Community Mediation Programs and Trainings

The Los Angeles County Superior Court requires that mediators serving the Court complete a 40 hour training program provided by a dispute resolution program funded by the Dispute Resolution Programs Act (DRPA). The act specifies the content required in the training programs to ensure that all court mediators receive the same quality of training.

Below is a list of these organizations in Los Angeles.

Once you have completed the training, you can apply to the Court to be accepted to the panel of mediators. Depending on the requirements of the organization providing the training, you may also qualify to be a mediator for that organization as well. If you live outside Los Angeles, check with your local court for its requirements for being a volunteer in your district and for organizations or agencies that provide training acceptable to that Court.

Asian Pacific American Dispute Resolution Center
California Academy of Mediation Professionals
California Lawyers for the Arts, Arts Arbitration and Mediation
Center for Conflict Resolution
Centinela Youth Services (Formerly Centinela Valley Juvenile Diversion Project)
City of Norwalk, Dispute Resolution Program
Inland Valley Justice Center, Inc.
4.29 Center: Dispute Resolution Program, Korean American Coalition
Center for Civic Mediation
Los Angeles County Department of Consumer Affairs, Dispute Settlement Services
Loyola Law School, The Center For Conflict Resolution
The Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, Alternative Dispute Resolution Department
Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney, Dispute Resolution Program

More Information

Asian Pacific American Dispute Resolution Center
Statement of Purpose The Asian Pacific American Dispute Resolution Center consists of three units. The first unit is Community Mediation, which offers conciliation and mediation services to adults at little or no cost. The second is Peer Mediation, which designs and implements peer mediation and youth-based conflict resolution programs. The third unit is Inter-group Relation, which provides facilitation services for large-scale community and organizational dispute, with a focus on inter-ethnic dispute. APADRC provides these services in multiple languages including English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Tagalog and Japanese. Other languages are available. Please call the office to confirm which languages are available.
Address 1145 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 100
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Phone (213) 250-8190
Fax (213) 250-8195
Website http://www.apadrc.org
Hours of Operation Monday – Friday
9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
Evenings and Weekends by Appointment
Primary Service Areas Asian-Pacific American Communities in LA County; Schools: Foshay Learning Center, King Drew Magnet High School, Jordan High School, LeConte Middle School, and Peary Middle School.
Types of Cases Business-Business, Consumer-Merchant, Family- Domestic, Landlord-Tenant, Neighbor-Neighbor & Peer Mediation, Small Claims, and Workplace Related

California Academy of Mediation Professionals
Statement of Purpose CAMP seeks to provide extensive dispute resolution services to the under-served areas of Malibu, Calabasas, Santa Monica, Agoura Hills, Culver City , West Los Angeles, Westlake Village, and the entire Antelope Valley. CAMP meets with various businesses, civic organizations, schools, and government agencies for the purpose of making these entities aware of the benefits of mediation and the services of CAMP. Another component of CAMP’s services is to provide quality trainings for CAMP volunteers and others interested in mediation.
Address 16501 Ventura Blvd., Ste. 606
Encino, CA 91436
Phone (818) 377-7250
Fax (818) 784-1836
Website http://www.firstmediation.com
Hours of Operation Monday – Friday
9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
Primary Service Areas Agoura Hills, Antelope Valley, Calabasas, Culver City, Malibu, Santa Monica, Westlake Village and West Los Angeles
Types of Cases Consumer-Merchant, Criminal Misdemeanor, Landlord-Tenant, Limited Jurisdiction, Personal Injury, SmallClaims, and Workplace Related

California Lawyers for the Arts, Arts Arbitration and Mediation
Statement of Purpose Established as a national model in 1980, AAMS, provides efficient, economical and confidential alternatives to litigation, including conciliation, mediation, arbitration and meeting facilitations. AAMS provide services primarily to individuals in the arts and entertainment industry and other creative people and the organizations they work with, including but not limited to: SAG, AFTRA, Directors Guild of America, Actors Equity Arts Associations, collective and cooperatives and local theatre companies.
Address 1641 18th Street
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Phone (310) 998-5590
Fax (310) 998-5594
Website http://www.calawyersforthearts.org/aams.html
Hours of Operation Monday-Friday
10:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
Primary Service Areas Los Angeles County
Types of Cases Consumer-Merchant, Contract Disputes, Entertainment/Arts Issues,Landlord-Tenant, Neighbor-Neighbor and Workplace Related

