Published on Aug. 12, 2024

by Anna Sago

As the first female senior vice president and general counsel at State Farm, Keesha-Lu Abrahams-Mitra, ‘89, still finds herself relying on a skill she learned on her very first day of law school at Mizzou.

“My very first day of law school — civil procedure,” Abrahams-Mitra said, “I happened to have Professor Carl Esbeck. My maiden name was Abrahams and he called on students alphabetically. So Pennoyer vs. Neff is indelibly etched in my mind, not necessarily positively.”

Though Abrahams-Mitra can now laugh at her first-day cold call blunder, it taught her a valuable lesson that she has used throughout her career.

“What he taught me was the importance of preparation,” she said. “That was a really valuable lesson, not just for his class, but throughout my law school experience and obviously, throughout my professional career.”

Professor Emeritus Carl Esbeck wasn’t the only professor that guided Abrahams-Mitra during her time as a law student.

She points to classes with Professors Emeritus Dale Whitman, Edward Hunvald and David Fischer as well as classes with Professor Melody Daily as some of her favorite academic experiences during her time as a law student—memories that have grown more meaningful with age.

“I don’t think I appreciated at the time, just how erudite they were in their respective fields,” she said. “I considered them my professors…role models, essentially, but it was a bit later on, after I graduated, that I fully appreciated the magnitude of their influence across the legal profession.”

An immigrant from Jamaica, Abrahams-Mitra found her way to the Midwest to play college tennis and became part of a consecutive state championship team. She chose Mizzou Law after graduating from Lincoln University in Jefferson City with a degree in political science.

She was one of a few women of color attending Mizzou Law at the time. She credits Dean Emeritus Bob Bailey with role modeling diversity and inclusion practices long before there was recognition for the importance of inclusive environments.

“I reflect on Bob being an incredible voice of reason, seeking to create safe spaces for the entire class. His patience and support knew no bounds, and he was an inspiration to many.”

Even 35 years into her career at State Farm, she and Bailey keep in touch.

“He has just been a remarkable presence and influence…from the time I decided to go to Mizzou up until now,” she said.

In that time, Abrahams-Mitra has climbed the ranks at State Farm and is now leading the insurance company’s team of almost 900 lawyers. Mizzou Law has a strong presence both in attorney ranks and in the law department’s leadership, with three of the seven current department senior leaders being Mizzou Law alumnae and another who recently retired. But she said that she’s always looking for talented Mizzou Law graduates.