ABOUT KAREN

Hon. Karen H. Pozza

EXPERIENCE

  • Karen Pozza is a Retired Senior District Court Judge. Judge Pozza presided over the 407th District Court in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas for 20 years, from her election in 2000 until her judicial retirement in 2020.
  • In her 20 years on the bench Judge Pozza handled thousands of civil cases including personal injury, premises liability, wrongful death, employment, real estate, property disputes, construction cases, business litigation, and family law issues of all kinds.
  • With twenty years of judicial experience and a decade of legal experience handling complex litigation and multi-million dollar cases, Judge Pozza has the knowledge and experience to help you and your clients get the results you want in mediation.
  • Arbitrator – American Arbitration Association

PROFESSIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

Judge Pozza is a frequent speaker at state and local legal education courses and is included in the Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers, achieving the highest possible rating by Martindale-Hubbell in both Legal Ability and Ethical Standards: AV Preeminent. She served on the Texas Pattern Jury Charges Committee for seven years. She is a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation and of the San Antonio Bar Foundation and is one of a handful of Judges nationwide holding the distinction of elected Fellow of the Advanced Science & Technology Adjudication Resource Center. She is admitted to the Supreme Court of the United States of America, the United States District Court, Western District and the State Bar of Texas.

LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE

  • President, San Antonio Bar Association, 2003
  • Co-Founder, Community Justice Program, 2002 Thousands of cases have been handled through this program and over $1,000,000 worth of legal services have been donated by volunteer lawyers.
  • President, Community Justice Foundation, 2002
  • President, William S. Sessions American Inn of Court, 2018
  • President, St. Mary’s University Law Alumni Association, 2016
  • Chair of the Board, Bexar County Dispute Resolution Center, 2005
  • President, St. Mary’s University Hispanic Law Alumni Association, 2017

Board Positions

  • Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, 2006 – 2013
  • Child Guidance Center, 2002 – 2005
  • San Antonio Children’s Museum, 2003-07
  • Advisory Board, Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation, 2013 – 2015
  • Bexar County Juvenile Board, 2001 – 2020
  • San Antonio Symphony, 2019 – Present

Education

 

JD, St. Mary’s University School of Law, 1991

BBA, Finance and Economics, Baylor University, 1986

RECOGNITION AND AWARDS

  • Goldstein Award of Excellence, William S. Sessions American Inn of Court, 2020
  • Bexar County Pioneer Award, Presented by the Bexar County Commissioner’s Court, 2017
  • San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame, Inducted 2016
  • San Antonio Legal Professional Award, Mexican American Bar Association, 2016
  • Distinguished Judicial Alumnus of St. Mary’s University School of Law, 2013
  • Jurist of the Year, St. Mary’s University School of Law Hispanic Law Alumni Association, 2014
  • A Resolution Honoring Judge Karen Pozza, Recognizing her Distinguished Service on the Bench and her Leadership in Providing Access to Justice for All Texans, State Bar of Texas, 2008
  • Pioneer Peacemaker Award, San Antonio Bar Foundation, 2007
  • Partners in Justice Award, for Outstanding Support for Equal Justice, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, 2004
  • Women’s Public Service Leadership Award, San Antonio Business Journal, 2003
  • Scales of Justice Award, National Association of Legal Secretaries, 2004
  • President’s Award, for Spearheading Legal Relief Efforts for Local Evacuees of Hurricane Katrina, San Antonio Bar Association, 2005
  • President’s Award, for Pro Bono Leadership, San Antonio Bar Association, 2003
  • President’s Award, for Bar-Related Education, San Antonio Bar Association, 1998