Justice Karen Lin currently serves on the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Civil Term. In 2022, she became the first East Asian woman elected to the bench in Queens County, following her election to the New York City Civil Court. She previously served as a Judge of the New York City Housing Court, appointed by then-Chief Administrative Judge Jonathan Lippman; Principal Court Attorney in New York County Supreme Court to the Honorable Marilyn Shafer, and Court Attorney-Referee in Kings County Surrogate’s Court to Surrogate Margarita Lopez-Tórres. Justice Lin began her legal career as a civil rights and family law attorney, litigating in both state and federal courts.

Justice Lin is a graduate of the New York City public school system. She attended Hunter College High School before transferring to the Bronx High School of Science. As an undergraduate at the State University of New York at Buffalo, she co-developed and co-instructed the university’s first seminar on Asian American history and co-founded the Asian American Student Union. She also served as the university’s International Affairs Coordinator and president of Delta Phi Omega.  Justice Lin earned her law degree from Brooklyn Law School, where she interned at the New York City Commission on Human Rights and the Center for Constitutional Rights.

Justice Lin has served as an adjunct faculty member at St. John’s University School of Law and CUNY Queens College. She previously co-chaired the Pro Bono and Community Service Committee of the Asian American Bar Association of New York and currently serves on the boards of the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY) and the Asian American Judges Association of New York (AAJANY).