Karen Brown ACII Chartered Insurance Broker is a qualified mediator General Information Karen J Brown An experienced negotiator, Karen has spent most of her working life in a commercial insurance broker role, she is an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute and Chartered Insurance Broker, her experience with owner business managers, national and multi-national companies mean she can communicate at all levels. Spending more than 20 years engaged in the negotiation of claims settlements, her experience in negligence, collateral warranty, tax disputes, trustee disagreements, contract wordings, policy wording disputes and negligence issues make her ideally suited to mediate in a wide variety of civil/commercial cases including contractual, property, business and financial but particularly insurance. Karen was the inaugural recipient of the title “Chartered Insurance Broker of the year” in 2010 for service to clients, respect in the market and the wider community having represented insurance broking in a positive and professional manner. A commercial negotiator, she has worked in the insurance industry for more than 35 years, within Company, Banking, Lloyds, International, National and Local Broking environment and has specialised in matters involving negligence. Karen is particularly experienced in matters involving tax and accountant negligence. She is a pragmatic negotiator, conversant with the business world having run her own company alongside working full time, she is also a volunteer in the third sector, a trustee, a school governor and involved with her church. Trained to listen, respect, communicate, her natural style allows her to approach negotiations with an open mind. Karen has worked with the legal profession, representing them in disputes and at mediation as well as appointing legal counsel on matters in dispute. Whilst familiar with legal process, mediation is not about judgement or adjudication, respect for the law, confidentiality, a pragmatic position on cost and the desire to reach an agreement is why one enters the mediation process. As a broker, you find out what each party wants, and help them reach an agreement, whether in the sourcing of appropriate insurance protection or in settling an insurance claim. Known for her problem solving/trouble shooting skills in previous roles these are all exactly the sort of attributes that are required to help parties come to agreement in the mediation process. A passion for education,Karen works closely with the Insurance Institute on professional training, she has also worked with primary, secondary and 6th form colleges. Karen holds a number of trustee positions and is also a director of St Mary Redcliffe Church Lands Trust and is appointed by the Lord Chancellor to assess and interview suitable applicants for the Magistracy to the Lord Chancellor and is in training with the Church of England for Lay Ministry.