Which statement about the role of a conciliator is correct?

• A. They must always be legally trained lawyers.
• B. They may advise parties and act as an umpire in some cases.
• C. They can never propose solutions.
• D. They replace the need for any agreement by the parties.

Answer: (B)

A conciliator’s role is to help parties reach a settlement by guiding discussion, clarifying issues, and offering neutral input. They can propose settlement options to move negotiations forward. In some arrangements, a mediator can also serve as the decision-maker if negotiations fail—this med-arb setup means the conciliator may act as an umpire to resolve the dispute. That’s why this statement fits: advising parties is a common part of their job, and stepping into an arbitrator-like role in certain cases is possible. It’s not required that they are legally trained, and their job isn’t to replace the need for agreement with a binding decision unless the process specifically includes that next step.