After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts from Winona State University in 2010, Rachel Schromen continued her education by earning her Juris Doctorate to help others navigate legal matters during life’s challenging times.
Throughout her career, she has been passionate about providing holistic and empathetic legal support for end-of-life planning through estate planning and elder law. She credits her major in Law and Society and minor in Women’s and Gender studies for preparing her to support clients in a personal and compassionate way
Rachel chose Winona State because of the higher education experience and the sense of community it offers students, and said that the smaller class sizes and support from her professors were key as she began selecting a college.
During her time at Winona State, she reflects on key faculty members who impacted both her personally and her education.
Rachel said, “Dr. April Herndon, Dr. Colette Hyman, Dr. Tamara Berg, and Dr. Susan Sefkow gave their time and support generously to help me navigate a career that would bring me fulfillment, success, and at times, helped me navigate personal stress and challenges.”
The mentorship she received in college and throughout her career supported her as she graduated and went on to build her legal career and her own law firm, Schromen Law LLC in 2016.
Rachel’s firm’s legal practice focuses on estate planning and elder law, but her community support doesn’t end there.
Rachel gives back to her community in more ways than one. As a scholarship recipient herself, Rachel knew when she graduated that she wanted to give back as soon as she could and has since supported the university through scholarships and program support.
She said, “it should not be understated that my success in my career has largely been capable due to receiving scholarships and not needing to take on significant student debt.”
Recently, Rachel joined the Winona State University Foundation Board of Trustees and has brought a unique perspective due to her work in estate planning law.
Having felt such an impact from the mentors in her life, Rachel also enjoys giving back through her mentorships of current Winona State University students.
In the St. Paul, Minnesota area, Rachel is very passionate about providing pro bono legal services to victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, as well as providing legal assistance to first responders for wills and other necessary health care directives, all of which she does as a volunteer.
Both she and her firm have received multiple accolades this year alone, including the 2024 Star Tribune Gold award as Minnesota’s Best Law Firm, Estate Planning Law Firm, and Legal Customer Service, and Rachel as a Minnesota Monthly Top Estate Planning Attorney and Minnesota Super Lawyers Rising Star from 2020-2024.
Rachel is a shining example of Winona State University alumni and is a key supporter of the campus, especially WSU students.