
Carole Katz


Carole Katz Alternative Dispute Resolution
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6448 Melissa Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
USA
4129164874
Fax: 1.412.774.2641
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Description of Practice

Carole practices exclusively as a neutral mediator, arbitrator and case evaluator. As a mediator, she leverages decades of trial, litigation, and executive business experience to actively and persistently help parties and their counsel reach their dispute resolution goals (see Carole's attached CV for detailed information about her experience). She is an approved mediator of the AAA, FINRA (the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority), the US District Court for the Western District of PA, the US Bankruptcy Court, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and also provides her services privately. Carole provides mediation services in virtually every kind of business dispute, including: Employment cases (for example, discrimination, wage and hour, wrongful discharge, breach of restrictive covenant); Employee vs. independent contractor issues; Commercial disputes involving allegations of breach of contract, breach of professional or fiduciary duty, business torts, and related statutory claims; and professional liability matters.
Professional Background
Mediation/Arbitration Experience. Carole has mediated and arbitrated hundreds of cases and, since 2012, has devoted herself exclusively to working as a neutral mediator, arbitrator and case evaluator.
Business Executive Experience. As Vice President of Litigation for FedEx Ground from 2006-2012, Carole was responsible for all of the company’s litigation and risk management. She developed litigation and negotiation strategies, and led negotiations in complex cases that carried significant financial implications.
Litigation Experience. For more than 20 years before joining FedEx Ground, Carole handled a wide variety of employment-related cases as a partner in two of the largest international law firms. She headed the Pittsburgh Labor and Employment Group at Morgan Lewis from 2002-2006, leading her team to successful outcomes in trials and settlements. From 1985-2002, Carole obtained successful results at Reed Smith through settlements, trials, summary judgments, and appellate arguments
Experience
Carole has mediated and arbitrated hundreds of cases and, since 2012, has served exclusively as a neutral Mediator, Arbitrator and Case Evaluator.
Degrees
Carole received her law degree from Columbia University in 1985. She graduated from Kenyon College in 1981 (Phi Beta Kappa, Summa Cum Laude, Honors). She completed the Harvard Negotiation Institute’s Mediating Disputes program, the Strauss Institute for Dispute Resolution's course on Advanced Mediation: Skills and Techniques, and The Center for Dispute Settlement's Advanced Mediation Techniques. She also has led many panels and seminars on mediation. Carole formally trained as an arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association and FINRA through classes on, for example: arbitration basics and fundamentals, arbitration best practices, award writing, and FINRA expungement rules.
Training
Dates | Trainer(s) | Title |
Fall 2012 | Harvard NegRobert Mnookin, Gary Friedman, and David Hoffman | Harvard Negotiation Institute’s Mediating Disputes; over 40 hours |
Fall 2013 | American Arbitration Association | Arbitration Best Practices & Fundamentals |
Winter 2013-14 | American Arbitration Association | Safeguarding, Deciding & Writing Awards |
Winter 2013-14 | FINRA | Arbitrator Panel Training |
May 2015 | The Center for Dispute Settlement | Advanced Mediation Techniques |
April 2015 | American Arbitration Association | Dispositive Motions in Arbitration: Best Practices |
July 2015 | Mediation Inc. | Advanced Mediation seminar |
November 2015 | Mediation Council of W. PA | Advanced Mediation Workshop |
June 2017 | Strauss Institute for Dispute Resolution | Advanced Mediation |
Approach
Carole brings to her work as a neutral the same core values that led to her successful career as a partner in two major law firms and a business executive: hard work, integrity, and a commitment to excellence in solving problems through communication, collaboration, understanding, persistence and creativity. She respects parties’ autonomy to make decisions that affect their lives and businesses, but tenaciously works to help and support them in reaching their goals and interests and, when the parties wish, she offers her perceptions, assessments, and views.
Fees
For mediations outside of the Western Pennsylvania area, Carole charges a flat rate plus reasonable travel expenses. There are no additional charges for preparation or travel time. For additional work after the mediation session done remotely, Carole charges on an hourly basis. For Pittsburgh mediations, Carole works on an hourly basis ($500/hour for class/collective actions, $400/hour for other cases) or, if the parties prefer, a fixed daily rate based on the scope of work. All fees and expenses are generally split evenly by the parties, unless they agree otherwise.
Areas of Practice
- ADA
- Business
- Civil (general)
- Commercial
- Contracts
- Education
- EEOC
- Employment
- Energy
- Insurance
- Labor - Management
- Legal Malpractice
- Medical Malpractice
- Personal Injury
- School/Education
- Sexual Harrassment
- Workplace
Professional Services
- Mediator
- Mediating Lawyer
- Arbitrator
- Mediator-Arbitrator
- Mediation Consultant
- Mediation Trainer
References available upon request.
This dispute resolution professional keeps professional liability insurance.
Attachments
