Katie represents universities in litigation and other legal matters, handling disputes and investigations from emerging issues through lawsuits.
She focuses her practice on higher education, drawing on experience in general litigation and K-12 education matters. Before joining Husch Blackwell, Katie handled employment and discrimination matters involving K-12 school districts, sparking her interest in education law and giving her experience with issues that translate to higher education, including Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) matters; discrimination and harassment claims brought by employees and students, including public accommodation discrimination; investigations involving discrimination, harassment and policy violations; and sovereign immunity defenses. She also has experience preparing position statements for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Missouri Commission on Human Rights (MCHR). Her general litigation experience includes arguing substantive and summary judgment motions, defending depositions, examining witnesses at evidentiary hearings, and drafting substantive motions and appellate briefs.
Katie brings an analytical, detail-oriented approach to her work and quickly learns and adapts to new areas of law. As editor-in-chief of her law school’s law review, she developed the ability to evaluate complex issues, communicate with precision, and see how individual issues fit into the larger picture. She applies that same approach to client matters, beginning each assignment by understanding the broader context before turning to the details. Katie prepares thoughtfully while remaining collaborative and flexible, using what she learns from clients to refine her approach and asking questions that get to the heart of an issue. She translates that understanding into clear, high-quality work product that helps clients move forward efficiently.