San Diego FBA President's Statement on the Passing of Andrew Haden

The San Diego federal legal community has lost an extraordinary lawyer, leader, mentor, and friend. Andrew Haden devoted his career to public service, and he leaves behind an enduring legacy.

Andrew embodied the best of the federal legal profession. As a prosecutor and leader in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, he served with skill, judgment, and integrity. Andrew’s most enduring legacy is found in the people whose lives he touched. He was a mentor who made time for others, a colleague who would quietly go the extra mile, and a friend whose humor and empathy put people at ease. He believed deeply in the importance of family and community and lived those values every day—as a youth sports coach, leader at the local YMCA, mentor, and volunteer.

It is especially fitting that Andrew was selected for the Peter J. Mazza Outstanding Federal Lawyer Award in 2024. Pete Mazza was one of Andrew’s earliest mentors. In honoring Andrew with an award created to recognize exceptional dedication to public service, the federal legal community recognized in him the same qualities that made Pete so special: leadership, generosity, humility, and an unwavering commitment to serving others. Andrew did not simply carry Pete’s example forward—he became an example and mentor to the next generation of federal lawyers.

The San Diego Federal Bar Association is deeply saddened by Andrew’s passing. We are grateful for his service to our community and his contributions to the federal justice system. His loss is profound, but so is the legacy he leaves behind. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, colleagues, and all those fortunate enough to have known him.

-Kelly Reis, San Diego FBA 2026 President