The following is not meant to be legal advice.
In most states, there is no particular education or certification requirement to become an arbitrator or mediator. Mediators need to know dispute resolution strategies. This can be gained from taking courses on communication and people skills. The mediator does not need to know the subject of the dispute.
The arbitrator may be required to be a neutral or academic in order to be a full time arbitrator in some states or subjects. For instance, arbitrators for labor unions are usually not advocates. However, there are many instances where attorneys having law practices and act as arbitrators at the same time. The arbitrator cannot have a stake in the dispute. He/she cannot represent the employer or the employee.
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