Center for Conflict Resolution
Statement of Purpose CCR’s mission for the Small Claims Court Mediation Program is to assist litigants in reaching satisfactory dispute resolution on their own terms by providing high quality, on-site mediation. Disputants served by this program will be small claims litigants.
Address 7806 Reseda Boulevard
Reseda, CA 91335
Phone (818) 705-1090
Fax (818) 705-1091
Website http://www.ccr4peace.org
E-Mail office@ccr4peace.org
Hours of Operation Monday – Friday
8:30 A.M. – 4:30 P.M.
Courthouses: Varies by location
Primary Service Areas Courthouses in Chatsworth, Santa Monica, Torrance, and Van Nuys
Types of Cases Small Claims: Business-Business, Consumer-Merchant, Landlord-Tenant, Family-Domestic, Neighbor-Neighbor, Personal Injury/Property Damage & Workplace Related

Centinela Youth Services (Formerly Centinela Valley Juvenile Diversion Project)
Statement of Purpose CENTINELA YOUTH SERVICES’S mission is to help at-risk youth get out and stay out of the juvenile justice system. CYS uses mediation to help high-risk youth (ages 7-17) overcome obstacles that hinder them from becoming successful students and adults contributing to society. Since 1992, CYS central strategy has been to use youth mediation to teach (through actually resolving conflicts) inner-city youth how to resolve conflicts on their own without aggression. Beginning in Hawthorne with Victim Offender mediation the program became county-wide. Once this process based on empowerment and empathy was proven effective in reducing re-arrest rates for youth, CYS expanded the use of peer mediation (STARS) and parent/child mediation (FARS); even testing its use in the areas of bullying and substance abuse. Using a large volunteer base (with annual trainings and inservices) as well as a large network of referral agencies, CYS has proven conflict resolution as an effective method to reduce youth violence, one of the top health issues for LA youth. It has further helped to create healthy families and safer school campuses that are conducive to learning. CYS provides vulnerable youth the tools they need to resolve conflicts without aggression. Evaluations by independent evaluators have confirmed these results. Bilingual and male volunteers urgently needed.
Address 11539 Hawthorne Boulevard, Suite 501
Hawthorne, CA 90250
Phone (310) 970-7702
Fax (310) 675-2300
Website http://www.cvjdp.org
E-Mail cvjdp@cvjdp.org
Contact Steve Goldsmith, Director
Hours of Operation Monday – Thursday 8 A.M. – 9 P.M.
Friday 8:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
Evenings and Weekends by Appointment
Primary Service Areas Hawthorne, Inglewood, Lawndale, Lennox, Gardena, and West Athens/South Central for the FARS and STARS Programs. The VORS program services all of Los Angeles County
Types of Cases Parent-Teen, Student-Student, School Mediations, Juvenile Criminal Misdemeanor-Victim

City of Norwalk, Dispute Resolution Program
Statement of Purpose The Norwalk Dispute Resolution Program offers services which allow individuals with disputes to create their own solutions meeting their mutual needs, interests, and values as well as their rights. Trained staff are available to assist a multi-cultural community in a neutral and professional manner through services that are cost-effective, quick, convenient, and empowering thus producing positive results.
Address 11929 Alondra Boulevard
Norwalk, CA 90650
Phone (562) 929-5603
Fax (562) 929-5515
Website http://www.ci.norwalk.ca.us/socialservices2.asp
Hours of Operation Monday-Friday
8:00 A.M.- 5:00 P.M.
Primary Service Areas Norwalk
Types of Cases Consumer-Merchant, Landlord/Tenant, Neighbor-Neighbor, Peer Mediation & Small Claims
Inland Valley Justice Center, Inc.
Statement of Purpose The Inland Valley Justice Center offers dispute resolution services that are quick, economical and confidential. Trained volunteers assist parties in resolving dispute by finding creative solutions. Matters can be resolved in person or over the telephone. IVJC assists with community matters that have not been filed in court and with cases that have been filed in court. IVJC also provides conflict resolution training and is always accepting volunteers and interns. All services are provided in English and Spanish.
Address 300 South Park Avenue, Suite 745
Pomona, CA 91766
Phone (909) 397-5780
Fax (909) 622-1650
Website http://www.ivjc.org
E-Mail info@ivjc.org
Hours of Operation Monday – Friday
10:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M.
Evenings by Appointment
Primary Service Areas Eastern Los Angeles County including the San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys
Types of Cases Family Disputes and Divorces, Consumer-Merchant and Collections, Landlord-Tenant, Neighbor-Neighbor, Personal Injury/Property Damage, Business and Contract Disputes, Workplace Related.

