Ms. Baasten received her undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame and her Juris Doctor degree from Loyola University Chicago. She also earned a Certificate in Child and Family Law from Loyola University Chicago Law School. Prior to attending law school, Ms. Baasten worked as a Certified Public Accountant for a public accounting firm in Chicago. Before entering private practice, Ms. Baasten completed a judicial clerkship in the Circuit Court of Cook County. She concentrates her school law practice in the areas of special education/disability law, other student issues, and labor and employment law. She lectures frequently on special education and other student matters and employment issues for clients, training programs, and State and national conferences. She is a member of the National Council of School Attorneys and the Illinois Council of School Attorneys and serves on the Illinois Council of School Attorneys' Student Records Committee. Ms. Baasten has also served as a volunteer instructor for Loyola University Chicago Law School’s special education and dispute resolution course. Ms. Baasten was recognized by Chicago Magazine as a “Rising Star” for several years and has been recognized as a 2021 “Illinois Super Lawyer” in the area of school/education law.