Ukraine’s First Training of Trainers on Supporting Clients in Mediation Successfully Completed

Last week, the Training of Trainers (ToT) “Supporting Clients in Mediation” was successfully completed. The programme marked an important milestone as the first training of its kind in Ukraine developed on the basis of recommendations of the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ).

The programme was designed to prepare a team of trainers who will be able to train lawyers in providing professional support to clients throughout the mediation process, in line with CEPEJ recommendations.

The participants worked with Luiza Romanadze, Tetiana Vodopian, Natalia Dotsenko, Nataliia Petrenko, Iryna Dotsenko, and Hanna Baryshnykova — experienced trainers and mediators who have been contributing to the development of mediation in Ukraine and training new generations of professionals for many years.

A lawyer can play an important role throughout the mediation process. Effective client representation requires not only legal expertise but also an understanding of the principles and dynamics of mediation and the ability to use appropriate mediation and negotiation tools.

A lawyer may help a client prepare for mediation, identify their interests and priorities, assess possible options, and participate constructively in negotiations. The lawyer’s professional competence and understanding of the mediation process can therefore significantly influence the quality of support provided to the client.

During the five-day programme, participants worked with the training curriculum, strengthened their skills as trainers, practised exercises, and explored approaches designed to make future training sessions interactive, practical, and relevant to lawyers’ professional needs.

The completion of the ToT is only the beginning of the next stage. Starting in September, the newly trained trainers will deliver free training sessions for lawyers in different regions of Ukraine, helping to disseminate professional approaches to client representation in mediation across the legal community.

The Ukrainian Academy of Mediation thanks all participants for their active engagement, openness to professional development, and willingness to promote mediation in their regions.

High-quality professional education is an essential foundation for building a strong mediation community and making mediation more accessible and understandable to people seeking effective ways to resolve disputes.

The training was organised by the Ukrainian Academy of Mediation in partnership with the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ), the Mediation Committee of the Ukrainian National Bar Association, and the Higher School of Advocacy of the Ukrainian National Bar Association, with the financial support of the European Union within the EU Project “CONSENT: Enhancing the Role of Alternative Dispute Resolution in Ukraine with a Focus on Mediation.”