Judge Rachel L. Jensen

Judge Rachel L. Jensen is a newly appointed jurist to the San Diego County Superior Court, having taken the bench in October 2024 following her appointment by Governor Gavin Newsom. Her elevation fills the vacancy left by Hon. David Rubin's promotion to the Court of Appeal. Because she was appointed so recently, no ruling history, attorney observations, or courtroom behavioral data are yet available for systematic analysis. All assessments in this profile are therefore derived from her pre-bench career trajectory, which is nonetheless unusually rich and instructive. Judge Jensen's professional background is defined by two dominant themes: sophisticated complex civil litigation and international public-interest law. She spent the bulk of her career — roughly two decades — at Robbins, Geller, Rudman & Dowd LLP, one of the nation's preeminent plaintiff-side securities and class action firms, where she rose to partner in 2008. Her practice centered on corporate fraud, investor protection, and consumer class actions. This means she arrives on the bench with deep, granular familiarity with securities law, class certification standards, discovery disputes in complex litigation, and the procedural mechanics of large multi-party cases. Attorneys litigating business disputes, fraud claims, or class actions before her should expect a judge who can read through boilerplate arguments quickly and who understands plaintiff-side litigation strategy from the inside. Equally notable is her earlier career arc: a 9th Circuit clerkship under Hon. Warren J. Ferguson, followed by prosecutorial work at both the UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. This background signals a judge who is comfortable with rigorous legal analysis, international and constitutional frameworks, and fact-intensive evidentiary records. Her co-founding of Think Dignity, a nonprofit serving unhoused individuals, further suggests a jurist with demonstrated public-interest commitments. Taken together, her profile points to a judge who will likely be analytically demanding, attentive to procedural fairness, and skeptical of corporate or institutional overreach.

Given Judge Jensen's two decades at a plaintiff-side class action powerhouse, attorneys representing corporate defendants or institutional parties should be especially careful not to rely on dismissive or formulaic defenses. She has litigated against those arguments professionally and will recognize them. Defense counsel should lead with substantive, record-grounded arguments rather than procedural delay tactics, which are likely to draw skepticism from a judge who has seen those strategies deployed against her clients. Conversely, plaintiff-side attorneys should not assume ideological alignment translates into leniency — a former plaintiff's attorney who becomes a judge often applies heightened scrutiny to plaintiff filings precisely to demonstrate impartiality. Her 9th Circuit clerkship background strongly suggests she values tight, well-organized legal writing that mirrors federal appellate standards: clear issue statements, honest treatment of adverse authority, and precise citation practice. Attorneys should avoid burying key arguments in lengthy briefs and should front-load their strongest legal theory. Given her international tribunal experience, she is likely comfortable with complex evidentiary records and will not be intimidated by voluminous document productions — but she will expect counsel to have mastered the record themselves. For courtroom appearances, her public-interest background and nonprofit leadership suggest she will be attentive to equitable considerations and the real-world impact of rulings. Framing arguments in terms of fairness, systemic consequences, and the interests of affected parties — not just technical legal compliance — may resonate. Attorneys handling matters involving vulnerable populations, consumer rights, or institutional accountability should consider weaving those themes into their advocacy where legally appropriate.

• critical

  Obtain Current Standing Orders and Courtroom Procedures

  As a judge appointed in late 2024, her standing orders, tentative ruling practices, and hearing procedures may be newly issued or still in development. Contact the clerk's office and check the San Diego Superior Court website for any department-specific rules before your first appearance. Do not assume she follows the same procedures as her predecessor.

• critical

  Audit Your Briefs for Appellate-Grade Quality

  Given her 9th Circuit clerkship background, submit briefs that meet federal appellate writing standards: clear roadmaps, honest acknowledgment of adverse authority with genuine distinction, precise citations, and no padding. Weak or formulaic legal writing is likely to undermine credibility with this judge.

• critical

  Prepare for Substantive Engagement on Complex Litigation Issues

  If your matter involves class certification, securities fraud, corporate misconduct, or consumer protection, prepare for a judge who may ask sophisticated, practice-informed questions. Do not rely on surface-level arguments. Anticipate questions that reflect insider knowledge of how these cases are actually litigated.

• important

  Research Her Robbins Geller Litigation History

  Review publicly available cases in which Judge Jensen appeared as counsel at Robbins Geller. This will reveal her litigation style, the arguments she found most effective, and the types of corporate conduct she focused on. This research can inform both how you frame arguments and what substantive areas she knows deeply.

• important

  Frame Arguments With Equitable and Real-World Dimensions

  Where legally appropriate, connect your legal arguments to their practical impact on real parties — consumers, investors, or affected communities. Her nonprofit leadership and public-interest career suggest she thinks about the downstream consequences of legal rulings, not just technical compliance.

• important

  Monitor Early Rulings for Pattern Development

  As she accumulates a ruling record in 2025, track her decisions on demurrers, discovery disputes, class certification, and summary judgment through Trellis, CourtLink, or the San Diego Superior Court docket. Early rulings will be the first real data on her judicial temperament and preferences.

• ›Demonstrate thorough mastery of the factual record — a judge trained in complex class action litigation and international criminal tribunals will expect counsel to know the documents, not just the legal theory.
• ›Be direct and efficient in oral argument; her appellate clerkship background suggests she values precision over rhetorical flourish. Get to the legal issue quickly and be prepared to answer pointed questions.
• ›Treat opposing counsel and parties with professional respect — her public-interest background and nonprofit work suggest she will be attentive to courtroom dynamics and unlikely to reward aggressive or dismissive conduct toward adversaries.
• ›Arrive prepared with knowledge of any tentative rulings or pre-hearing orders; as a new judge she may issue written tentatives and expect counsel to engage with them specifically rather than re-arguing from scratch.
• ›Do not misrepresent the record or overstate your legal authority — a judge who spent 20 years in high-stakes litigation will recognize and remember counsel who play fast with the facts or citations.