Judge Karen "Chaya" Friedman served on the Maryland Judiciary for over 20 years. In that capacity she served on every level of trial court and completed her service on the Circuit Court, the highest court in the state. Judge Friedman was known for the unique way she handled all her criminal dockets- with an eye towards problem solving, rehabilitation and reduction of recidivism. Her approach is responsible for helping many individuals turn their lives around and putting them on a path towards productivity and meaningful contribution to the community. As of January 2022 she left the Bench in order to accept President Biden's appointment to become the Director of Criminal Justice Innovation Development and Engagement at the Department of Justice. In that capacity she hopes to use her years of experience on the bench to help improve the criminal justice system nationally.