Mediation Works

What Mediation Works does

Mediation Works (MWI) is a Boston-based dispute resolution firm founded in 1994 by Chuck Doran that provides organizational ombuds, mediation, negotiation training, and dispute management system design services to corporations, universities, and government agencies. The company's core methodology is grounded in the Harvard Negotiation Project's "Getting To Yes" framework, with Chuck Doran having completed Harvard Law School's Program on Negotiation in 1993 and served as a teaching assistant to Professor Roger Fisher. MWI maintains SOC2 Type2 compliance for its ombuds program and adheres to International Ombuds Association (IOA) Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics, enabling it to serve enterprise and government clients requiring confidential and secure dispute resolution infrastructure.

MWI's service portfolio spans three categories: dispute management services (Organizational Ombuds, Conference Ombuds, Mediation Services, Meeting Facilitation, and Dispute System Design), training workshops (Negotiation Skills, Difficult Conversations, Influence Without Authority, and Collaborative Communication), and mediation training programs (40-Hour Weekday Training, Refresher courses, Eviction Mediation Training, and Mediator Roundtables). The company operates on a professional services and managed services revenue model, contracting annual outsourced ombuds engagements with dedicated professionals assigned to client organizations, alongside fee-based open-enrollment and custom onsite training. Distribution is primarily through direct enterprise field sales, supplemented by direct-to-consumer training enrollment and a volunteer Court Mediation Panel serving 14 Greater Boston courts.

MWI's enterprise client base includes General Motors, BMW North America, Coca-Cola, Bose Corporation, CVS Health, Analog Devices, KPMG, 7-Eleven, the United States Postal Service, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The firm operates with a core team of 1-10 employees supplemented by an outsourced panel of ombuds professionals and 40-50 active volunteer mediators supporting the court mediation program. Founder Chuck Doran leads as Executive Director and remains active as a mediator and trainer, with Josh Hoch serving as Director of Ombuds & Mediation Services since 2021.

Name

Mediation Works

Legal name

Mediation Works

Website

https://mwi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Mediation Works is a Boston-based dispute resolution firm founded in 1994 that provides organizational ombuds, mediation, negotiation training, and dispute system design to corporations, universities, and government agencies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dispute Resolution and Mediation Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Human Resources Consulting Services (541612)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Litigation & Dispute Resolution (BPAHAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Mediation, Negotiation Support & Peace Processes (BPADAFAC)

Keywords

• Dispute resolution services
• Organizational ombuds
• Mediation training
• Negotiation consulting
• Workplace conflict management

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel

Revenue model

1. Mediation Services: Professional mediation services provided to corporations, institutions, and individuals to resolve disputes quickly, efficiently, and economically. Features seasoned mediators and exceptional case management.
2. Professional Training Programs: Fee-based training programs including 40-hour weekday mediation training, refresher courses, eviction mediation training, and custom onsite programs for corporate clients.
3. Organizational Ombuds Services: Outsourced ombuds services contracted to companies and universities, providing independent ombuds professionals to serve their workforce.
4. Negotiation Skills Workshops: Interactive workshops based on Harvard Negotiation Project principles offered as both custom in-house and open-enrollment programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Mediation Works (MWI) provides professional dispute resolution services including organizational ombuds, conference ombuds, mediation, meeting facilitation, and dispute management system design for corporations, universities, and government agencies. The firm also delivers negotiation skills workshops and a portfolio of mediation training programs (40-hour foundational, refresher, eviction mediation, custom onsite) based on the Harvard Negotiation Project methodology, along with volunteer court mediation and mentorship programs.

