ASU Law faculty bring real-world clarity to legal master’s programs
At ASU Law, legal master’s students learn the law from faculty who live it. Professors Sandra Erickson and Jennifer Ward bring real-world experience into the classroom, helping professionals build practical legal skills they can use immediately. Through accessible teaching, clear guidance and hands-on application, ASU Law’s master’s programs empower students to confidently understand and apply the law — no prior legal training required.
By Kourtney Kelley
For professionals pursuing a legal master’s degree, understanding the law starts with faculty who know how to translate it for the real world. At the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, faculty in the Master of Legal Studies and Master of Human Resources and Employment Law programs are focused on making the law practical, accessible and immediately usable.
Associate Teaching Professor and ASU Law Alum Sandra Erickson helps students build legal literacy that translates beyond the classroom. Drawing on her background in environmental, construction and regulatory law, Erickson teaches students how to analyze legal issues and communicate clearly in professional settings.
“I help professionals make sense of the law — and even enjoy it a little,” Erickson said. “Ask questions, think critically and don’t fear the footnote. It’s often where the truth hides.”
Erickson teaches courses including U.S. Law and Legal Analysis, Applied Legal Analysis, Legal Writing and Research, and Contract Review and Structure for Professionals. Her work also supports strategic planning and student success across graduate law programs.
Jennifer Ward, an employment lawyer and HR professional, teaches at both the beginning and end of the MHREL and MLS student experience. She leads U.S. Law and Legal Analysis, often a student’s first law course, and the MHREL Capstone, where students apply their learning to real-world workplace scenarios.
“Learning the law is like learning a new language,” Ward said. “It looks like English, but it doesn’t behave like it. Slow down, expect to reread and give yourself some grace.”
With nearly two decades of practice experience, Ward emphasizes creative problem-solving and analogical reasoning — skills she says matter most outside the classroom.
Together, Erickson and Ward exemplify the focus of ASU Law’s master’s programs: faculty grounded in practice, committed to student success and dedicated to helping professionals confidently apply legal knowledge in their careers.
ASU Law offers in-person and online master’s programs for professionals seeking a deeper understanding of the U.S. legal system and business environment without becoming lawyers. With more than 15 emphases available, no prior legal training required and flexible online options, students gain practical skills from world-class faculty. From 2019 to 2023, ASU Law awarded more legal master’s degrees than any other U.S. institution, according to National Center for Education Statistics data, ahead of Northwestern, Georgetown, USC and Texas A&M.
Learn more about ASU Law’s master’s programs at law.asu.edu/degree-programs/online.
Written by Kourtney Kelley
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