Karen served as a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the U.S. District Court, District of North Dakota for 30 years, from 1985 to 2015, acting as Chief Magistrate Judge since 1993.
Judge Klein established mediation as part of the federal district court's civil case management program in 1985 and became one of the first legal professionals in North Dakota to mediate civil cases, successfully mediating thousands of disputes as a judge, establishing a national reputation as a settlement expert.
Since retiring from the bench, Judge Klein has established a fulltime ADR practice, serving the legal community throughout the state of North Dakota.
Case Experience
ADA Disability
Banking & Finance
Bankruptcy/Creditors
Business Dissolution
Civil Rights
Class Actions
Commercial/Business
Construction
Contract Disputes
Discrimination
EEOC
Eminent Domain
Employment
Energy Sector (Oil/Gas)
Engineering
Franchise
Insurance
Legal Malpractice
Medical Malpractice
Partnerships
Personal Injury
Police
Premises Liability
Probate
Product Liability
Professional Liability
Professional Malpractice
Professional Negligence
Property Damage
Sexual Harassment
Title Disputes
Torts
Trusts / Estates
Unfair Competition
Wage & Hour/FMLA
Wrongful Death
Education
J.D., University of North Dakota, 1977. Order of the Coif.
B.S., Minot (N.D.) State College, 1971.
Memberships & Affiliations
Former Chair, State Bar Association of North Dakota Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee
Former President, Federal Magistrate Judges Association
Former Board Member, Federal Judicial Center (appointed by Chief Justice, U.S. Supreme Court)
Former Chair, Federal Judicial Center Advisory Committee on Magistrate Judge Education (apptd by Chief Justice, U.S. Supreme Court)
Former Member, U.S. Judicial Conference Committee on Information and Technology & Committee on Magistrate Judges System (apptd by Chief Justice, U.S. Supreme Court)
Former Member, U.S. Judicial Conference Committee on Administration of the Magistrate Judges System (appointed by Chief Justice, U.S. Supreme Court)
Former Chair, Civil Justice Reform Panel, U.S. District Court, District of North Dakota
Former President, Ronald N. Davies Inn of Court
Former Member, North Dakota Judiciary Standards Committee (appointed by Chief Justice, N.D. Supreme Court)
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