National firm Defendant lawyer, 2026

“In my experience, Karen is one of the most effective and hard-working mediators I have come across.

Karen was engaged as the mediator in a multi-party property damage building dispute where we acted for one of six defendants. The claim was factually complex, with a long history that was difficult to detangle. The plaintiff had pleaded several causes of action, including in conspiracy, trespass and under the ACL. The pleadings were lengthy, the evidence vast. Given the legal and factual complexities, liability and quantum were passionately contested. This was a matter that no one expected to settle.

Karen put in significant amounts of effort prior to the mediation, with individual phone calls to each party to truly understand their positions before the mediation began. On the day of the mediation, she was highly involved and listened closely to each party. She untangled the issues and laid them bare before the parties, suggesting areas where agreement may be reached without any bias or preference for one of the seven parties’ position. The effect was that the parties began to soften and see areas for compromise, without giving up their individual positions. By the end of the day, the plaintiff had come down to a reasonable offer. While the defendants continued to fight against each other regarding who would pay what, there was light at the end of the tunnel.

The matter did not settle on the day of the mediation, but Karen continued to work with the parties for weeks after the in-person mediation had occurred. She acted as an effective intermediary between the parties to resolve all the issues that stood in the way of settlement.

Primarily due to Karen’s hard work and involvement, the matter resolved on terms that all the parties were happy with. I highly doubt the matter would have resolved without Karen’s involvement. In my experience, any other mediator would have written the matter off as too hard with the parties being too far apart. Based on that single matter I have put Karen forward on each occasion I have been asked for recommendations for a mediator.”