Carla Baldwin is currently a United States Magistrate Judge in Reno, where she presides over a variety of criminal and civil matters. Prior to her elevation to the bench, Judge Baldwin gained extensive and varied trial experience in both federal criminal and complex civil law. From 2010 until to her appointment to the bench, Judge Baldwin served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the criminal division of the United States Attorney’s Office in Nevada. During her tenure as an AUSA, Judge Baldwin specialized in prosecuting crimes against children, human trafficking, complex white-collar cases, immigration, election crimes and public corruption. Judge Baldwin tried numerous jury and bench trials and argued several cases before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. As an AUSA, Judge Baldwin served is the District of Nevada’s coordinator for the Project Safe Childhood initiative, the coordinator for the Northern Nevada Financial Crimes Task Force, the District of Nevada’s Professional Responsibility Officer, and the District’s Elections Officer.
Prior to becoming a federal prosecutor, Judge Baldwin was an associate attorney with the law firm of McDonald Carano Wilson LLP from 2005 until 2010. While at the firm, Judge Baldwin’s practice focused primarily in the areas of appellate law and complex commercial and civil litigation. As an associate, Judge Baldwin tried a four-month long complex civil jury trial and argued numerous cases before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Nevada Supreme Court, and various state and federal courts in Las Vegas and Reno. Prior to her time at MCW, Judge Baldwin served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Procter R. Hug, Jr. on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Honorable Peter I. Breen on the Second Judicial District Court for Washoe County, Nevada.
Judge Baldwin has been active in various legal organizations and pro bono projects. Currently, she is a Master Emeritus of the Bruce R. Thompson Inns of Court in Reno, a volunteer for the We the People program, and a member of Federal Magistrate Judge’s Association. Previously, Judge Baldwin served on the Board of Directors for Step 2, Inc., a drug and alcohol recovery center in Reno, an ASECNT mentor for Hug High School, and was an active member of the Ninth Circuit’s Pro Bono program.
Judge Baldwin received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Speech Communications with a minor in Business Administration from the University of Nevada, Reno in 1997. In 2007, Judge Baldwin was awarded the Outstanding Young Alumni award for UNR. In 2003, Judge Baldwin received her juris doctorate degree, with great distinction, from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. While in law school, Judge Baldwin raised a toddler, worked and received various academic and advocacy awards, including receiving the top grade in both her property and evidence classes. Upon graduation, she was awarded the Outstanding Student Achievement Award and inducted into both the Order of the Coif and Order of the Barristers. In 2008, Judge Baldwin was named one of McGeorge’s Top 80 Alumni in 80 years.