Wolfson, Paul R.Q.

Karen is of counsel and a member of the Directors and Officers Practice Group. She is a seasoned litigator who serves as insurance coverage and monitoring counsel, focusing on claims under Directors and Officers, Professional Indemnity and Employment Practices Liability policies. She has extensive experience assessing coverage and managing all forms of civil litigation against corporations and their directors and officers, including securities fraud litigation under federal and state laws, investigations by governmental agencies, shareholder derivative suits, professional indemnity claims, employment practices claims and civil rights claims.

Karen is also an expert at handling London Market claims and claims involving non-US policyholders. In her role as monitoring counsel, Karen maintains contact with defense counsel regarding status and strategy and provides the carrier with her assessment of potential liability, exposure and damages. She also reviews and audits defense fees and costs, negotiates allocation agreements for defense fees and settlement contributions and represents the carrier at settlement conferences and mediation.

In addition to insurance coverage work, Karen has served as defense counsel in such areas as complex commercial litigation, asbestos-related litigation and employment litigations.

Karen received her B.A., with honors, from Indiana University in 1981 and her J.D. from the Northwestern University School of Law in 1984. She is licensed to practice in Massachusetts and New York and is admitted to appear before the United States District Court for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Notable Experience

• Karen has repeatedly represented the London market as lead counsel for Directors and Officers Liability insurers with respect to securities fraud class actions brought against the insureds and their directors and officers.
• Karen recently resolved a complicated insurance claim made by a company that claimed coverage under several different policies for three separate class actions brought by shareholders, customers and employees.
• Karen has assisted in the settlement of a number of securities fraud class actions involving multi-million dollar or billion dollar claims.
• Karen manages employment-related class actions alleging gender and racial discrimination nationwide.
• Karen often serves as U.S. coverage counsel for claims brought against European or Israeli companies.