

Through these observations, I came to see how critical the role of a neutral third party is. A
mediator has the ability to listen to both perspectives objectively, identify common ground,
encourage compromise, and overall help clients communicate far more effectively. In many of
the cases I observed, disagreements that initially seemed impossible to resolve between clients,
and might have been without a mediator, became manageable through the skilled guidance of
my supervisor. Her ability to reframe disagreements and keep conversations productive often
made the difference between conflict and resolution.

Mediation has, in a short time, become what I know I want to pursue. These tough conversations
need to be handled with care and patience in order to help families navigate major life
transitions in the healthiest way possible. The profession offers a unique opportunity to combine

my interest in law with my strengths in conflict resolution, and my experience has reinforced my
desire to continue exploring this career path.

Written by Jessica Frederico