Career Paths: Carl Krausnick ’17L

By Peter Jetton
April 11, 2017

Carl Krausnick is a native of Memphis, Tennessee. Prior to enrolling at W&L, he attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas where he studied Philosophy and Art History. At W&L, Carl has served as his Student Bar Association class president for three years. As a 2L he was selected to be a Kirgis Fellow, and he has served on the Powell Board the past two years.

Where will you be working after graduation and in what practice area?

After graduation I’ll be working for Glankler Brown back home in Memphis, Tennessee. Last summer I worked there assisting both the litigation and transactional attorneys.

Did you know coming into law school that you wanted to work for a law firm?

When I entered law school I knew that I wanted to work for a firm. Interning for a firm in college crystalized that goal.

What role did the size and location of the firm play in the search and decision process?

As a 1L, I considered seeking out jobs in different locations such as Nashville or DC. Ultimately I spent that summer in Memphis working for a firm and a judge and knew that I wanted to end up back there, as home is home and the legal community there is excellent.

Based on my experience, I decided that a mid-size firm was the best fit for me. So, Glankler Brown was a perfect fit based on both its size and location, and I thoroughly enjoyed my previous summer with the firm.

Was there anything in your law school or summer job experience that confirmed this career choice?

Once I knew I wanted to return to Memphis I simply needed to find a job there. Fortunately, I had a great opportunity last summer and it paid off. While the job search is stressful, the faculty and administration do a great job guiding students toward their individual goals.

What classes do you think are helpful to take to prepare for a your law firm job?

With the benefit of hindsight, I would have taken more transactional courses. But, overall, W&L does an excellent job structuring a curriculum that forces students to engage in legal areas they may not have otherwise sought out on their own. Many students enter law school dead set on working in a specific practice area but end up falling in love with that area’s diametric opposite. In addition to the classes, the school offers a variety of competitions in both transactional and litigation areas that give students the opportunity to apply their knowledge in a simulated legal environment.