FDRP Arb Designation Requirements

All candidates for the designation, Certified Specialist in Family Arbitration, “FDRP Arb.,” must satisfy the following requirements:

Candidates must be members in good standing of the Family Dispute Resolution Institute of Ontario, “FDRIO,” and the Family Arbitration Section.

Candidates must complete a program of education/training in family arbitration comprised of the following courses:
1. Family Arbitration Process and Skills – 40 hours or 5 days;
2. Family Law – 30 hours or 4 days (Practicing family lawyers are exempted)
3. Screening for Domestic Violence and Power Imbalances – 21 hours or 3 days.
4. Family Relations- 14 hours (Practising mental health professionals exempted) to be effective on a date TBA.

Candidates must have arbitrated or co-arbitrated at least five family cases in which an Award in a contested proceeding whether final or interim was made.

The FDRIO Arbitration Certification Committee, the “Committee,” may meet with candidates to determine their competency as family arbitrators. Candidates will sign a Consent permitting the Committee to make inquiries of others concerning family arbitrations conducted by them. The Committee may ask candidates to complete an assessment/role play for this purpose.

Candidates who already hold the Certified Family Arbitrator designation of the ADR Institute of Ontario, “ADRIO,” are exempted from the education/training and assessment requirements.
Candidates who have been in FDR practice for 10 or more years and have completed 10 or more family arbitrations to the point of releasing an Award made in a contested proceeding whether final or interim, in the discretion of the Committee, may be exempted from the foregoing education/training requirements save and except for 30 hours of Family Law or equivalent, if they are not practicing family lawyers, and at least 14 hours of training in Screening for Domestic Violence and Power Imbalances, along with another 7 hours of equivalent training.

In addition to the continuing education requirements of their professional disciplines, candidates must commit to attend a minimum of ten hours of annual continuing education that includes:
1. At least 2.5 hours on topics relating to screening for domestic violence and
2. At least 2 hours on topics relating to family law;
3. At least 2 hours relating to family relations and high conflict dynamics.

Candidates must have and provide proof of current professional liability insurance that applies to all FDR services provided by the applicant, with a minimum of $1,000,000 coverage per occurrence and $2,000,000 coverage in the aggregate.

FDRP-Arbs will report annually to the Committee confirming their compliance with the insurance and continuing education requirements.