This volume includes articles from contributors to the law review’s 2025 symposium, “Breaking News: First Amendment on Trial,” which explored emerging challenges to free speech and expression. It also features legal analysis by Elon Law graduates of the Class of 2025.

Published annually by Elon Law students, the Elon Law Review is dedicated to advancing thoughtful, practice-informed legal scholarship that engages timely and complex legal questions shaping the profession and society.

The volume continues the journal’s commitment to rigorous analysis of emerging legal issues.

“The Elon Law Review is proud to present Volume 18 to scholars, practitioners and readers interested in timely legal issues,” said Rachel Claffee L’26, the journal’s editor-in-chief. “This edition features scholarship exploring how artificial intelligence and emerging technologies are reshaping the First Amendment and journalism. It also includes analysis of juvenile commercial sexual exploitation courts, racial annexation in rural North Carolina, the reasonable doubt standard, and disaster resilience, including work completed by members of the Elon Law Review Class of 2025.”

At �þ��� School of Law, Dean Emeritus and Professor of Law Luke Bierman left his mark on a curriculum unlike any other in legal education: a 2.5-year J.D. program built around a full-time Residency-in-Practice. Already proven “a law school with a difference,” that curriculum has become a nationally recognized model of experiential legal education, consistently ranked for the quality of its programs and the success of its graduates.

“Everything that distinguishes Elon Law today traces back to Luke’s vision and the decisions he made to reimagine legal education,” said Dean Zak Kramer. “Our students learn the law by living it, and that distinctive model continues to shape every graduate who walks across our stage.”

Faculty, staff, university leaders and friends gathered May 12 in the Elon Law Library to celebrate Bierman’s career and unveil an impressively detail portrait painted by Laurel Boeck, honoring a teacher, scholar and dean whose influence continues to impact every Elon Law student.

“Without question, Luke was the right person to lead Elon Law when he arrived in 2014,” said Vice Dean Alan Woodlief, who has served as an associate or vice dean since the law school’s inception, on May 12. “Luke is truly an innovator, and his innovations at Elon Law have been central to the school’s success and prosperity over the past 12 years.”

When Bierman arrived, legal education faced a crisis of cost, time and relevance. Applications were plummeting nationwide, and critics — including then-President Barack Obama — argued that law school took too long, cost too much and left too many graduates unprepared for the realities of practice.

Bierman turned that critique into an opportunity.

Working with Elon Law’s faculty and staff, he led the curriculum redesign, shortened the path to a law degree and embedded every student in full-time legal residency before graduation. Elon Law students now complete their degrees in seven trimesters over 2.5 years and spend a full trimester in a course-connected Residency-in-Practice that pairs them with judges and lawyers in judicial chambers, law firms, businesses, government agencies and other organizations. Tying the residency program to academic requirements emphasizes professional development and mentorship from both faculty and site supervisors.

The redesign reduced average student loan debt by nearly 30 percent — a fact he’s most proud of — and propelled Elon Law to record enrollment, stronger academic credentials, improved bar passage and employment outcomes, and sustained national recognition for practical training. In 2021, the American Bar Association reaccredited the law school following a successful review under Bierman’s leadership.

“Luke Bierman’s contributions to �þ��� extend far beyond his tenure as dean of the School of Law,” said �þ��� President Connie Ledoux Book. “He guided Elon Law through a period of transformative change and continued to invest in our students as a teacher and mentor. His legacy is reflected in the strength of the law school, its distinctive place in legal education, and the generations of lawyers who will continue to find their purpose at Elon Law.”

“�þ��� has been fortunate to have the right dean at the right time in the evolution of its young law school,” said Leo M. Lambert, �þ���’s president emeritus and professor of education. “Dean Bierman brought a tremendous spirit of innovation and experimentation to Elon Law, building on Elon’s national reputation for experiential learning. It was a perfect DNA match.”

“Luke is first and foremost a teacher, and a lawyer second,” said Steven D. House, who served as Elon’s provost from 2009 through 2019. “His focus has been and always will be transformation. The program he built transforms students’ lives while strengthening and serving the broader legal and civic community.”

An Educator First

Bierman always carries two items with him: A Bic pen and a pocket Constitution.

For him, they symbolize a commitment to �þ��� and to the institutions that sustain democracy. As dean, he began the tradition of giving every Elon Law student a pocket Constitution.

“Education is important to us because we know how important it is to America,” Bierman said May 12. “Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and all those folks from 250 years ago thought that education was incredibly important to the American experiment in self-government. That’s the rule of law. That’s what we’re here at this law school and across the country thinking about and are terribly worried about at this moment in our national history.”

