Judge Crawford Provides Informative, Practical Insights on Distinguished Career
- Arshi Baig
- 6 hours ago
- 3 min read
On January 21, 2026, the San Diego Chapter of the Federal Bar Association was honored to feature U.S. Presiding Magistrate Judge Karen S. Crawford in its first event of the year. Ahead of her retirement scheduled for later this year, Judge Crawford joined the FBA for a special installment of its courtroom conversation series. She offered insights earned from more than forty years of legal practice and service to the community, all in conversation with her former clerk, Ian Pike.
Judge Crawford started by reflecting on her illustrious career as an attorney before joining the bench. Like all attorneys, she started small, joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office in San Diego as an extern, but she quickly stood out for her skill in addressing complicated cases. When she joined the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., she quickly began working on mass tort litigation that required her to coordinate strategy in district courts across the country. This was far from her last opportunity to show off her skill with multi-district litigation. Even in private practice, she continued to seek out these complex cases, and she described one particularly complicated episode when she managed litigation in defense of a company that created high-quality latex gloves.
As a magistrate judge, Judge Crawford described the new perspective she was able to gain on the other side of legal practice. While she misses the challenges of litigation—highlighting how much she loved the challenge of taking a deposition—in her current role she finds satisfaction in the process of helping parties reach consensus. She also takes the time to appreciate every person’s contribution to the administration of the court, from court security officers to cleaning staff to interpreters. Asked about some of her favorite experiences as a magistrate judge, Judge Crawford mentioned that “The sense of community in the federal court is palpable.”
At the same time, Judge Crawford offered words of wisdom to attorneys practiced in San Diego federal court. She explained that although each district sets its own goals and responsibilities for its magistrate bench, magistrates in the Southern District are encouraged to help civil cases settle. To that end, Judge Crawford encourages practitioners to consider going back to the table for settlement conferences, even when an initial attempt may have failed. She recalled cases that ended only after as many as 40 settlement conferences, but she always welcomed those follow-up conferences in the name of guiding the parties to a resolution.
The pressures of modern legal practice were a recurring theme throughout the conversation. Earlier in her practice, Judge Crawford described having more time to think and deliberate before responding to letters from opposing counsel. Today, in the time of emails and cell phones, she has seen the rising expectation to be available at any time for an immediate response. She encouraged practitioners to take the time to consider their responses to avoid mistakes and to make sure they maintain a professional, respectful tone. At the end of the day, she said that “honesty, integrity, and hard work” are the indispensable qualities of a good lawyer, and she encouraged those in attendance to embody those qualities in her practice.
The San Diego Chapter of the FBA thanks Judge Crawford and her chambers staff for sharing their time with us, as well as Ian Pike for moderating our first event of the year. Special thanks, also, to the Chapter’s VP of Professional Advancement, Rachel Eaton, for her assistance, and to our previous VP of Professional Advancement, Melissa Holmes, for setting this event in motion before her term ended in December.