Karen Woody's scholarship focuses on securities law, financial regulation, and white collar crime. She has published her work in a number of journals including the Cardozo Law Review, Fordham Law Review, and the Journal of Corporation Law, among others. Her work on conflict minerals is widely cited, and she recently testified for the U.S. House of Representatives Financial Services Committee regarding federal conflict minerals regulation.

Prior to joining W&L Law, Woody was on the faculty of the Indiana University Kelley School of Business. Prior to entering academia, she practiced law in Washington, D.C. at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, Bracewell LLP, and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. In her practice, she advised corporate and individual clients on issues related to white collar crime and compliance issues, with a particular focus on international corruption, securities and accounting fraud, and internal corporate investigations. While practicing law, she also served as an adjunct professor and taught a variety of law courses at Georgetown University Law Center, George Washington Law School, and American University Washington College of Law.

Woody received her LL.M. with distinction in Securities and Financial Regulation from Georgetown University Law Center. She received her J.D. from American University Washington College of Law, where she served on the American University Law Review. She also has a graduate degree in theology from Regent College (Vancouver, B.C.), and a B.A. from the University of Virginia.