Karen Winner’s nonconformist mindset was evident even when she was a member of Chicago-based punk band Skafish (guitar, vocals, slide guitar) from 1977-79.

Summer 1978 — Skafish opened for The Ramones at Monopoly Club in Palatine, IL.

December 5, 1978 — Skafish performed at Hurrah in New York, where Sid Vicious (on bail for the murder of Nancy Spungen) started a violent brawl. Vicious started taunting Karen Winner while performing and then he attacked Tod Smith (Patti Smith’s brother) for which he was arrested a few days later. Here is a New York Post article about that night. View article

View Karen’s old profile at Discogs.

Listen to a track from Skafish called ‘Disgracing the Family Name’. Listen now

1987-1989: Staff Reporter — The Westsider, Chelsea Clinton News, Downtown Express, The Prospect Press (weeklies). Covered: Community Board 7 on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, administrations of Mayors Ed Koch and David Dinkins.

1989–1990: Staff Reporter — Gannett Newspapers, Yorktown Heights, White Plains, N.Y. Covered general news stories for communities in Westchester, NY.

Karen writes investigative article on New York City’s Diesel Bus Pollution in Manhattan, uncovering the political machinations behind it. The article gains attention of national media and political figures.

New York Times publisher, Arthur Ochs Sulzberger and U.S. Senator Daniel Moynihan each sent Karen personal congratulations on her story, ‘Exhausted’ (Avenue Magazine) on the political machinations behind the NYC diesel bus pollution problem. View Senator Moynihan’s letter

Karen worked as a Policy Analyst/Investigative Writer on staff at The New York City Department of Consumer Affairs for then-Commissioner Mark Green where she led investigations on consumer issues and wrote ground-breaking published reports that led to sweeping reforms.

Led a year-long undercover investigation on the rapid weight-loss industry; developed new “Truth in Dieting” regulations for weight loss centers in N.Y.C. in effect on May 17, 1992. The ruling applies to more than 130 weight-loss centers in New York City that promote rapid weight loss. The Report received coverage in all major news outlets in New York.

This is an excerpt reprinted in The American Journal of Bariatric Medicine… View excerpt

May 17, 1992 — The Associated Press published an article chronicling the new regulatory laws to protect consumers of weight loss businesses. View the article

May 26, 1992 — Wall Street Journal publishes an article about the new laws for diet makers. View the article

Karen authored the report, ‘Women in Divorce: Lawyers, Ethics, Fees & Fairness’ after leading year-long investigation, deep research, and interviewing over 100 sources. Her report and recommendations led to progressive reforms that were enacted statewide.

Women in Divorce Report (Part 1)
Women in Divorce Report (Part 2)
Women in Divorce Report (Part 3)

Mar. 13, 1992 — The Wall Street Journal publishes article titled, ‘Divorce Lawyers Often Shortchange, Overcharge Women Clients, Study Finds’ based on Karen’s ‘Women in Divorce’ report. View article

Dec. 30, 1992 — Newsday publishes article ‘Fight for Fairness in Family Law’. View article

May 05, 1993 — New York Times features front page story about Karen’s findings in her report ‘Women in Divorce: Lawyers, Ethics, Fees & Fairness’. The New York Times article titled, ‘DIVORCE LAWYERS ASSAILED IN STUDY BY ALBANY PANEL’ was written by James Dao. View photo of the front page

Based on her report, ‘Women in Divorce: Lawyers, Ethics, Fees & Fairness’ for the NYC Dept. of Consumer Affairs, Karen authored the original ‘Bill of Rights for Divorce Clients’, adopted as the ‘Statement of Client Rights’, Section 1210.1 of the Joint Rules of the Appellate Division amended April 15, 2013. (22 NYCRR §1210.1).

New York’s Chief, Judith S. Kaye issues sweeping reforms based on suggestions in the “Women in Divorce Report,” and requires all divorce lawyers to protect consumers by providing ‘Statement of Client’s Rights’.

Statement of Client Rights

Regan Books/Harper Collins publishes Karen’s ground-breaking exposé, ‘Divorced From Justice: The Abuse of Women and Children by Divorce Lawyers and Judges’. The book was endorsed by Congressman Jerrold Nadler and trial attorney Gerry Spence, with intro by Christopher Darden.