He is a third-generation lawyer but didn’t grow up anticipating a legal career. Perhaps because of that, his career rarely followed a straight line.

He moved among roles in legal practice, public service, policy and higher education, pursuing work that interested him and challenged him. Before joining Elon Law in 2014, he served as associate dean for experiential education at Northeastern University School of Law, executive director of the Institute for Emerging Issues at North Carolina State University, general counsel to the New York State Comptroller and leader of the American Bar Association Judicial Division. These responsibilities reflect academic and professional achievements that include election to Phi Beta Kappa and the American Law Institute.

“The attraction was to do something different where I could learn something,” Bierman said recently. “Coming to Elon to think about curriculum and curricular programs and activities was natural for me.”

That motivation — to learn, to experiment, to acquire new skills — stemmed from a core family value: Education.

“I think of myself as an educator, maybe even more than I think of myself as a lawyer,” Bierman said.

He is the second of three generations of teachers. His mother taught in public schools. His sister leads a school in Vermont. Two of his daughters work in education, and all three have earned doctoral degrees.

Reflecting on his legacy at Elon Law, he returned to the same concerns that guided Elon Law’s transformation.

“I do hope the work that we did at Elon Law remains. The ideas about cost, length and relevance: I hope those remain top of mind. Higher education is critically important in the world. We need to be responsive to how the world functions and operates.”

Elon Law Review

• Aleezah Adams
• Trinity Barata
• Vivian Camplin
• Megan Chen
• Kali Crooks
• Samantha Davis
• Frank Deronja
• Avery Ferrigno
• Lauren Heist
• Jordan Hicks
• Isabela Latorre
• Maya Mahs
• Carson Patterson
• Bryanna Rediger
• Queen Salaam
• Alex Sarmiento
• Andrew Stark
• Baron Turner

The Elon Law Review was established in 2008 as the student-run and student-edited scholarly journal of the �þ��� School of Law. With each issue, the journal strives to advance legal education and scholarship through the contribution of intelligent discussion and analysis of the law. In addition to publishing an annual issue that examines novel and significant topics of legal scholarship, the Elon Law Review hosts an annual symposium on an emerging topic in the legal field.

Professor David S. Levine and Professor Eric Fink serve as advisors to the Elon Law Review.

We The People – Elon Law’s Constitutional Law Journal

• Madison Curtis
• Kayleigh Foster
• Jacqueline Gardner
• John Grice
• John Grosso
• Noah Jackson
• Kyla King
• Michael Maroney
• Gordon McKeehan
• Kassidy Neuner
• Grant Paramore
• Cole Payne
• Karly Pins
• John Prather
• Emily Radcliffe
• Lily Sanders
• Kaitlyn Sella
• Leah Shaw

We The People – Elon Law’s Constitutional Law Journal aspires to promote the contribution of intelligent discussion and analysis of the U.S. Constitution and constitutional law-related issues. The online journal was founded in 2022, aiming to foster healthy dialogue on timely legal issues in a respectful manner that its founders observed is often missing in contemporary debate.

Professor David S. Levine serves as the journal’s advisor.

In the influential publication’s 2026 , Elon Law is No. 11 nationally — the highest-ranked law school in the Southeast and the only school in North Carolina among the top 35.

, with its required Residency-in-Practice Program highlighted as a model for immersive, practice-based legal education. All Elon Law students spend 10 weeks in the winter or spring of their second year in full-time placements with practicing lawyers, judges and legal teams, graduating with hands-on experience in the day-to-day realities of legal practice.

“You cannot graduate from Elon Law without knowing exactly what it’s like to be a lawyer,” Elon Law Dean Zak Kramer said in the article. “The legal practice becomes their classroom … They leave law students and come back lawyers.”

The article also features insights from Patricia Perkins, Elon Law’s associate dean of academic affairs and professor of law. “Our curriculum is designed to assist students in transforming into the lawyers they want to be,” she said. “Skills are just as important to develop as a knowledge base.”

PreLaw Magazine graded and ranked schools based on student participation in clinics, externships, simulation courses, moot court and other special programs.

Elon Law offers students a broad array of opportunities to hone practical training skills throughout their 2.5 years of study. Those include:

• Full-time residencies-in-practice
• Lab and simulation courses
• Five clinics (immigration, small business and entrepreneurship, wills drafting, Social Security disability benefits and guardian ad litem appellate advocacy)
• Moot court and mock trial teams
• Internships, externships and judicial clerkships
• Bridge-to-practice courses
• Involvement with the Pro Bono Board

Elon Law adopted its 2.5-year, seven-trimester full-time curriculum in 2014, making it the only American law school to intentionally design a program where all students graduate in December and can sit for the February bar exam — months ahead of peers from other institutions. (In 2026, 91.96% of Elon Law’s first-time North Carolina bar takers passed the exam.)

