Our Practice

Located in Mesquite, TX, American Mediation Services was established in 2006 as a North Texas conflict resolution practice focused on community-based mediation and conflict resolution training.  AMS has established a network with mediators, facilitators, arbitrators, attorneys, licensed professional counselors, faith-based counselors and certified financial planners.  Through this network, American Mediation Services is able to offer you, as our client, a full range of services that allows for complete and final resolution to a dispute or conflict.

Often, once a mediation is settled, there still remains loose ends to be tied up.  These may be related to personal finances, life or health insurance, taxes, property, investments, 401k, or legal documents that need to be drafted or there may even be a need for someone to talk to for emotional healing.  With a conventional mediation practice, you're provided with a mediated settlement agreement (MSA) that details the outcome or resolution of the mediation and then you're left with figuring out what to do next... do you take it to court or to an attorney?  Are there additional documents that need to go with the MSA to satisfy the requirements of the court?  With AMS' network, you will never have to worry that these questions will go unanswered.  We will always provide you with a referral to a qualified, trusted professional who also believes in providing quality, affordable services to those with needs.

Marc Lilly

As a state recognized mediator, conflict management specialist, facilitator, trainer and educator, Marc is passionate about conflict management and about helping others find resolution to their disputes.  This passion spills over into encouraging and teaching others how to be better communicators, mediators and negotiators so they're empowered to resolve their own disputes.  Marc has dedicated a great deal of time to performing pro-bono mediations as well as to church facilitations, congregational disputes and faith-based marriage reconciliations.

Marc has mediated hundreds of hours of cases and has over 400 hours of formal mediation-related education.  His education includes:

2006:

• Basic Mediation Training - El Centro College, Dallas, TX
• Family Mediation Training / Divorce Mediation Training - El Centro College, Dallas, TX

2007:

• Introduction to Conflict Dynamics - El Centro College, Dallas, TX
• Impact of Culture and Gender on the Negotiation and Mediation Process: Practical Tips for Mediators - Nina Meierding, Adjunct Professor at Pepperdine University, in conjuction with the Association for Conflict Resolution, Phoenix, AZ
• Build Your Dream Practice: Create Marketing and Business Plan to Attract All the Clients You Need - Kristina Haymes, JD, Attorney and Mediator, in conjunction with the Association for Conflict Resolution, Phoenix, AZ
• Getting Down to e-Business: Using ADR Mechanisms to Expedite the Resolution Process - Charles Brofman, Online Settlement Expert and President of Cybersettle, Inc., in conjunction with the Association for Conflict Resolution, Phoenix, AZ
• Forgiveness: Moving from Conflict to Peace - Eileen Barker, Expert Family and Employment Mediation Specialist, in conjunction with the Association for Conflict Resolution, Phoenix, AZ
• Inviting Resolution With Empathy - Jan Blum & Emily Gould, in conjunction with the Association for Conflict Resolution, Phoenix, AZ
• Standards for School-Based Peer Mediation Programs - Marsha Blakeway, MSCM, Adjunct Projessor at George Mason University, in conjunction with the Association for Conflict Resolution, Phoenix, AZ
• Marital Mediation: Transformative Mediation Works for Couples and Families Wanting to Stay Together -Louise Phipps Senft, Family Attorney and Master Transformative Mediator, & Nancy Good Sider, MSW, in conjunction with the Association for Conflict Resolution, Phoenix, AZ

2008:

• Cross-Cultural Dispute Resolution - El Centro College, Dallas, TX
• Introduction to Negotiations - El Centro College, Dallas, TX
• Alternative Dispute Resolution Practicum - El Centro College in conjunction with Dispute Mediation Services, Dallas, TX
• Advanced Mediation - El Centro College, Dallas, TX
• Advanced Conflict Management - El Centro College, Dallas, TX
• TDPRS/CPS/CJA Mediation Certification - Bob Hughes & Tracy Leissner in conjunction with El Centro College, Dallas, TX

2009:

• Ethics for Conflict Management - El Centro College, Dallas, TX
• Conflict Management Specialist Certificate - Conflict Management Dispute Resolution Program - El Centro College, Dallas, TX