In a complex regulatory landscape, the line between legal knowledge and professional competency continues to blur. Professor Krystal Norton, J.D., who teaches the foundational Introduction to U.S. Law and Legal System course in William & Mary Law School’s online Master of Legal Studies (MLS) program, has witnessed firsthand how legal literacy has become essential across industries—from healthcare and technology to compliance and finance.
“One of the misconceptions that all my students seem to go through in the course is how much what they’re learning really intersects and infiltrates all of the work that they do,” Professor Norton explained. Her mission is clear: to equip non-lawyer professionals with the legal knowledge they need to excel in their careers and navigate an increasingly regulated world.
From Federal Practice to Educational Innovation
Professor Norton’s journey to teaching law began during her five-year tenure as an immigration attorney with the Department of Homeland Security. It was there that colleagues noticed her natural teaching ability. She trained new staff and shared her legal expertise with others in the office. When Tulane University’s paralegal program needed an immigration law instructor in 2017, a former colleague recommended Professor Norton without hesitation. That recommendation launched her academic career while she was still practicing law.
The transition from federal courthouse to virtual classroom wasn’t just a career change—it was a calling. Professor Norton developed her first immigration law practice course from scratch, including building the entire curriculum in the learning management system. Her dedication to educational excellence eventually led her to leave practice entirely to focus on teaching and instructional design.
Today, Professor Norton brings this same hands-on approach to William & Mary’s MLS program, demonstrating the versatility and demand for her expertise in legal education.
The Interconnected Nature of Law
One of Professor Norton’s core teaching principles challenges students to look beyond their immediate professional sphere. At the beginning of her foundational course, she delivers what might be considered a paradigm-shifting lecture: “Areas of law you feel might not be relevant to you probably really are.”
This isn’t academic theory—it’s practical reality. Professor Norton illustrates how professionals in healthcare, technology and compliance face legal issues that extend far beyond their industry-specific regulations. “Just because you work for a company doesn’t mean you can’t be subjected to criminal liability,” she pointed out. “If you don’t meet those regulations, penalties may be criminal.”
The examples are endless and evolving. Healthcare professionals must understand not only HIPAA regulations but also tort law for liability issues, contract law for vendor agreements and employment law for workplace situations. Technology professionals grappling with artificial intelligence face concerns spanning confidentiality laws, copyright issues and an evolving regulatory landscape that intersects multiple areas of law.
“Generative AI brings up lots of different concerns that will intersect with you no matter what you do,” Professor Norton noted, highlighting how emerging technologies create new legal literacy demands across all industries.
A Foundation Built for Real-World Application
The Introduction to U.S. Law and Legal System course that Professor Norton designed serves as the cornerstone of the MLS program, and its structure reflects her practical philosophy. Rather than overwhelming students with theoretical concepts, she created a dual-track approach that runs two parallel learning streams throughout the seven-week course.
The first track focuses on essential legal skills: how to read law, conduct legal analysis and communicate effectively about legal concepts. The second track provides targeted overviews of key legal areas—criminal law, constitutional law, contract law, administrative law and torts—specifically chosen because they “tend to intersect most with the students’ professions and work.”
This isn’t busywork or an academic exercise. Every assignment is designed with purpose. “We’re aiming for every assessment in the course and every learning point opportunity to develop your skills and your knowledge base,” Professor Norton emphasized.
The course culminates in a final presentation that exemplifies Professor Norton’s practical approach. Students choose a topic that connects their coursework with their professional goals, presenting to a real audience they might encounter in their work—not just their professor. The results speak for themselves: students use this opportunity to create training materials for new employees, compliance guides for their organizations or proposals for management.
“I’ve seen such incredible projects come out of this class, many of which the students actually go on to use in their actual work,” Professor Norton shared with evident pride.
Serving the Non-Traditional Student
Professor Norton’s passion for working with non-traditional students stems from personal experience. As a first-generation college and law school graduate, she understands the unique challenges faced by adult learners balancing careers, families and education. This perspective infuses every aspect of her teaching philosophy.
“I embrace universal design principles that make the curriculum as flexible and accessible as possible to the students because they do have really demanding schedules,” she explained. Her approach prioritizes meaningful engagement over rigid deadlines, working with students to ensure they can fully absorb and apply the material rather than simply check boxes.
This flexibility doesn’t compromise academic rigor. Instead, Professor Norton has created a learning environment where professionals from diverse backgrounds feel welcomed and supported. “Everybody in the program, including myself, is really excited to have you here and have you excited about learning this material,” she said.
The Growing Market for Legal Literacy
Professor Norton sees MLS graduates as occupying a crucial middle ground in the legal literacy spectrum. “They’re not lawyers because they’re not using the information to advise people necessarily on what to do because that’s the practice of law,” she explained. “But they’re not necessarily just a professional who is operating in a system that’s already designed for them. They’re somewhere in the middle.”
This middle ground is exactly where the market needs them. As political systems evolve, regulations change and new technologies emerge, organizations increasingly need professionals who can navigate legal complexities within their specialized fields. The program also teaches students to use their legal knowledge without crossing into unauthorized practice of law territory.
“We need more people in these industries in the middle because there just aren’t a lot of people with that knowledge base,” Professor Norton observed. “And so their ability to continue to grow in that space is really important.”
Looking Forward
As Professor Norton continues to refine her curriculum and teaching methods, she remains committed to keeping pace with rapid changes in law and technology. Her course incorporates current events, recent cases and emerging technologies through regular announcements and updated content. Students work with AI platforms to understand their capabilities and limitations, preparing them for a professional world where these tools are becoming standard.
For Professor Norton, legal literacy isn’t just about understanding rules and regulations—it’s about developing critical thinking skills that make professionals more effective in every aspect of their work. “You’re going to start to see things you didn’t see before. You’re going to start to critically think about things you didn’t critically think about before,” she tells her students.
Get the Legal Knowledge You Need to Get Ahead, Without a J.D.
In an increasingly complex and regulated world, the kind of enhanced perspective you’ll get from a legal education isn’t just valuable—it’s essential. Through her work in the MLS program, Professor Norton is ensuring that the next generation of professionals has the legal literacy they need to succeed, whatever industry they call home.
The online Master of Legal Studies program at William & Mary Law School offers working professionals the opportunity to develop essential legal knowledge while maintaining their careers. Professor Norton’s foundational course serves as the gateway to this practical, applied approach to legal education.
Interested in building the legal knowledge you need to get ahead in your career? To get started, review our admissions requirements and connect with an admissions outreach advisor today to learn how you can set yourself up for success with an MLS.