The most prevalent structure for alternative dispute resolution, the neighborhood justice center, is discussed, and the directions in which mediation is headed in the 1980's are considered. Attention is focused on what mediators can learn from each other and the need for them to be persuasive, knowledgeable about labor relations, flexible, and empathetic. The San Francisco Community Boards Program, developed in late 1976 and presently serving more than 220,000 people in 22 diverse neighborhoods, is highlighted. The relationship of mediation to the justice system is considered, and the importance of educating judges, police officers, and prosecuting attorneys about alternative dispute resolution is emphasized. Additionally, the question of whether mediators should operate professionally or should allow mediation to become a profession is addressed, and the numerous disadvantages of allowing it to become a profession are explored. The skills and knowledge required to approach dispute resolution with sensitivity and knowledge are identified. The advantages of mediation, including its simplicity, are delineated; mediators are warned that mediation may lose these qualities if it is certified. Finally, the remarks of James Malone, Vice President for Administrative Affairs at John Jay College, are included.