(a) Court-Certified Mediators

1. The Presiding Judge of the Law Division shall maintain a list of mediators who have been certified by the Court and who have registered for appointment. The Presiding Judge may appoint an advisory committee of other judges, members of the Bar, and/or others to assist in the implementation of these Rules.

In order to be certified as a mediator in the Law Division of Cook County the applicant must meet or exceed any one of the following criteria:

(a) The applicant shall certify that he or she is currently a mediator in another State of Illinois Court Annexed Major Civil Case Mediation Program in another County in the State of Illinois;

(b) The applicant shall certify that he or she is currently a mediator in a program approved by the Presiding Judge of the Law Division of Cook County;

(c) The applicant shall certify that he or she has served as a mediator on at least ten (10) occasions in major civil cases;

(d) The applicant shall certify to having successfully completed mediation training in a program consisting of forty hours of training approved by the Presiding Judge of the Law Division of Cook County; or

(e) The applicant shall certify to having experience in the field of civil litigation as a lawyer and/or judge for at least fifteen years and to having successfully completed at least a thirty hour mediation program sponsored or approved by the Presiding Judge of the Law Division of Cook County and to having observed or participated as an advocate in at least one mediation of more than two hours in length.

2. In addition, the applicant must have held an active license to practice law in the State of Illinois for at least seven years and be one of the following:

(a) A member of the Bar in good standing with the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission;

(b) A retired judge registered as active to practice law and in good standing with the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission; or

(c) A retired judge or lawyer registered as inactive to practice law and in good standing with the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission.

(b) Mediator General Standards

In each case, the mediator shall comply with such general standards as may, from time to time, be established and promulgated in writing by the Presiding Judge of the Law Division. The Presiding Judge may, from time to time, revise these Rules by amending Rule 20.08 to include continued legal education for all court-certified mediators.

(c) Decertification of Mediators

The eligibility of each mediator to retain the status of a certified mediator may be periodically reviewed by the Presiding Judge of the Law Division. Failure to adhere to these Rules governing mediation or the general standards provided for above may result in the decertification of the mediator.

(d) Mediator Pro Bono Requirement

Each court-certified mediator shall agree to mediate one case without compensation when a Court has determined that mediation might be beneficial and that none of the parties has the resources to compensate a mediator.