By completing their legal studies nearly six months faster than traditional programs, Elon Law’s full-time graduates have lowered their average student debt at graduation by almost a third since the curriculum was adopted.

For more information on Elon Law and the application process, visit the law school’s admissions page. Elon Law continues to actively admit the Elon Law Class of 2028, which will enroll in August 2026.

The corporations, athletes and entertainers at the center of those industries generate opportunity and influence that extend well beyond the spotlight, fueling local businesses and the people around them. That broader community impact is where Schultz aims to make her mark in the legal field.

She got a firsthand look at the breadth of that work during her Residency-in-Practice this winter at Apollo Sports and Entertainment Law Group — a boutique firm in Charlotte that counsels clients across a range of matters, from contracts, sponsorships and endorsements to intellectual property and brand protection.

“I’ve really enjoyed knowing that the work we do has a meaningful impact,” Schultz said. “These organizations and individuals have a real connection to their communities, and being part of that has been important to me.”

Before enrolling in law school, Schultz spent nearly eight years �þ��� elementary school after earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Working with students and their families, she discovered a passion for advocacy that ultimately led her to pursue a legal career.

Schultz said Elon Law’s emphasis on experiential learning played a significant role in her decision to attend the school. The Residency-in-Practice Program, a cornerstone of Elon Law’s curriculum, places every second-year student in a full-time, 10-week residency with a judge or practicing lawyer, giving students the opportunity to apply classroom concepts in real legal settings.

At Apollo Sports and Entertainment Law Group in Charlotte, Schultz received close mentorship from the law firm’s team of attorneys working on matters ranging from document drafting to client interviewing. It was an inside look at the legal field that strengthened practical skills and confidence she will carry into her legal career.

“This has confirmed that I can succeed in this area and that I really enjoy the work,” Schultz said. “I’m full steam ahead on this path after law school.”

Below, Schultz reflects on her residency experience and what she learned while working with the Apollo team.

What inspired you to pursue a career in law, and why sports and entertainment law?

Before law school, I taught elementary school for seven and a half years, working with kindergarten, first, second and fifth graders. One of the parts of �þ��� I loved most was advocating for students and their families and helping them navigate challenges. Law felt like a natural next step to build on that advocacy and develop the skills and credentials to support people in new ways.

I became interested in sports and entertainment law as name, image and likeness (NIL) opportunities began reshaping college athletics. Not everyone comes from financial privilege or financial security, and NIL allows student-athletes to pursue a degree while also helping support themselves and their families.

Why were you interested in completing your residency with Apollo Sports and Entertainment Law Group?

Apollo stood out to me because of the breadth of work the firm handles across the sports and entertainment industries. The attorneys work on a wide range of matters, from brand agreements and trademark issues to litigation and transactional work, and I wanted the opportunity to see how those different areas come together in practice.

I was also drawn to the firm’s boutique environment. Working with a smaller team provided the opportunity to take on meaningful assignments, receive direct feedback and better understand the reasoning behind the work we were doing. The combination of variety and mentorship made it an ideal place to learn.

What were your daily responsibilities?

Every day was different, which was one of the most exciting parts of the experience. I worked on a variety of projects ranging from reviewing employee handbooks for compliance with state and federal laws to conducting trademark clearance checks and drafting legal documents.

I also helped redline different agreements, like revenue-sharing agreements, and drafted settlement and cease-and-desist letters.

What was it like working with the attorneys at Apollo Law Group?

The mentorship was incredible. Every attorney in the firm played a role in guiding me through the work and explaining the reasoning behind different legal decisions. They were truly mentors in every sense of the word.

They trusted me with meaningful assignments, like redlining agreements and participating in client meetings, and then walked through the work with me afterward. That process helped me understand not only the legal details but also how attorneys approach problems by prioritizing the client’s best interest and overall goals.

What skills did you strengthen during the residency?

Contract drafting and redlining were two of the biggest skills I developed during the placement. Those are tools that I now feel confident using in practice.

My legal research skills also improved, especially learning how to locate information efficiently and communicate it clearly. I also became more comfortable interacting with clients and working in a professional legal environment.

What advice would you give to students searching for a residency placement?

