Former Philadelphia Judge Carolyn Engel Temin. Photo: Max Mitchell/ALM

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner has promised a new approach to criminal justice, but the role he sees for his newly appointed second-in-command appears to be a mostly traditional one.

On Thursday, Krasner announced his selection of former Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Carolyn Engel Temin as interim first assistant. Temin, who was first elected judge in 1983, is a well-known figure in the Philadelphia legal scene, and her appointment was regarded by several attorneys to be a smart choice.

As first assistant, Temin, 83, will fill the first assistant's traditional role of helping the staff with day-to-day legal questions, and guiding the office if and when Krasner is not immediately available.