4.29 Center: Dispute Resolution Program, Korean American Coalition
Statement of Purpose The 4.29 Center: Dispute Resolution Program of the Korean American Coalition provides dispute resolution services for disputes involving mono-lingual and limited English speaking Korean immigrants. The 4.29 Center places a special emphasis on intercultural disputes involving the Korean American Community and other ethnic communities.
Address 3727 West Sixth Street, Ste. 515
Los Angeles, CA 90020
Phone (213) 383-4290
Fax (213) 380-7990
Website http://www.kacla.org/Programs/Programs_pages/2.html
E-Mail 429center@kacla.org
Hours of Operation Monday – Friday
9:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M.
Evenings by Appointment
Primary Service Areas Korean-American Communities throughout Los Angeles County and other ethnic communities
Types of Cases Business-Business, Consumer-Merchant, Landlord-Tenant, Neighbor-Neighbor, Personal Injury/Property Damage, Workplace Related, Community Conflict

Center for Civic Mediation
Statement of Purpose The Los Angeles County Center for Civic Mediation provides quick and inexpensive mediation services to individuals who live, work, and attend school in Los Angeles County. DRS services include the following programs: 1) CLE Training Programs-Basic Mediation Skills and specifically designed training topics for community groups and organizations; 2) Community Mediation Services; 3) Youth Services; Peer Mediation; and 4) Inter- and Intra-organizational and Board Facilitation Services.
Address 261 South Figueroa Street, Suite 310
Los Angeles, CA 90055
Toll-Free Phone (877) 473-7658
(877) 4RE-SOLV
Phone (213) 896-6533
Fax (213) 613-1299
Website http://www.lacba.org/drs.html
E-Mail drs@lacba.org
Hours of Operation Monday-Friday
9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
Primary Service Areas Los Angeles County (Office Locations in West Hollywood Downtown Los Angeles, Pasadena and Long Beach)
Types of Cases Consumer-Merchant, Family-Domestic, Landlord-Tenant, Neighbor-Neighbor, Personal Injury/Property Damage, Small Claims, and Workplace Related

Los Angeles County Department of Consumer Affairs, Dispute Settlement Services
Statement of Purpose The Los Angeles County Department of Consumer Affairs, Dispute Settlement Services mission is to provide mediation and conciliation for individuals and businesses. The program accepts cases from Los Angeles County residents who have a dispute transacted in Los Angeles although they may reside out of County. The activities to be conducted by this program are mediation and conciliation.
Address 500 Temple Street, Room B-96
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone (213) 974-0825
Fax (213) 687-1137
Website http://LACountyDCA.info
Hours of Operation Monday – Friday
8:00 A.M. – 4:30 P.M.
Primary Service Areas Los Angeles County
Types of Cases Business-Business, Consumer-Merchant, Family Domestic, Landlord-Tenant, Neighbor-Neighbor Organizational (HOA) and Workplace Related

