- This event has passed.
October 2026 MCLE Luncheon with the Honorable Judge Karen S. Crawford
Please calendar our upcoming lunchtime MCLE on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 12:00 pm at the Living Room Coffeehouse & Bistro, 1205 Prospect Street in La Jolla. Zoom participation is available for those unable to attend this presentation in-person, but requires prior registration.
Our MCLE presenter will be the Honorable Judge Karen S. Crawford (Ret.) formerly of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. Judge Crawford will provide our members with a presentation on Civility in the Practice of Law.
We are very pleased to have Judge Crawford present on this subject after her fourteen years of experience as a Magistrate Judge for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. She served as the Presiding Magistrate Judge from April 1, 2024, to January 1, 2026. As a Magistrate Judge, she oversaw case management and discovery in civil cases, conducted early neutral evaluation and mandatory settlement conferences, issued scheduling orders, and along with her colleagues handled intake of all criminal matters in the District.
Before joining the federal judiciary, Judge Crawford served as a trial attorney in the Civil Division, Torts Branch, U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. where she received the Director’s Award for outstanding service; Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Civil Division, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California; and was a partner and chair of the Litigation Group at Duane Morris LLP, in San Diego, and former managing partner at Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC’s San Diego office. Her legal career includes the handling of complex multi-district litigation, medical device and vaccine litigation, constitutional challenges, intellectual property disputes, and a broad range of commercial litigation disputes.
This presentation will provide 1.0 hour MCLE credit to participants for the California State Bar credit category: Civility in the Legal Profession.
Some Information About Our Speaker:
Karen S. Crawford
U.S. Magistrate Judge (Ret. March 4, 2026)
United States District Court, Southern
District of California
Karen S. Crawford was appointed during 2012 as U.S. Magistrate Judge of the United States District Court, CA Southern District. She served in that capacity until retiring earlier this year, including as Presiding Magistrate Judge of the Court from April 2024 until March 2026.
During her years as a magistrate judge, Judge Crawford handled both civil and criminal cases. She participated in the Alternatives to Prison Solutions diversion program, which allowed certain defendants to engage in a year of intensive court supervision as they define and work toward achieving their goals, and upon successful completion “graduate” without criminal records. She also acted in various District Court administrative capacities.
Prior to her appointment to the U.S. District Court, she served as chair of litigation at Duane Morris LLP from 2005 to 2012.
In 2001, she opened the first west coast office of Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC and served as its managing partner. Earlier in her legal career (1980’s) she worked in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. She also worked for the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Division (Torts Branch) in Washington, D.C; and as national counsel for an international latex glove company.
Among Judge Crawford’s passions is the American Inns of Court, and the mission of the Inns of the Court to enhance civility, ethics, and professionalism throughout the legal community. She’s been involved in the Inns of Court movement since the time she served as Assistant U.S. Attorney in San Diego. She helped to start the first Inn chapter in Western Pennsylvania, and has been president (2024) of San Diego’s Wallace Chapter. She is also the former President, a former Master, and member of the Executive Committee of The Louis M. Welsh Inn of Court.