Originally from:

AAA Handbook on Mediation - Third Edition

HOW MEDIATORS CAN OBTAIN PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION AND THEREBY 
ELEVATE THEIR PROFESSION:
A LOOK AT THE IMI VOLUNTARY CREDENTIALING PROGRAM

Judith P. Meyer and Irena Vanenkova*

I. Introduction
In many U.S. states, egg-graders, well-diggers, farriers, plumbers, midwives, manicurists, barbers and hairdressers must be licensed.  Notaries public, doctors, lawyers, ministers and accountants must be licensed in every state.  Licensing requirements are generally imposed in order to ensure that the practitioners of the licensed professions meet a certain level of competence, making them less likely to harm the public.   Mediation, however, is not one of the licensed professions.