As associate vice president and deputy general counsel, Kara Morgenstern advises on the many complex legal issues for Michigan Medicine and oversees a staff of 12 attorneys, four paralegals, three assistants, and numerous law clerks.

Kara joined the U-M Office of General Counsel in September of 2002. Since then she as advised clients on a variety of healthcare matters including transactions, fraud and abuse, graduate medical education, patient rights, medical staff credentialing and peer review, and billing/reimbursement. Prior to accepting the deputy role in 2014, Kara's practice was largely dedicated to supporting U-M's research activities and medical staff matters.

In previous roles, Kara practiced with a national health law firm in Houston, Texas and later worked inhouse with the multi-state health system, CHRISTUS Health. In addition, Kara conducted basic science research at the National Institute of Mental Health, where she co-authored a scientific manuscript, and was a co-inventor on a patent for using Cloned DNA for synthesizing unique glucocerebrosidase. She also served as Program Evaluation Specialist for the San Diego County Health Department.

Kara graduated from the University of Maryland College of the Law, cum laude in 1994, where she served as Vice President of the Student Health Law Association and Assistant Editor of the Maryland Law Review. She obtained her Masters of Public Health degree at U-M.