Community Justice Institute, Inc. Certification

Think Like a Lawyer Fight Like a Lover® Transformative Mediation Certification

Bridging legal rigor and therapeutic insight for working-class families in custody disputes. A 2-day in-person intensive plus a 12-week supervised practicum for licensed therapists, social workers, psychologists and family law attorneys.

Feb 20–21, 2027Roswell, Georgia48 Credentialed HoursCapped at 24 Seats

Early Bird tuition $1,495 through January 15, 2027

Moving Beyond Adversarial Family Courts

When working-class parents face high-stakes custody disputes, retaining a private Guardian ad Litem or custody evaluator is often financially impossible. Vulnerable children are left caught in bitter legal gridlock.

The Community Justice Institute offers a proven alternative: training mental health clinicians and legal advocates in the transformative framework of Think Like a Lawyer Fight Like a Lover®.

You will learn to guide disputing parents out of courtroom warfare and into kitchen-table conflict resolution, structuring durable, child-centered agreements built on universal Best Interest of the Child standards.

Moving Beyond Adversarial Family Courts

When working-class parents face high-stakes custody disputes, retaining a private Guardian ad Litem or custody evaluator is often financially impossible. Vulnerable children are left caught in bitter legal gridlock.

The Community Justice Institute offers a proven alternative: training mental health clinicians and legal advocates in the transformative framework of Think Like a Lawyer Fight Like a Lover®.

You will learn to guide disputing parents out of courtroom warfare and into kitchen-table conflict resolution, structuring durable, child-centered agreements built on universal Best Interest of the Child standards.

Register for the Cohort
Parents keeping their child at the center

48 Total Hours of Mastery

12 in-person intensive hours, 24 direct supervised service hours, and 12 live masterclass hours.

Day 1 · Sat, Feb 20 · 10–4 EST

Think Like a Lawyer

  • Civil dispute architecture, procedural neutrality and high-conflict caucuses
  • Sifting objective facts from emotional hyperbole with an evaluator's clinical lens
  • Drafting court-compliant MOUs without crossing into UPL
Day 2 · Sun, Feb 21 · 10–4 EST

Fight Like a Lover

  • Deconstructing Best Interest of the Child legal elements
  • The Build Your Case at Home model for parent self-audits and co-parenting logs
  • Coercive control and IPV screening, mandatory reporting and Consent Orders
Phase 2 · Mar 1 – May 23, 2027

12-Week Supervised Practicum

  • 2 hrs/week direct client service on live family matters under CJI's umbrella
  • 1 hr/week Wednesday masterclass, 8–9 PM EST via Zoom
  • Live case debriefs, impasse troubleshooting and peer consultation with senior faculty
Sherlyn Char Selassie
Curriculum Author

Learn from Sherlyn "Char" Selassie

With 16 years of family law experience, Char brings compassionate counsel and passionate protection for children to every case. Through private mediation and arbitration, she has helped families secure their legal rights while keeping the best interest of the child at the center.

A mother in a blended family, home school parent, author and leader in community legal education, Char makes the law relatable for everyday families, and now trains the next generation of transformative neutrals.

Turnkey Case Flow: CJI manages intake, income qualification, domestic violence pre-screening and signed mediation agreements. You focus on neutral facilitation, child-centered negotiation, drafting the final agreement and case closing notices.

Your Investment & Returns

Graduate as a Certified Transformative Family Neutral (CTFN) on CJI's contractor roster, where referral compensation can recoup your full tuition after your first contracted family matter.

Best Value

Early Bird

$1,495

Available through January 15, 2027

Full Program

Standard

$1,795

After January 15, 2027

Limited Seats

Nonprofit / Legal Aid

$995

Scholarship rate, application required

Tuition includes 12 hours of in-person training in Roswell, comprehensive training manuals, 12 weeks of clinical supervision, all 12 Wednesday live webinars, and CJI panel registration review. Ongoing annual CEUs are provided in exchange for nonprofit mediation service. Cohort strictly capped at 24 professionals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Only 24 Seats. Keep Children at the Center.

Join a cohort of clinicians and attorneys transforming how working-class families resolve custody conflict.

Who is eligible to register?
Licensed therapists (LPC, LMFT, LCSW), clinical social workers, psychologists, and family law attorneys.
Where and when is the in-person intensive?
Saturday, February 20 and Sunday, February 21, 2027, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM EST both days in Roswell, Georgia. The venue address is provided upon registration.
What is the weekly practicum commitment?
From March 1 to May 23, 2027, plan for 3 hours per week: 2 hours of direct supervised client service and a 1-hour Wednesday masterclass from 8:00 – 9:00 PM EST via Zoom.
Will I be practicing law as a mediator?
No. Day 1 specifically trains you to draft court-compliant Memoranda of Understanding while staying within neutral scope and avoiding the Unauthorized Practice of Law.
What happens after I graduate?
Graduates become Certified Transformative Family Neutrals (CTFN) registered with CJI and become eligible for contractor placements through CJI's referral network, plus ongoing annual CEUs through service exchange.
Who do I contact with questions?
Contact the Community Justice Institute Admissions Office at admissions@communityjusticeinstitute.org.