Fall Conference

The VMN 2026 Fall Conference

The Virginia Mediation Network will hold our 2026 Fall Conference in-person on September 25 and 26 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Virginia Beach in Virginia Beach and virtually through our conference app on September 28 - October 2. Our theme is “Looking Forward, Together: Navigating the Future of Dispute Resolution.”

Mediators, attorneys, and other conflict resolution professionals from across Virginia and beyond are invited to join us for a week of in-person and virtual learning, networking, and inspiration. This year’s conference will offer engaging ethics discussions, practical skill-building workshops, and specialized sessions tailored to both new and experienced practitioners.

Hotel Reservations Are Now Open

Conference registration will open this summer, but you can reserve your room now!

We’ve secured a special conference rate of $119/night + taxes with $6 parking at the conference hotel. This rate is available September 23–27, making it easy to extend your stay.

Our conference coincides with the Virginia Beach Neptune Festival (September 25–27, 2026)—a great opportunity to enjoy the area while you’re there.

How to Book:

Call the hotel and reference Virginia Mediation Network or code 92U at (757) 422-8900 or make a reservation for Friday, September 25 only by using this link
To extend your stay for up to 2 nights before or after September 25, contact the hotel’s reservation manager, Madison Wilson, directly at (757) 437-2021.

Important: Book by August 27 to receive the conference rate (subject to availability).

Not a VMN Member? Join VMN to receive discounted rates for the conference and VMN webinars!

Accepting Proposals through April 30

Session Formats & Credit Eligibility

All accepted sessions must be suitable for Continuing Mediation Education (CME) and/or Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE).

Presenters will be offered one of the following: a $100 discount on conference registration fees; a $100 honorarium; or recognition as a sponsor of the conference (includes name/ company on virtual event homepage & on VMN website throughout conference).

Delivery format:

In-Person: interactive, hands-on, role-play, discussion-rich
Virtual: lecture-style, subject-matter deep dives, screen-sharing, tech-supported learning

Session lengths:

CME-eligible sessions: 1 hour, 1.5 hours, 2 hours
MCLE-eligible sessions (Virginia Bar): 1 hour, 2 hours (Note: 1.5-hour sessions are only eligible for 1-hour of MCLE credit)

Presentation formats may include:

Individual presenters
Co-presenters (duos)
Panels
Interactive workshops

All formats are welcome, provided the session content is structured to meet CME and/or MCLE requirements, including clear learning objectives and substantive educational content.

Possible Session Topics

These ideas are to spark imagination and are not a restrictive list. Additional ideas are provided below.

Family and Circuit Court Practice (divorce-focused)

Parenting plan development workshops
Retirement and pension division, including military and federal benefits
Navigating pro se parties and court paperwork
Tax and financial considerations in divorce mediation
Complex case simulations and drills

Technology, AI, and Online Practice

AI prompt development and hands-on practice
Online dispute resolution (ODR) and hybrid mediation scenarios
Evaluating AI-generated summaries and draft agreements
Platform training (Zoom, WebEx, Google Meet advanced features)
AI ethics, confidentiality, and professional responsibility

Skills, Strategies, and Process Design

High-conflict mediation techniques and role-play
Agreement drafting workshops
Pre-mediation coaching strategies
Reframing, summarizing, and sequencing practice
Multi-party negotiation and process design exercises
Dispute systems design and institutional ADR (courts, agencies, universities, schools, and organizations)

Submission Requirements – complete the fillable PDF Proposal Form and ADR2001 form (including any items requested in the ADR2001) and return by April 30, 2026.

We request the following information:

Presenter name(s) and affiliation(s)
Session title
Session length (1 hr, 1.5 hrs, or 2 hrs)
CME and/or MCLE eligibility (select one or both)
Ethics or Non-Ethics
Intended target audience (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, All Levels)
Availability for: In-Person, Virtual, Both (sessions may be proposed as workshops, practice labs, or lecture-style deep dives—more technical or subject matter-focused content may be especially appropriate for the virtual week)
Brief session description (150–250 words)
3–5 learning objectives
Brief bio(s)

The conference proposal deadline is Thursday, April 30. Please submit the fillable form or submit the information above in an email or Word doc along with your ADR2001 form to: virginiamediationnetwork@gmail.com

Note: Fillable pdfs need to be downloaded and opened using Adobe in order for the text boxes to work correctly. They will not work from a web browser.

We look forward to your submission!

Sponsor Our 2026 Conference!

More details will be posted in the near future, but if you are interested in sponsoring our 2026 conference, please reach out to us at virginiamediationnetwork@gmail.com

Thank You to Our 2025 Sponsors!

Disclaimer as to Presentations and Materials at VMN Conference: While the Virginia Mediation Network strives to make the information presented at our conference as informative, neutral, accurate and timely as possible, VMN makes no endorsement of, promises about, guarantees or opinions related to the accuracy, adequacy or protected ownership of the contents of the presentations. Any opinions expressed by a presenter, whether or not a member of VMN, shall not be considered the opinion of the organization itself. Reference to any specific commercial product, process or service, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the attendees, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the Virginia Mediation Network.

The Virginia Mediation Network is a 501(c)6 non-profit organization.

Disclaimer of Liability and Endorsement: While the Virginia Mediation Network strives to make the information on this website as informative, neutral, accurate and timely as possible, VMN makes no endorsement of, promises about, guarantees or opinions related to the accuracy or adequacy of the contents of the third-party seminars. VMN expressly disclaims any liability for the content of said presentations. Any opinions expressed by third-party presenters, whether members of VMN or not, are not expressed as the opinion of the organization itself. Reference on this website to any specific commercial product, process or service, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the Virginia Mediation Network.

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