James B. Flax

James Bennett “Jim” Flax

Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator | Workers’ Compensation • Employment • Personal Injury • Civil Disputes

Cooper City, Florida | Serving South Florida & Mediating Statewide
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Professional Overview

James Bennett “Jim” Flax is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator who has mediated more than 5,000 cases throughout Florida since becoming certified in 2003. His mediation practice focuses on workers’ compensation, labor and employment, personal injury, insurance-related claims, and civil disputes.

Before becoming a full-time mediator, Jim represented both injured workers and employers, insurance carriers, and servicing agents in workers’ compensation matters. That experience gives him an understanding of the legal, financial, personal, and claims-related considerations affecting parties on both sides of a dispute.

Jim transitioned to full-time mediation with The Center for Conflict Resolution in Miami in 2003, where he mediated claims exclusively through 2021. He brings more than two decades of full-time mediation experience to helping attorneys, parties, employers, carriers, and claims professionals evaluate risk, overcome settlement obstacles, and explore practical opportunities for resolution.
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Workers’ Compensation & Civil Mediation

Workers’ compensation has been a central part of Jim’s professional career since 1990.

Prior to becoming a neutral, he represented:
• Injured workers
• Employers
• Insurance carriers
• Servicing agents

His experience on both sides provides useful perspective when mediating workers’ compensation disputes.

Jim understands the medical, financial, employment, and personal concerns that may affect an injured worker. He also understands the issues affecting employers and carriers, including claims management, exposure, litigation costs, medical and indemnity benefits, risk assessment, and settlement considerations.

As a mediator, Jim remains neutral while using that experience to help the parties identify the issues preventing settlement, realistically evaluate their positions, and determine whether a workable resolution can be reached.

His broader mediation experience also includes personal injury, insurance-related claims, employment matters, retaliatory discharge claims, and other circuit and county civil disputes.
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Mediation Approach

Jim brings a forthright, practical, persistent, and professional approach to mediation.

After more than 5,000 mediations, he understands that disputes are not always resolved simply by exchanging settlement numbers. Legal risk, financial exposure, personal concerns, claims-management considerations, and strongly held positions can all create obstacles to resolution.

His approach emphasizes:
• Practical problem-solving
• Respectful and productive communication
• Realistic assessment of risk
• Identification of settlement obstacles
• Focused negotiation
• Efficient use of the mediation process
• Persistence when resolution is difficult

Jim works to create a productive environment in which attorneys, parties, employers, carriers, insurers, and claims professionals can evaluate their alternatives and engage in meaningful settlement discussions.
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Professional Background

Jim was admitted to practice law in Florida and Georgia in 1986.
He began his legal career handling civil liability and commercial matters before transitioning into workers’ compensation law in 1990.

From 1990 through 2003, Jim represented injured workers as well as employers, insurance carriers, and servicing agents in workers’ compensation matters throughout Florida.

In 2003, he became a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator and transitioned into full-time mediation practice with The Center for Conflict Resolution in Miami.

Since becoming certified, Jim has mediated more than 5,000 cases throughout Florida, providing him with extensive experience involving different attorneys, parties, claims professionals, negotiation dynamics, and obstacles to settlement.
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