Kristen J. Mason is the head attorney for CAA’s California practice, handling direct appeals, habeas corpus petitions, and post-conviction relief proceedings in both state and federal courts. With a practice devoted exclusively to criminal appeals, she brings focused expertise in California’s rapidly evolving post-conviction landscape, particularly the wave of reform legislation that has opened new avenues of relief for incarcerated people.

Before joining CAA, Kristen managed a regional office for a statewide criminal law practice. Recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star from 2024 through 2026, she has built a reputation for effective appellate advocacy rooted in a thorough command of California’s new sentencing and conviction-review laws, including SB 1437 (felony-murder reform), AB 333 (gang enhancement reform), SB 483 (retroactive enhancement relief), and the California Racial Justice Act.

A published author, Kristen’s book Unlocked: How California’s New Laws Are Giving Inmates a Second Chance is a clear-eyed guide to the state’s post-conviction reform landscape, written for inmates, their families, and the advocates working on their behalf. She has also published “Getting the Racial Justice Act to Actually Work” and “Appropriate Arguments for an Opening Brief,” practical resources for appellate attorneys and anyone navigating post-conviction relief in California. Her writing reflects the same commitment she brings to her clients: making complex legal reforms accessible and putting them to work for people the system has failed.