2020 Peacebuilding Community Award for Volunteerism

In spring 2020, when covid-19 shut everything down in Southeast Texas, including the ability to host in-person mediations, we went to work helping volunteer mediators at the Montgomery County Dispute Resolution Center. Our aim was to help them help their clients work on resolving pending legal disputes in a time of uncertainty. In those early days of court and mediation office closures, no one knew when courthouses would reopen, or how far civil and family cases would be backlogged. Many parties with pending custody, divorce, and civil claims were destined to spend their summer months in legal limbo unless they found a solution that facilitated virtual mediations.

Having learned about the predicament many volunteer mediators found themselves in at the DRC, we volunteered a couple days, and later contributed many Zoom hours, to train on the basics of online mediation to help mediators interested in connecting with parties remotely.

Receiving this award is an unexpected surprise and it humbles us to know our efforts were appreciated, and that many mediators were equipped to help their mediation clients attempt virtual settlements outside of courts.

IM’s work after the early days of lockdown has only grown. But as in the spring, mediators interested in getting help mediating online can still access helpful training videos on our Lawyers & Mediators Channel, as well as access helpful online mediator forms to help their mediations succeed.

Learn more about my mediation work by visiting my profile.