By Olivia Marcoccia ‘27
Every day, thousands of students study, socialize, and recharge at the Popp Martin Student Union. This central part of campus pays tribute to Karen A. Popp’s generosity when it comes to her alma mater. Her philanthropy is not limited to monetary gifts. Just last November, Popp took time out of her busy schedule to speak to the Pre-Law Society at Charlotte. This is one of many examples in which Popp has donated her time and wisdom to UNCC students. It is no surprise, then, that Popp is a recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award. Popp is ever-deserving of this award, continuously saying that her “heart is 49er green.”
When reflecting on her undergraduate experience, Popp states that, “Charlotte was exactly what a college experience should be. It allowed me to grow up and prepare for the real world.” Her motto throughout undergrad was “work hard, play hard,” and she followed through on that principle. Popp did well academically and well in the non-academic category. Popp’s first year on campus, in 1978, consisted of biology and basketball. The latter was unexpected; Popp was convinced by Coach Judy Wilkens, now Judy Rose, to be a walk-on player. Ultimately, Popp is grateful that Rose pursued her: “Playing basketball was actually unexpected, but it was a lot of fun and built strong camaraderie. Judy has remained a mentor to me ever since.” During her sophomore and junior years, Popp was a resident advisor of Sanford Dorm. This was a particularly meaningful, and admittedly a bit challenging, job during her junior year. Popp was put in charge of the freshman floor, which was a new concept at that time. Junior year was also when Popp became involved in UNCC’s student government and the North Carolina Student Legislature.
Due to the Sanford freshmen campaigning for Popp, and her own academic successes and various involvements on campus, Popp became the first woman student body president in the UNC system during her final year at Charlotte. It was this position that Popp cites as giving her the best memories of her senior year. She says, “My senior year, my best memory was serving as student body president— both the work we accomplished and the relationships we built.” The work that Popp is referring to includes drafting and implementing a new Student Judicial system, starting the student ambassador program, and helping to develop what became the honor society Phi Kappa Phi. All three of these endeavors were fundamental to the advancement of UNCC, exemplified by their existence on campus today. As Student Body President, Popp also participated in system-level discussions and worked on major issues, including challenges facing the UNC system at the time. Popp’s presidency opened other doors for her, specifically, the doors of the White House. “I was invited to the White House by President Jimmy Carter as one of a few student body presidents from each state. That was an incredible experience.” Popp recounts giving President Carter three UNCC shirts “for him, Rosalind, and his daughter, Amy, who was living in the White House at the time.” Her time serving as Student Body president was instrumental in confirming that law was the right path for her.
Following her graduation from Charlotte in 1980 with a bachelor's degree in political science, Popp studied Law at the University of Oxford for a year. She finished her Juris Doctorate at the University of Carolina School of Law. Law school was not exactly what Popp expected. She says, “I expected it to be hard, but it was even harder.” She had to change her “Work Hard, Play Hard” mindset to give the work part much more attention. She recounts only taking Saturday nights off in her first year of law school. Nonetheless, Popp got over the learning curve and excelled. When describing her first year of law school, Popp said, “There’s a lot of stress because you have one exam per class and very little feedback. That lack of feedback made it challenging, but I stayed disciplined and did well. After the first year, it became much easier because I understood how to approach it.” Her first-year experience is not meant to be a discouragement from law school. In fact, Popp says, “a law degree is a great postgraduate degree. It opens doors to many careers. For example, business, government, nonprofit work, teaching, and more.” Further, she encourages students interested in law school to prioritize time management: “You can work hard and still enjoy college—I did. Start strong in your freshman year and stay consistent. If you struggle at any point, recover and keep going.”
Popp’s first job out of law school was as a judicial law clerk. She clerked for Judge Sam Ervin on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. This was an enjoyable experience, according to Popp, because of the close-knit environment. She largely worked with Judge Ervin and a few other clerks. A year later, Popp accepted her first job at a firm, a position at Sullivan & Cromwell in New York. As a junior associate at Sullivan & Cromwell, Popp remembers doing a lot of research and writing. “I also worked heavily with evidence in litigation cases.
I worked long hours, including weekends, but it was exciting. I handled cases involving corporate takeovers, which were fast-paced and often went to court quickly.” This position made Popp realize that she loved being in the courtroom. It was this realization that brought Popp to her next job, where she worked in the Department of Justice as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. She was part of the organized crime unit. This meant that Popp was in court frequently, prosecuting cases involving the Italian mafia, and charges such as fraud, extortion, money laundering, and perjury. Popp is most proud of “being a fair prosecutor—following the law and the evidence, without bias.” Though this job was enjoyable, Popp couldn’t turn down an opportunity to work in the White House.