Product overview

Mediation Works (MWI) is a dispute resolution firm offering a portfolio of services organized into three main categories: Dispute Management Services (Organizational Ombuds, Conference Ombuds, and Mediation Services), Trainings & Workshops (Negotiation Skills, Difficult Conversations, Influence Without Authority, Collaborative Communication), and Mediation Training Programs (Forty-Hour Weekday Training, Refresher, Eviction Mediation, Mediator Roundtables, and Custom Onsite Training). The company also operates two volunteer programs: the Court Mediation Panel for small claims and civil matters, and the Mediation Mentorship Program for post-training skill development. These offerings work together as an integrated ecosystem supporting organizations and individuals at every stage of conflict resolution, from prevention through mediation and professional development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Organizational Ombuds Services Provides companies and universities with an independent, informal, impartial, and confidential resource to help employees, faculty, staff, and students raise and resolve issues while providing anonymized upward feedback to leadership. Services adhere to IOA Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics and are SOC2 Type2 compliant.
• Conference Ombuds Services Provides professional associations and conferences with an independent, confidential ombuds presence to help attendees raise concerns early and ensure a safe, supportive event experience.
• Mediation Services Professional mediation services designed to resolve disputes quickly, efficiently, and economically, delivered by a panel of seasoned neutrals from across the country with exceptional case-management services for corporations, institutions, and individuals.
• Meeting Facilitation Services Professional and neutral meeting facilitation services for meetings, retreats, and conferences that are expected to be contentious or complex.
• Dispute Management System Design Custom-designed dispute management systems for large companies to help employees resolve disputes systematically and efficiently, including mediation panels and arbitration programs.
• Ombuds Consulting & Support Consulting and support services to help organizations design, build, and operate internal ombuds programs, leveraging MWI's decades of experience running outsourced ombuds panels.
• Negotiation Skills Workshops Interactive workshops based on Harvard Negotiation Project principles and the bestseller 'Getting To Yes,' offered as both custom in-house and open-enrollment programs, designed to build collaborative negotiation skills.
• Difficult Conversations Workshop Training program focused on developing skills to navigate challenging workplace conversations effectively.
• Influence Without Authority Workshop Workshop equipping participants to lead teams, resolve issues, and achieve project goals collaboratively without formal authority, using tools like relationship mapping.
• Collaborative Communication Training Training program that hones collaborative communication skills essential for career success, based on principles developed at the Harvard Negotiation Project.
• Forty-Hour Weekday Mediation Training Foundational 40-hour weekday mediation training program, a leader in professional mediation training since 1994, with opportunities for participants to mediate real cases following successful completion.
• Mediation Skills Refresher Program Eight-hour advanced mediation training program designed to refresh, recharge, and prepare mediators to facilitate the mediation process effectively, with a focus on dealing with challenging behaviors and overcoming barriers to agreement.
• Housing and Eviction Mediation Training Advanced mediation training for mediators interested in helping tenants and landlords resolve housing and eviction disputes, focusing on special considerations mediators face in eviction cases. Free for those committing to 12-month volunteer service with the MWI court panel.
• MWI Mediator Roundtables Monthly professional development workshops with rotating topics and presenters offering continuing education and networking opportunities for mediators and ADR practitioners.
• Custom Onsite Mediation Training Customized in-house mediation training programs for companies and institutions, delivered through lectures, demonstrations, interactive exercises, supervised role-plays, and group discussions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Trained over 950 employees at Coca-Cola in dispute resolution and communication skills, educated over 1700 additional employees through briefings
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• Coca-Cola EnterprisesmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2004Trained over 950 Coca-Cola employees in dispute resolution and communication skills and educated over 1700 employees through briefings across multiple states (Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, New York, Vermont).
• Harvard Law School Program on NegotiationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Chuck Doran completed a Specialization in Negotiation and Dispute Resolution at Harvard Law School's Program on Negotiation in 1993 and has served as a teaching assistant on multiple occasions with Professor Roger Fisher at Harvard Law School's Program of Instruction for Lawyers Negotiation Workshop. MWI training programs are based on principles developed at the Harvard Negotiation Project.
• Massachusetts Trial CourtmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMWI manages a panel of 100+ volunteer neutrals who facilitate pre-trial mediations in 14 Greater Boston's District and Municipal Courts. MWI conducts training for court staff including conciliation training, mediation training, and harassment prevention mediation training.
• Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts UniversitycoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMWI provides mediation training at the Fletcher School, with trainers serving as coaches and instructors for the mediation practicum program since 2008.
• Boston College Law SchoolcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMWI trainers serve as faculty and coaches for mediation courses at Boston College Law School since 2006, providing training and supervision for law students.
• Suffolk University Law SchoolcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMWI trainers serve as faculty and coaches for mediation courses at Suffolk University Law School since 2006, providing training and guest lectures on representing clients in mediation.
• Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChuck Doran is a member of the EEOC's panel of mediators for workplace and employment disputes. MWI provides contract workplace and employment mediation services through the EEOC.
• Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChuck Doran is a member of MCAD's mediation panel for discrimination and employment matters.
• United States Postal Service REDRESS ProgrammajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChuck Doran serves on the USPS REDRESS I and REDRESS II Mediation Panels, providing contract mediation services for federal discrimination, termination, and workplace matters.
• CPR Dispute Resolution Panel of Distinguished NeutralscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChuck Doran is a member of the CPR Dispute Resolution Panel of Distinguished Neutrals, a prestigious panel of professional mediators.
• National Academy of Distinguished NeutralscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChuck Doran is a member of the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals, a professional association of mediators.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• JAMS: Largest private ADR provider in the US, offering mediation, arbitration, and dispute resolution services across practice areas directly comparable to MWI's mediation and arbitration services, though at significantly larger scale.
• Ombuds Group: Specialist provider of organizational ombuds services to corporations and universities — the closest direct competitor to MWI's flagship Organizational Ombuds offering.
• Consensus Building Institute: Cambridge-based non-profit specializing in negotiation, mediation, and stakeholder consultation, with deep ties to the Harvard Negotiation Project — directly comparable to MWI's negotiation training and multi-party mediation services.
• CDR Associates: Boulder-based mediation and conflict resolution firm providing multi-party dispute resolution, facilitation, and training — directly comparable to MWI's corporate, environmental, and public-policy mediation work.
• RESOLVE: Non-profit dispute resolution organization providing mediation, facilitation, and training across public-policy and environmental disputes; comparable in mission orientation and training programs to MWI.

Broad incumbents

• American Arbitration Association: Long-established non-profit ADR organization offering arbitration, mediation, and conflict resolution services nationally; overlaps with MWI on mediation and ombuds-adjacent services but operates as a much broader institution.

Emerging players

• ADR Vantage: Boutique ADR and mediation services provider focused on employment and workplace disputes — overlapping with MWI's employment and workplace mediation work but at smaller scale.

Others

• International Ombudsman Association: Professional association for ombuds practitioners that sets standards and credentials; an ecosystem participant rather than competitor, but central to MWI's positioning through IOA Standards of Practice adherence.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mwiinfo
• Facebookfacebook.com/mwi.org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/446485

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mediation Works