Danielle Carne, Madison, WI

Photo of Danielle Carne

Name: Danielle Carne

Location: Madison, Wisconsin – available statewide

Education:

  • Law Degree, University of Iowa College of Law, Iowa City, Iowa (2002);
  • Bachelor of Arts Degree, Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa (1996).

Mediation and Special Education Experience: I am a full-time dispute resolution professional who has been mediating since 2006. I began my work as a neutral with the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission by mediating disputes between employers and employees. Since then, I have developed a private mediation and arbitration practice.

I have mediated many conflicts, including disputes related to disability benefits and disability discrimination. I also have extensive experience resolving disputes involving Wisconsin school districts administration and staff, so I am familiar with how schools operate. Some of these disputes have involved special education issues.

Much of my mediation work has involved the dynamics that are present in special education disputes: I work with disputing parties who need to have an ongoing relationship; I work with complex disputes involving multiple, connected issues; I work with disputes involving issues that are personal, emotional, and confidential; and I work with disputes involving legal restrictions and requirements.

I am a member of the Wisconsin Association of Mediators, the American Arbitration Association Panel of Mediators, the Dane County Case Mediation Program Panel of Mediators; the Dane County Housing Project Panel of Eviction Mediators; a mediation panel maintained by the Financial Industries Regulatory Authority, and many state-based mediation panels.

Mediation Perspective: As a mediator, I believe in being responsive to the needs of the parties. For that reason, I am flexible in the skills I apply. In some instances, parties need a mediator who will help them talk to each other; and in other instances, parties need a mediator who will help them analyze their interests and priorities. Many cases require a mixture of approaches. Sometimes I work with the all parties in the same room, and other times I meet with them separately. In all cases, I listen carefully to the parties, because the Information they share with me gives me ideas for how to help them. I gather this information by talking with the parties over the telephone before a mediation and in-person during the mediation. I work hard to balance between the need to work through the emotional parts of a dispute, while always efficiently moving toward practical solutions. Further, I believe it is my job to make sure all participants understand the mediation process, so they are comfortable and able to fully participate in it.

Current and Past Positions:

  • Carne Dispute Resolution, as a private Mediator / Arbitrator (2012—Present);
  • University of Wisconsin Law School as an Adjunct Professor (2016—Present);
  • Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission, as a Mediator / Arbitrator / Administrative Law Judge (2006-2013; 2016—01/17/2018);
  • Wisconsin Office of State Employment Relations, as General Counsel, Deputy Director (2013—2015);
  • University of Oshkosh School of Business, as an Adjunct Professor (2014);
  • Hawks, Quindel, Ehlke & Perry, S.C., as an Attorney in private practice (2003-2006).