When Karen Krogman Daum visited MSU College of Law as a prospective student, “it just clicked.” During her visit, she found the staff, students, and professors were friendly and personable. “Overall, the environment seemed very supportive and nothing like the stereotypes of law school being cut-throat and aggressive. I just knew it was the perfect law school for me,” she said.

Karen was also interested in MSU Law due to its large variety of class offerings and the many areas of law for specialization. “I had no clue what type of law I wanted to practice when I entered into law school, so it was important to me to have a lot of choices in classes and extracurricular activities,” she said.

Today, Karen is an associate at a mid-size firm in Syracuse, New York. “I focus on Labor Law, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Negligence and Premises Liability, Professional Malpractice and Workers' Compensation,” she said. “I use my law degree on a daily basis—for instance, when writing motions, researching, preparing for depositions, interacting with clients and arguing in court.”

As a student at MSU Law, Karen’s role as Executive Editor for the Michigan State Law Review refined her crucial legal skills. “Through hours of researching, writing, editing, and Bluebooking for Law Review, I am very confident in my ability to research and write anything that a supervising attorney assigns me,” she said.

Karen’s experience on Appellate Moot Court also prepared her for the practice of law. “Moot Court gave me additional experience in research and writing, but also improved my public speaking and communication skills,” she said. “After numerous competitions and hours of practicing with many teammates, I feel prepared to articulate my point of view to any client, colleague, opposing counsel, or judge.”

Karen dreamt about going to law school and becoming an attorney since the second grade, and she said going to MSU was one of the best decisions she ever made. “However, a legal career is not for everyone,” she cautioned. “Law school is mentally, emotionally, and physically draining. I would really encourage anyone thinking about attending law school to consider the reasons for wanting this career path. Make sure you are 100% dedicated to putting in the work during the three years of law school.”