Steve Erickson is one of the early practitioners applying mediation to divorce conflict. He co-founded the Academy of Family Mediators in 1981 and served as its second president. For more than 40 years, he has been a trainer, author, and professional family mediator in Minneapolis.Erickson pioneered creative re-framing techniques in family mediation, including the use of parenting plans instead of custody arrangements and the concept of a joint checkbook for shared children’s costs. He chairs the Standards of Practice and Ethics Committee of the Academy of Professional Family Mediators.He has worked to pass legislation in Minnesota enabling divorcing couples to opt out of the court system, advancing the role of mediation as a primary dispute resolution method.