Karen Poetker

Biography

Karen Poetker maintains a litigation and dispute resolution practice focused on construction, commercial, insurance, and professional liability matters. She advises clients on risk management and dispute avoidance strategies to address issues before they escalate.

Karen leads complex construction, infrastructure, commercial, and insurance disputes that demand strategic coordination, practical problem-solving, and effective advocacy. Her practice also encompasses professional negligence claims, shareholder and contractual disputes, and multi-party litigation.

Her clients include engineers, architects, construction companies, insurers, professionals, corporations, and business owners across the construction, infrastructure, insurance, real estate, and commercial sectors. She regularly assists with project disputes, contract review and interpretation, delays, deficiencies, risk allocation, insurance coverage, professional liability, and high-stakes commercial conflicts.

A practiced senior litigator and advisor, Karen has represented clients at all levels of court in Manitoba and in alternative dispute resolution. Clients rely on her to translate technical details into clear, persuasive advocacy and to guide them through every stage of a dispute.

As Chair of the Executive Board at Pitblado Law and Chair of the firm’s Construction Law Practice Group, Karen brings leadership and insight to each file. Her approach is practical, strategic, and collaborative. She prioritizes clear communication, responsiveness, risk management, and outcomes aligned with business goals, aiming at every step to minimize operational disruption and protect her clients’ long-term interests.