3L Andie Madsen says law school was always in the back of her mind when she began her undergraduate degree at Columbia University. She studied political science and enjoyed the law-style classes on voting rights and the First Amendment. But ultimately, Madsen describes her decision to attend law school as a “pretty fast” one.
“I decided in late summer before I started my junior year at Columbia that I would try to graduate early and put in an application to the University of Utah that fall. I met former Dean Aguilar when he was on the road in New York, and I knew that Utah Law was where I wanted to be the following year,” she says.
As a Utah native, Madsen is happy to be back among the “the mountains, the desert, and the people,” and shares that the S.J. Quinney College of Law’s environmental law program also factored in her decision to return home.
“S.J. Quinney has some of the most accomplished faculty and environmental scholars that are giants in this field. It’s an amazing environmental program, and I wanted to be a part of it,” Madsen says.
After three years of law school, though, she most appreciates Utah Law for its community. The small class sizes have made it ideal for her to get to know her classmates and professors in meaningful ways.
“From all levels at the school, I feel supported and encouraged to achieve my goals. All my professors have done so much for me in the classroom and for my career aspirations. Also, the students in years above me have been so helpful, and I hope to do the same for those who come after me,” Madsen says.
Among her many accomplishments, Madsen completed an externship with the Solicitor’s Office within the Department of Interior in Washington, D.C., during her 2L year and was recently published in the Utah Law Review.
In fact, she is most proud of being able to work alongside Professor Brigham Daniels and Associate Research Professor Beth Parker on the Great Salt Lake Project, which focuses on the lake’s preservation through policy development that feasibly conserves and shepherds water to it.
“I am so grateful for Professor Daniels and Professor Parker for not only the learning experience but their leadership on an issue I care deeply about. There is a significant amount of progress left still, but I am incredibly proud of helping get water to the lake,” she says.
Madsen will graduate in spring 2026 and has two clerkships lined up. She is passionate about using the law as a tool for justice and is eager to begin working on issues important to her.
“I want to work in environmental law. I am interested in litigation, but I can also see myself seeking out opportunities to work on policy. There are some incredibly pressing environmental problems, and time is of the essence. Whatever I end up doing, it won’t be on the sidelines,” she says.