Assistant Dean since 2004, Karen Sargent oversees all aspects of managing the Office of Career Services, developing and implementing policies and procedures, authoring career education resources and programs, conducting employer outreach and counseling students. She serves as the principal contact to local and national law firms and legal employers.

email: kcsargent@smu.edu
phone: 214/768-2797

Originally from Shreveport, Louisiana, Karen earned her Bachelor of Business Administration degree with high honors from SMU in 1977 and her Juris Doctor from SMU in 1979 where she served on the Board of Editors of the Southwestern Law Journal. After graduating, she practiced tax and corporate/securities law as an associate with the Houston office of Andrews Kurth LLP. From 1985 to 2000, before joining the Office of Career Services, Karen served as a part-time faculty member at the Law School, teaching courses in Legal Research, Writing & Advocacy and the practical skills course, Lawyering. In 2003 she returned to SMU Dedman School of Law as an Assistant Director of Admissions where she helped to admit the first class of the new Evening Program. Professionally, Karen is a member of the National Association for Law Placement, the American Bar Association and the Dallas Bar Association. She works closely with the J.L. Turner Legal Association, the Dallas Hispanic Bar Association and the Dallas Asian American Bar Association. In addition to her position as Assistant Dean, Karen has served on the community boards of a number of local non-profit organizations.