Frequently Asked Question About How to Apply for a ADR Designation

This is the time of year members are considering applying for a professional designation, so we have summarized the application process in simple terms.

The designations – Chartered Mediator (C.Med), Chartered Arbitrator (C.Arb), Qualified Mediator (Q.Med), Qualified Mediator Family (Q.Med(Fam)), and Qualified Arbitrator (Q.Arb) – are awarded by the ADR Institute of Canada (ADRIC). These designations allow members to convey their level of experience and skill in a way that is recognized internationally. You can find out more on our Designations page.

ADRIA administers the first part of the application process for our members and sends the applications and recommendations to ADRIC for final approval. Applications are accepted in February, June, and October each year.

Criteria for Arbitration Designations

To apply for a Qualified Arbitrator (Q.Arb) designation you need to have completed a 40-hour approved arbitration course and passed the exam. 

ADRIA runs the National Introductory Arbitration course online, in Calgary and in Edmonton. On the last day of the course, you will view an arbitration hearing video and are provided with written evidence. You have 30-days from the last day of this course to write an Award on this case. The exam is pass/fail. A pass fulfills the requirements to apply for a Q.Arb designation. 

No practical experience is needed to apply for a Q.Arb designation however you still need to go through the application process – a designation is not automatically issued simply by completing the course.

To apply for a Chartered Arbitrator (C.Arb) designation you need to have completed and passed an approved Arbitration course as described above, plus you must have practical experience in arbitration. Specifically, you must have chaired at least 10 fee-paid arbitrations and provide at least 2 awards that you have written for review by the Designation Committee.    

Criteria for Mediation Designations

To apply for a Qualified Mediator (Q.Med) designation you need education, practical experience, and reference letters. 

The educational requirement is 40 hours of mediation training which must be a single, pre-approved course; an additional 40 hours of ADR training which can be a combination of courses, but must be in ADR and must be training; and 6 hours of ADR ethics training.

ADRIA runs the National Introductory Mediation course online, in Calgary and in Edmonton. Other institutes also have pre-approved mediation courses. If you are unsure if a course would qualify for your designation, please contact the ADRIA office. 

For the practical experience requirement, you need three mediations, one must be a real (actual) mediation (paid or unpaid), one must be a supervised mock mediation, and the third can be either a real mediation or a supervised mock mediation.

For the real mediations, you are required to provide a summary of each mediation following the guidelines in the Q.Med application form. 

Supervised mock mediations can be arranged through ADRIA for a fee of $450 (plus GST) for in-person demonstrations and $400 (plus GST) for online demonstrations. Candidates can also arrange and record their own demonstration and submit that recording to the office to be reviewed for a fee of $250 (plus GST). Please contact education@adralberta.com for guidelines on recording your own demonstration.  

For the requirement of the reference letters, you need two professional letters of recommendation and one personal letter of recommendation. 

To apply for a Chartered Mediator (C.Med) designation you need education, practical experience, reference letters, and a skills assessment.

The educational requirement is 180 hours of ADR training, including the same 40-hour pre-approved mediation course requirement as for the Q.Med. The other 140 hours can be a combination of ADR courses. 

For the practical experience requirement, you need 15 solo, fee-paid mediations. 

For the requirement of the reference letter, you need two professional letters of recommendation and one personal letter of recommendation. 

The skills assessment is a one-hour role-play observed by three assessors approved by the designations committee. Two of the assessors will act as the role-players and one assessor will observe and take notes. Approval by at least two assessors is required to pass the skills assessment. This assessment is conducted separately and apart from any classroom evaluation occurring as part of the students’ mediation training and must be booked through ADRIA. It is recommended that you schedule your assessment after you have met all of the other requirements for a C.Med designation as the assessment must be completed within two years of applying for your designation. The fee for this assessment is $495 plus GST.

Additional information for all designations

The designation application fee is $200 plus GST. 

After you have been granted a designation, there is an annual fee to maintain your designation. The fee is payable to ADR Institute of Canada (ADRIC) due annually on January 1^st. 

You must remain a full member in good standing with the ADR Institute of Alberta (ADRIA) to retain your designation. Your membership renewal with ADRIA is due yearly from the time you obtained membership.

In order to be granted a designation, you are required to have professional liability insurance also known as Errors and Omissions insurance. ADRIC has negotiated a special rate with Marsh Insurance for ADR professionals. Rates start at $235 per year for Arbitrators and $145 per year for other ADR practitioners, including mediators. 

You are also required to demonstrate Continuing Education and Engagement (CCE) in your field. Information on the Continuing Education and Engagement Program requirements can be found in your ADRIC member portal.

Full details of the application process and the necessary forms are on our Designations page.