Karen S. Adam

Karen S. Adam serves as Part-time Professor of Practice and Curriculum Specialist for the Innovation for Justice (i4J) Program at the University of Arizona Rogers College of Law. A retired Pima County Superior Court Judge, she concluded 34 years of judicial service in November 2015 after roles as Tucson City Court Magistrate, Superior Court Commissioner, and presiding judge of Juvenile Court (2011-2014).

Her research focuses on transforming family and juvenile justice systems through practical reforms. She pioneers initiatives improving court access for vulnerable populations, including self-represented litigants and domestic violence survivors. Her expertise spans judicial education, vicarious trauma mitigation, and family treatment drug court programming, emphasizing real-world impact over theoretical scholarship.

Adam develops curricula for justice innovation, notably creating the Licensed Legal Advocate Pilot Program to train domestic violence advocates. She lectures nationally on judicial practices and has shaped legal education through University of Arizona's undergraduate law program in China and the National Judicial College since 2007.

She holds leadership positions in the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, Children’s Center for Law and Policy (as immediate past president), and National Judicial College faculty. Her grant work includes consulting for Children and Family Futures and National Drug Court Institute on federally funded family treatment programs.