Civil Division Programs

Arbitration

Arbitrators LCR 7-1.02 and Supreme Court Rule 87

List is open enrollment for new applicants and current members. The list is checked annually by the Arbitration Office to make sure current members are in good standing.

• All retired judges that are licensed to practice law in Illinois shall be eligible for appointment as approved arbitrators, as well as arbitration panel chairpersons, upon filing the appropriate application form(s) with the Arbitration Administrator.
• All attorneys licensed in Illinois who reside in, maintain offices in, or practice in the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit, shall be eligible for appointment as arbitrators after filing the appropriate application form with the Arbitration Administrator. Applicants must have engaged in the active practice of law for a minimum of two (2) years within the five years (5) immediately preceding the filing of the application and must attend arbitration training prior to approval as arbitrators by the Chief Judge or their designee.
• Chairperson qualifications: must be a member of the Illinois bar who has either been engaged in trial practice for at least five (5) years within the preceding ten (10) years of the filing of the application, has heard twenty (20) arbitration cases as part of an arbitration panel, or is a retired judge. Arbitrators must submit a separate application to the Arbitration Administrator for approval by the Chief Judge or their designee to serve as chairperson.
• For more information contact the ADR Center by emailing Arbitration@lakecountyil.gov.

Mediation Programs

Civil Mediator (bi-annual review EVEN numbered year) LCR 7-3.05

List opens for 2026-2028 enrollment in Spring 2026 for new applicants and current members. The next update is for the 2026-2028 list. 

• New applicants: provide proof of a 40-hour mediation course approved by the Chief Judge or be a retired judge, a member in good standing of the Illinois bar (ARDC letter or record from ARDC website) with at least eight years of practice or a retired judge, be of good moral character, submits an application that is approved by the Chief Judge or their designee, and provides satisfactory proof of professional liability insurance covering the mediation process
• Current/Renewing applicants: provide proof of an application, a letter of good standing from ARDC or information from ARDC website, and current declaration page of malpractice insurance to remain on the list
• For more information contact the Civil Judicial Assistant by emailing civilJA@lakecountyil.gov. 

Evictions Mediator (bi-annual review ODD numbered year) LCR 7-4.06

List opens for 2025-2027 enrollment in Fall 2025 for new applicants and current members. The next update is for the 2025-2027 list. 

• New applicants: provide proof of being a member in good standing of the Illinois bar (ARDC letter or record from ARDC website) with at least eight years of practice or a retired judge, submits an application that is approved by the Chief Judge or their designee, completes a basic training to act as an Eviction Mediator (the basic training may be conducted by one of the mediators already approved pursuant to the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit Local Rules for Civil, Family or Probate Mediators) and provides satisfactory proof of professional liability insurance covering the mediation process to the Coordinator
• Current/Renewing applicants: provide proof of an application, a letter of good standing from ARDC or information from ARDC website, and current declaration page of malpractice insurance to remain on the list.
• For more information contact the ADR Center by emailing Evictions@lakecountyil.gov.

Mortgage Foreclosure Mediator (bi-annual review ODD numbered year) LCR 7-2.12

List opens for 2025-2027 enrollment in Fall 2025 for new applicants and current members. The next update is for the 2025-2027 list. The letter with requirements to enroll for the 2025-2027 list is here(PDF). 

• New applicants: provide proof of completion of a 40-hour civil mediation course and a mortgage foreclosure mediation training program approved by the Chief Judge or is a retired judge, a member in good standing of the Illinois bar or a retired judge or a certified public accountant or a licensed real estate broker, submits an application that is approved by the Chief Judge or their designee, and provides satisfactory proof of professional liability insurance covering the mediation process to the Chief Judge or their designee
• Current/Renewing applicants: provide proof of an application, a letter of good standing from ARDC or information from ARDC website, and current declaration page of malpractice insurance to remain on the list.
• For more information contact the Mortgage Foreclosure Judicial Assistant by emailing mortgageforeclosuremediationprogram@lakecountyil.gov.

Probate Mediator (bi-annual review EVEN numbered year) LCR 5-3.27 

List opens for 2026-2028 enrollment in Fall 2026 for new applicants and current members. The next update is for the 2026-2028 list. 

• New applicants: provide proof of being a member in good standing of the Illinois bar (ARDC letter or record from ARDC website) with at least eight years of practice or a retired judge, submits an application that is approved by the Chief Judge or their designee, completes a basic training to act as an Eviction Mediator (the basic training may be conducted by one of the mediators already approved pursuant to the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit Local Rules for Civil, Family or Probate Mediators) and provides satisfactory proof of professional liability insurance covering the mediation process to the Coordinator
• Current/Renewing applicants: provide proof of an application, a letter of good standing from ARDC or information from ARDC website, and current declaration page of malpractice insurance to remain on the list
• For more information contact the Civil Judicial Assistant by emailing civilJA@lakecountyil.gov. 

Small Claims Mediator (bi-annual review EVEN numbered year) LCR 3-1.08

List opens for 2026-2028 enrollment in Fall 2026 for new applicants and current members. The next update is for the 2026-2028 list. 

• Mediators approved pursuant to the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit Local Rules for Civil, Family or Probate Mediators are qualified to serve as Small Claims Mediators and shall be automatically included on the approved list
• New applicants: volunteer must be a member of the Lake County Bar Association, must have completed basic training to act
  as a Small Claims Mediator (the basic training may be conducted by one of the mediators already approved pursuant to the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit Local Rules for Civil, Family or Probate Mediators), and must submit an application that is approved by the Chief Judge or their designee
• Current/Renewing applicants: provide proof of an application, a letter of good standing from ARDC or information from ARDC website, and current declaration page of malpractice insurance to remain on the list
• For more information contact the ADR Center by emailing Arbitration@lakecountyil.gov. 

Guardian Ad Litem Program 

Probate Guardian Ad Litem (bi-annual review ODD numbered year) LCR 5-3.28

List opens for 2027-2029 enrollment in early Spring 2027 for new applicants and current members. The current list is for the 2025-2027 calendar year.

• New applicants: provide an application that is approved by the Chief Judge or their designee, proof of completion of Probate Guardian Ad Litem training seminar approved by the Chief Judge of the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit, a member in good standing of the Illinois bar (ARDC letter or record from ARDC website), is of good moral character, and provides current declaration page of malpractice insurance (with satisfactory coverage for liability in the representation of Minors and Disabled Persons)
• Current/Renewing applicants: submits an application that is approved by the Chief Judge or their designee, proof of 7 hours continuing education (CLE's) in the past two years on topics pertaining to probate and guardianships (LCR 5-3.28, Section C, Line 5), a letter of good standing from ARDC or information from ARDC website, and current declaration page of malpractice insurance (with satisfactory coverage for liability in the representation of Minors and Disabled Persons) to remain on the list
• The letter with requirements to enroll for the 2025-2027 list is here(PDF). For more information contact the Civil Judicial Assistant by emailing civilJA@lakecountyil.gov.