The book exposes the hazards of court for women due to the potential for financial exploitation through the lawyers’ hourly billing system; weak disciplinary system for lawyers; lack of accountability and transparency in the courts.

From Publisher ’s Weekly: “Winner offers several valuable solutions ‘to shift the balance from a lawyer-centered system to a consumer-driven system. This book will be important reading for women contemplating divorce.”

Winner lectured nationwide on court oversight issues, for the American Psychology Association, National Organization of Women, and on CNN, The Today Show, and the Diane Rehm Show, among other national outlets.

1997 – 2001: New York Correspondent — THE AMERICAN NEWS SERVICE, Brattleboro, Vermont. A national newswire service founded by Frances Moore Lappé, author of ‘Diet For A Small Planet’. Covered stories on public health, crime, government integrity, and social policy issues. My articles were syndicated nationwide through Knight-Ridder Newspapers, appearing in widely circulated publications such as The San Diego Union-Tribune, Christian Science Monitor, The Newark Star Ledger, Albany Times Union.

January 1997 — Karen founded ‘The Justice Seekers’. View summary of organization

Founder , President — A national, nonprofit organization with the principal office in
Manhattan — Conducted research and investigations and reports on public integrity issues in
family and divorce courts in California, Ohio, New York, South Carolina and elsewhere.
Published Reports:
Questionable Psychologists and Therapists in the Sacramento Family Court and Surrounding
Counties, May 15, 2000.

Karen was commissioned by citizen groups in Marin County, Santa Clara, and Sacramento CA to investigate families harmed by corruption and misconduct in the divorce court.

2000 — Karen publishes report about alleged misconduct by a Judge and Commissioner in Marin County. View photo of press conference

Apr. 22, 2000 — Marin County Journal publishes front page article about alleged misconduct of judges. View front page article

May 15, 2000 — Karen publishes report ‘Placing Children at Risk: Questionable Psychologists and Therapists in The Sacramento Family Court and Surrounding Counties’. View report

2000 — Article in The Daily Recorder. View the article

Jul. 28, 2000 — Karen writes letter to The Daily Recorder. View the letter

Aug. 02, 2000 — Pacific Sun (California) publishes article based on Karen’s report of alleged Family Law misconduct in Marin County. View article

The National Law Journal cites Karen as “New York Watchdog” for her report on alleged misconduct by Judge Michael Dufficy of Marin County. View the article

One of the women featured in my report for Santa Clara county shares statement about Karen’s work. View statement

2002 — Karen Winner appeared in award-winning producer Garland Waller’s independent documentary, Small Justice: Little Justice in America’s Family Courts on the subject of child and family courts.

Karen starts law school at City University of New York School of Law

Karen was an Associate and Special Projects Writer for Sybil Shainwald P.C., a nationally recognized plaintiffs’ products liability law firm representing victims of Diethylstilbestrol (DES) and Hormone Replacement injury claims, medical malpractice claims. Karen was responsible for fact investigations; drafting pleadings; assisting in discovery; legal research; special writing assignments.

Karen receives license to practice law in New York, and opens office as solo practitioner.

Karen was lucky to receive training from the late Dr. Karen Huffer. Since then, Karen educates and helps litigants obtain ADA accommodations in court for invisible conditions such as PTSD and ADHD.

2016-2018 — Karen joins John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City as a lecturer, where she created and taught a course ‘Financial Fraud in Divorce Matters’. She also taught Business Law.

In 2018, Karen used the consumer protections she created, in a suit she fought and won against a national law firm, Boies Schiller Flexner LLP. The Firm had taken a charging lien of $900,000 against their former client’s home in Scarsdale, New York for legal fees allegedly owed for handling her divorce. Karen investigated and found the Firm failed to provide a Statement of Client Rights to its client, and also failed to provide the required protections embodied in the Statement. As a result, the law firm was not entitled to its lien against the divorced woman’s mansion. The court’s decision was 22 pages long and published in the New York Law Journal. View article

Karen begins creating online courses and resources to educate legal consumers on topics including attorney-client matters such as legal billing issues, ADA accommodations in court for invisible conditions such as PTSD, and women in divorce, including combating financial fraud in divorce.