FLORIDA SUPREME COURT CERTIFIED CIRCUIT COURT MEDIATOR
& FLORIDA QUALIFIED ARBITRATOR

Karen is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Court Mediator, Florida Supreme Court Certified County Court Mediator and Florida Qualified Arbitrator who serves as the Vice Chair of the ADR section of the St. Petersburg Bar Association. Karen brings a unique perspective as a mediator and arbitrator as she has extensive trial, arbitration and mediation experience as a litigator. Most importantly, unlike many other mediators and arbitrators, she is still currently practicing throughout the State of Florida and understands the current trends in litigation and the pressure from the court system to resolve cases. As such, she understands the risks and costs involved in complex litigation and the unique role that mediators and arbitrators play to help litigants resolve their legal issues. Karen has handled cases throughout her legal career from both the plaintiff and defense perspective. Booking mediations and arbitrations with Karen is easy with her online calendar located at the bottom of the page.

ABOUT KAREN

Karen has been practicing law for over 22 years. She is originally from New York, however, she moved to Florida to attend the University of South Florida, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. She then attended Stetson University College of Law where she received both a Juris Doctorate degree and a Master of Business Administration degree in 2001.

Karen began her legal career as an Assistant State Attorney at the Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office in Tampa, Florida. She worked as a prosecutor for over 15 years, where she advocated for the rights of hundreds of victims who lost personal property or were injured as a result of a violent crime. Karen handled many homicide and DUI cases, where the victims were seriously injured or killed. She advocated for the rights of these deceased victims and assisted their next of kin through the lengthy court process. While she worked in the child abuse and sex crimes division, Karen advocated for both children and the elderly. She also advocated for business owners who were the victims of theft and other economic related crimes. She handled many high-profile cases during her career as a prosecutor and tried over 120 jury trials to verdict. After she left the State Attorney’s Office, she practiced criminal defense work throughout the State of Florida and in federal court, which gave her a new perspective for handling complex criminal cases from the defense side.

Karen Rich, Esq. is an accomplished attorney with nearly three decades of experience in both criminal and civil law. Originally from Massachusetts, she earned her Juris Doctor from Suffolk University School of Law in 1997. During law school, she clerked at Swartz & Swartz, a nationally recognized plaintiff’s firm known for its landmark dangerous toy litigation, and interned at the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.

Upon graduation, Karen ambitiously sat for both the Massachusetts and Florida Bar examinations within three days—passing both—and chose to make Florida her home, drawn by its outdoor lifestyle and opportunities for growth.

Karen began her legal career as an Assistant State Attorney in Florida, prosecuting both juvenile and adult offenders in high-volume misdemeanor and felony courts. This role provided her with extensive trial experience and a deep understanding of courtroom dynamics.

After transitioning into civil law, Karen has spent over 20 years representing nursing homes, assisted living facilities, healthcare professionals, and administrators in complex litigation across Florida. Her practice includes cases involving negligence, resident rights, wrongful death, premises liability, contracts, exploitation, and fiduciary duty claims. She also represents clients in administrative and regulatory hearings, as well as in employment-related disputes—including discrimination, retaliation, whistle-blower, wage claims, union grievances, and licensure defense. In addition, Karen handles commercial and contract disputes, representing both plaintiffs and defendants.

Licensed to practice throughout Florida and in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Karen is an active member of the Hillsborough County Bar Association, Clearwater Bar Association, and St. Petersburg Bar Association, where she serves as Vice Chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) section.

Beyond her legal practice, Karen is deeply committed to philanthropy. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Ali Spears Foundation to help children battling cancer, and she also leads numerous volunteer initiatives to benefit nursing home residents and underserved members of her community.

Her leadership and dedication have earned her notable recognition: she was named a Tampa Bay Titan 100 honoree in 2025 and received the Florida Legal Awards ESG Impact Award in 2024.

When she’s not advocating for her clients or serving her community, Karen enjoys traveling and spending time with family and friends.

Practice Areas

Administrative Hearing Issues
Assisted Living Facility Liability
Automobile
Catastrophic Injury
Condominiums
Construction
Contract Disputes
Criminal Justice
Department of Health
Discharge Hearings
EEOC
Elder Abuse
Employment
Healthcare
Independent Living
Insurance
Landlord/Tenant
Law Enforcement
Legal Malpractice
Long Term Care
Medical Malpractice
Negligence
Negligent Security
Nursing Home
Personal Injury
Pharmaceutical Products
Premise Liability
Product Liability
Professional Malpractice
Professional Negligence
Property Damage
Regulatory Compliance
Sexual Assault
Tort
Union Grievance
Whistleblower
Wrongful Death

MEDIATION

What is Mediation?: Mediation has been defined as a process whereby a certified neutral and impartial third person acts to encourage and facilitate the resolution of a dispute between two or more parties. It is an informal and non-adversarial process intended to help disputing parties reach a mutually acceptable and voluntary agreement. Mediation proceedings are confidential, and the decision-making authority rests with the parties. Karen welcomes the opportunity to work with you to help you resolve your legal dispute on your own terms rather than leaving the decision to an arbitrator, judge or jury.

Why agree to mediate your case?: It often takes several years to prepare your case for trial and to be placed on the court’s trial docket. During that time, litigation costs quickly accrue. There can be many risks and unknown factors involved in trying your case. However, by settling your case at mediation, you can make your own decision about how the case is resolved, thereby reducing those potential costs and risks.

Mediation Fee: $250 per party, per hour, for a two-party case; or $200 per party, per hour, for a three-party case.

Minimum Charges: 3 hours for a half day mediation or 5 hours for a full day mediation.

Cancellation Policy: If the mediation is cancelled or rescheduled more than three business days prior to the scheduled mediation, no cancellation fee will apply. If not, the cancellation fee is equal to the minimum charge for the mediation.

Travel: Most mediations will be conducted via Zoom. However, Karen is also available to travel throughout the State of Florida for in-person mediations. She does not charge for travel time to and from Pinellas, Pasco, Hillsborough, or Polk counties. If you are looking to book an in-person mediation in Pinellas County, she has mediation conference rooms available for use in her downtown St. Petersburg office.

ARBITRATION

What is Arbitration?: Arbitration has been defined as a process whereby a neutral third person (or panel), considers the facts and arguments presented by the parties and renders a decision. The decision can be non-binding or binding on the parties depending on the circumstances.

Arbitration Fee & Policy: Please contact Karen for rates, availability, and travel information.

CALENDAR

(add Calendly calendar app here)