Karin Carter joined the Santa Clara University School of Law faculty as a lecturer in 2005 and became a member of the full-time legal writing faculty in 2008. She began her career as an attorney in private practice, assisting emerging growth companies with corporate deals and securities compliance. Prior to law school, Ms. Carter worked as a corporate paralegal for ARCO in environmental remediation and insurance coverage matters. She also volunteered her time as a community organizer, pressing for legislative and policy changes to aid low-income children.

Additionally, Ms. Carter is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, where she served as an intelligence officer specializing in space and missile systems. While in college, Ms. Carter studied for a year abroad at the University of Heidelberg, Germany; she also studied at the International Summer School at the University of Oslo, Norway.