Loyola Law School, The Center For Conflict Resolution
Statement of Purpose The Loyola Law School Center For Conflict Resolution provides dispute resolution services with an emphasis on disputes involving low-income and monolingual Spanish speaking communities. Bilingual Spanish speaking mediators are available. The Center is operated by law school students who are supervised by law school professors and staff.
Address 919 South Albany Street
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Phone (213) 736-1145
Fax (213) 382-5403
Website http://www.lls.edu/ccr
Hours of Operation Monday – Friday
9:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M.
Evening and Weekends by Appointment
Primary Service Areas Burbank, Central/Civic Center, East/Northeast Los Angeles, Glendale, Neighborhoods of Los Angeles, San Fernando Valley, Pico-Union/Westlake
Types of Cases Business-Business, Consumer-Merchant, Family-Domestic, Neighbor-Neighbor, Personal Injury/Property Damage, Workplace Related, and Appellate Mediation

Martin Luther King Dispute Resolution Center
Statement of Purpose The goal of the Martin Luther King Legacy Association, Dispute Resolution Center is to provide individuals, organizations and the entire community with the benefits of efficient and nonviolent handling of conflict. The Martin Luther King Legacy Association, Dispute Resolution Center achieves the above goal by providing mediation and conciliation services for specific disputes, facilitating group and intergroup problems, training in mediation and conflict-handling, developing a skilled body of volunteers and interns, consulting and public presentations- all at low or no cost to Los Angeles community organizations and residents.
Address 4182 South Western Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90062
Phone (323) 290-4132
Fax (323) 295-6462
Hours of Operation Monday – Friday
9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
Primary Service Areas Florence, Gardena, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Ladera Heights, Lennox, South Central Los Angeles, Watts, Willowbrook
Types of Cases Business, Consumer/Merchant, Family-Domestic (no custody issues), Intergroup Problems, Landlord/Tenant, Neighbor-Neighbor, Personal Injury, School and Workplace Related

The Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, Alternative Dispute Resolution Department
Statement of Purpose The Los Angeles Superior Court Alternative Dispute Resolution Department provides mediation, arbitration, and settlement conference services to limited and unlimited jurisdiction civil cases and family law, non-custody disputes filed in Los Angeles County. The department serves all county courthouses.
Address 111 North Hill Street, Room 113
Los Angeles CA 90012
Phone (213) 974-5425
Fax (213) 633-5115
Website http://www.lasuperiorcourt.org/ADR
Hours of Operation Monday-Friday
8:00 A.M.-5:00 P.M.
Primary Service Areas Los Angeles County
Types of Cases Business-Business, Family-Domestic, Civil Harassment (TRO’s), Consumer-Merchant, Landlord-Tenant, Neighbor-Neighbor, Personal Injury/Property Damage, Workplace Related

Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney, Dispute Resolution Program
Statement of Purpose The program provides comprehensive dispute resolution services to residents and businesses of the City and County of Los Angeles. Volunteer mediators/conciliators/facilitators are immediately available to assist with the resolution of all civil disputes. Our volunteer mediators are ready to intervene between parties to facilitate a resolution before, during and after a case has been filed in court.

The Dispute Resolution Program also provides free mediation training to individuals that are as diverse as the County of Los Angeles. Dispute Resolution Training for a Diverse Population or basic mediation training includes 40 hours of classroom training and 100 hours of supervised case handling by staff mediators. Upon completion of 140 hours, the trainee is given a Certificate of Completion meeting the requirements of the California Dispute Resolution Programs Act of 1986.

Address 222 South Hill Street, 6th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone (213) 485-8324 (Los Angeles City Attorney-Phone)
(213) 485-0757 (TDD/TTY)
(310) 202-2837 (West Los Angeles Office)
(818) 756-9601 (San Fernando Valley Office)
Fax (213) 485-8565
(213) 485-8916
Website http://www.lacity.org/atty/atycb1b2b.htm
E-Mail mediate@atty.lacity.org
Hours of Operation Monday-Friday
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Los Angeles City Attorney, DRP)
Weekends by Appointment
Limited hours – West LA, San Fernando Valley Office
Primary Service Areas Los Angeles County
Types of Cases Business-Business, Consumer-Merchant, Intergroup Facilitation, Family-Domestic, Government/Public Agency, Landlord-Tenant, Neighbor-Neighbor, Organizational, Personal Injury/Property Damage, Schools, and Workplace Related