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Family Early Resolution Pilot: Interactive Training for Mediators and Attorneys

November 18, 2026

Virtual

Programs

Family Early Resolution Pilot: Interactive Training for Mediators and Attorneys

November 18, 2026 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Join us for a free, three-hour interactive webinar focused on family law and child custody, early dispute resolution, and mediation, offered in conjunction with the launch of the Family Early Resolution and Mediation Pilotin Laramie County District Court.

The UW Family and Child Legal Advocacy Clinic (FACLAC)and Legal Aid of Wyoming (Legal Aid), with the support of Judge Robin Sessions Cooley, are piloting this voluntary mediation program for income-eligible, self-represented parties in low-conflict divorce and child custody cases. During structured Family Resolution Days, volunteer attorneys provide limited-scope legal advice and mediators help participants resolve outstanding issues and prepare agreements for court approval.

Through practical examples and discussion, participants will explore effective mediation with self-represented parties; addressing participation barriers and power imbalances; and developing child-centered parenting plans and durable agreements. The workshop will also address the 2025 Model Standards for Family and Divorce Mediation, the ABA Formal Opinion 518 on Lawyers as Neutrals, and the respective roles of mediators and advice attorneys in documenting agreements and preparing court orders.

Learn how to volunteer as a mediator or limited-scope advice attorney. Volunteer commitments are limited to a three-hour session, with no advance preparation or post-session obligation; malpractice coverage is provided by Legal Aid of Wyoming.

Speakers

Mark Gifford

Mark W. Gifford is Bar Counsel for the Wyoming State Bar in Cheyenne, Wyoming. He received his B.A. in accounting from the University of Wyoming, his J.D. from Stanford University and was admitted to practice in Wyoming in 1981. After 30 years of private practice, Mark took the position of Bar Counsel in 2011. He started the Ethics Hotline and helped launch Wyoming’s Lawyer Assistance Program in 2014. He is a member of the National Conference of Bar Examiners MPRE Policy Committee and a past member of the ABA Standing Committee on Professional Regulation and the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility. Gifford is a past recipient of the Gerald R. Mason Professionalism Award.

Abaigeal O'Brien

Dona Playton

Family Early Resolution Pilot: Interactive Training for Mediators and Attorneys - Lodging Info

Family Early Resolution Pilot: Interactive Training for Mediators and Attorneys - Lodging

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