She joined the White House Counsel’s Office in 1995 as a member of outside counsel. Almost two years later, the opportunity arose to be an Associate Counsel to the President of the United States, Bill Clinton. She describes the process of getting that position by saying, “The White House council was a small office back during Clinton days. There were eight associates in the White House council. Elena Kagan was one of those eight. After Clinton got reelected, she was going to be moved into a new position. So, her slot was coming open. But, it's not that many slots, so there's going to be a lot of people seeking it, meaning that I did have to go through the whole interview process.” Unsurprisingly, Popp earned the spot. This was a monumental point in Popp’s career. She advised President Clinton for two years. Describing the day-to-day of this position, Popp gave a general example, “I would say, ‘Mr. President, here's what the law says, and these are the policy implications. You, six years ago, said this on that point. And you would be saying something different today. And then, politically, you're not going to have the support of X, Y, and Z on this.’” It was much more complicated than that, of course, but Popp’s example gives a gist of just one aspect of the job. Popp admits that one of the best parts of working at the White House was working with President Clinton: “He is one of the brightest people I've ever met. President Clinton read everything. So, before you go in to meet with him, he already knew everything about the topic. He was incredibly knowledgeable and engaged in discussions.”
It might be extremely difficult or even unfathomable to imagine leaving such a prestigious role. When asked how she knew it was time to move on from the White House, Popp gave a candid, honest response. She said, “I was exhausted. Working in the White House requires total commitment. It comes first in your life. After two years, it felt like the right time to transition.” Transition she did! Popp joined Sidley Austin, a global law firm, where she still works today. After a career full of position changes, working in various aspects of law, from the desk to the courtroom to the White House, it may seem unexpected that Popp has been with Sidely for almost thirty years. Her reasoning for this is: “My role [in Sidley] has evolved constantly—it feels like I’ve had many different careers within one firm. Sidley has supported my growth, leadership opportunities, and personal goals. I’ve also been part of its evolution, including its progress in diversity and leadership. It’s been a mutually rewarding relationship.”
With a career as successful as hers, I wondered how Popp herself feels about it. Was she focused more on her past success, or was she mainly focused on the future? She thoughtfully answered by saying, “I feel very grateful for my success. I’m proud, but more than anything, I’m thankful. That gratitude motivates me to give back—mentoring students, teaching, and supporting others. As I look ahead, I’m transitioning into the next phase of my career, but I’ll stay active in the things I care about, including nonprofit work and mentoring.”
Karen Popp, with her various awards, honors, successes, stories, and prestigious jobs, is the ideal role model for aspiring lawyers. She is never shy to share tips with new or potential lawyers. She was never afraid to move to a position, state, or even country. Popp worked hard, which enabled her to play hard. Most importantly, though, Popp demonstrates that you do not always need to have a perfect plan. You can enter college as a biology major and graduate with a degree in political science. It's okay to leave an amazing job just because you are exhausted. If you work hard, doors will always unlock when you are ready to open them. Popp is proof of that principle.
Olivia Marcoccia is a senior majoring in English.
Sources
Karen A. Popp. “A Legacy of Leadership and Dedication at UNC Charlotte.” Niner Times, March 2026. https://www.ninertimes.com/news/karen-a-popp-a-legacy-of-leadership-and-dedication-at-unc-charlotte/article_e3dc245a-fbd8-11ef-bee9-63adb8a3f385.html
Popp, Karen. “Karen Popp ’80.” Student Union, University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Accessed April 19, 2026. https://studentunion.charlotte.edu/about/karen-popp-80
Popp, Karen A. “Experience.” LinkedIn. Accessed April 19, 2026. https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenpopp/details/experience/
Popp, Karen A. “Karen A. Popp.” Sidley Austin LLP. Accessed April 19, 2026. https://www.sidley.com/en/people/p/popp-karen-a
Popp, Karen A. “The Impeachment of President Clinton: An Ugly Mix of Three Powerful Forces.” Law and Contemporary Problems 63, no. 1–2 (2000): 223–246. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A69713468/AONE
University of North Carolina at Charlotte Library. “Karen A. Popp Record.” Accessed April 19, 2026. https://charlotte.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01UNCC_INST/1aetgf2/alma991011104889404091
