Judge Kronlund graduated from Pepperdine University with her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Cum Laude; McGeorge School of Law, Juris Doctor Degree, with Distinction; and Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, Straus Institute, LLM in Dispute Resolution

During her distinguished judicial career, she managed a high-volume direct civil calendar for over 15 year, presiding over a wide range of complex civil matters, Judge Kronlund has conducted well over 1,000 civil settlement conferences and presided over 200 jury trials as a judge and attorney, spanning nearly all areas of law. She handled thousands of court trials encompassing every area of law. Her strengths include explaining particular risks of litigation based on her 30 years on the bench, and her “plain-talking” style. Her diverse background enables her to connect with people from all walks of life, which many find to be especially helpful to achieving settlements.
Judge Barbara Kronlund served on the California Superior Court for San Joaquin County, where she held judicial and leadership roles for three decades. She is the first female South Asian American judge in California, and has served as presiding judge of Juvenile Court, supervising judge of the Civil Department, and Direct Civil judge (2010-2025). Before joining the bench, she was a Deputy District Attorney in Sacramento and San Joaquin Counties, including Supervising Deputy District Attorney for the Child Abuse and Sexual Assault Unit.

Judge Kronlund is deeply engaged in judicial education and ethics. She has served on the California Judges Association (CJA) Board (vice-president), CJA’s Judicial Fairness Coalition co-chair for five years, chaired the CJA Judicial Ethics Committee, taught at New Judge Orientation and Mandatory Judicial Ethics for judges throughout California. She served on the Governing Committee for the Center for Judicial Education and Research (CJER), as well as the Judicial Council’s Access & Fairness and Civil & Small Claims Advisory Committees.

A community innovator, collaborator, and leader, she founded the San Joaquin County’s Homeless Court, Homeless Veterans Stand Down, Veterans Treatment Court, and the “Just the Kids” Migrant Camp mentoring program. She also founded the Judge Consuelo M. Callahan Inn of Court and revived the San Joaquin County Women Lawyers Section.

Judge Kronlund’s honors include: the Judicial Council’s Kleps Award; CJA and California Lawyers Association (CLA) “Excellence in Civics Engagement” award; ABOTA’s “Judge of the Year”award; Cal-ABOTA’s “William Bedsworth Judicial Civility” award;  National ABOTA’s “Champion of Justice” award; McGeorge School of Law’s “Alumna of Honor”; San Joaquin County’s Law Day award; Diocese of Stockton’s “St. Thomas More” award; Mediation Center of San Joaquin’s “Peacemaker Award”; Susan B. Anthony Women of Achievement Award; Unity Bar Awards from Sacramento’s Cruz Reynoso Bar and South Asian Bar Associations; San Joaquin Justice William J. Murray Jr’s Unity Bar Award.