Think carefully about the kind of legal work you want to do long-term and try to align your residency with those goals. The placement gives you 10 weeks of hands-on experience with attorneys who are committed to helping you learn. Choose a residency that will give you meaningful experience and help you grow professionally. It’s an opportunity to confirm what type of work you enjoy before you begin your career.

At Elon Law, Schultz is vice president of the Student Bar Association, a student mentor and �þ��� assistant. She is an active member of student organizations including the Women’s Law Association, the Sports & Entertainment Law Society, First Gen Society, and OUTLaw.

Results from the February 2026 exam were released Wednesday, April 1, by the . Elon Law’s result far exceeds the statewide first-time passage rate of 74.78% and the school’s previous high of 82%, set by Elon Law’s charter class in 2009.

The Class of 2025’s success reflects a sustained, school-wide focus on �þ���, preparation, and student support, all aimed at helping graduates succeed not only on the bar exam, but in their legal careers.

“This is what Elon Law is all about,” said Zak Kramer, dean of Elon Law. “We’re in the dream-making business. The better our students perform, the faster they can begin making an impact as lawyers.”

An upward trajectory

In recent years, faculty and staff have aligned around the mission of excellence on the bar exam. They adopted a new motto and mindset: “One and Done.”

The gains are striking. First-time passage has climbed from 52.8% for the Class of 2021 to 91.96% for the Class of 2025, with steady increases along the way, including 79.4% for the Class of 2023, and 73.5% for the Class of 2024.

These efforts are part of a broader vision. Elon Law’s faculty continuously refine how they teach for real-world lawyering. The school’s 2.5-year J.D. program accelerates students’ path to the profession — with a December graduation and February bar exam — while reducing the cost of a legal education. Recognized nationally for practical training with an A+ rating from PreLaw Magazine, Elon Law prepares graduates to enter the profession with confidence and experience.

“We’re so proud of our students who took the bar,” said Jenny Lane, assistant dean for academic success. “We gave them the mission, ‘Commit, complete, conquer,’ and that’s exactly what they did.”

With its highest bar pass rate in recent history and a multi-year trend of steady growth, Elon Law is on a sustained upward trajectory.

“Big things are happening at Elon Law,” Kramer said, “and we’re just getting started.”

About Elon Law

Elon Law is the preeminent school for engaged and experiential learning in law. With a focus on learning by doing, it integrates traditional classroom instruction with a required residency-in-practice field placement for all full-time students during the winter or spring of their second year. The law school’s distinctive full-time curriculum provides a logically sequenced program of professional preparation and is accomplished in 2.5 years, which offers exceptional value by lowering tuition and permitting graduates early entry into their careers.

Elon Law has graduated nearly 2,000 alumni since opening its doors in downtown Greensboro in 2006. Its annual enrollment now tops 500 students. The law school is regularly featured in PreLaw Magazine’s “Best Schools for Practical Training” rankings, maintaining a Top 10 placement and an A+ rating each year since 2023. Elon Law was also among schools highlighted by Bloomberg Law in 2023 for its innovative approach to student development.

�þ��� has applied to the American Bar Association to open a full-time, 2.5-year J.D. program in Charlotte beginning in fall 2027. The Elon Law Flex Program, a part-time, in-person program of legal study, launched there in 2024. Designed for students balancing work, family and other commitments to earn their J.D. in under four years, it enrolled its second cohort in fall 2025.

Elon Law received an “A,” the highest rating in of law schools expanding access and success. Elon Law is among 21 schools to earn an “A” nationally. It is the only law school in North Carolina named to the honor roll and among only three in the Southeast recognized in the list.

Schools were evaluated for the unranked list based on the scope and maturity of their programs, including evidence of scale and measurable impact. According to the National Jurist, institutions rated at an “A” demonstrate “multiple, well-established access strategies that work together to lower barriers to entry and persistence. The Honor Roll is a recognition of meaningful action at a moment when access pathways matter more than ever.”

Elon Law’s distinctive academic model was singled out, noting that its 2.5-year J.D. program and the part-time Flex Program in Charlotte “reduce cost and widen access” to legal education.

The recognition reflects Elon Law’s continued focus on removing barriers to the legal profession while preparing students for practice through hands-on learning.

“Elon Law is the access law school. It’s who we are, and it’s in everything we do,” said Dean of Elon Law Zak Kramer. “Our job is to open the door to the legal profession and prepare students to walk through it ready to serve with skill, integrity and purpose.”

The school’s accelerated 2.5-year J.D. program in Greensboro allows students to complete their degree more quickly and enter the profession sooner than traditional law programs. The Flex Program in Charlotte provides a part-time evening pathway designed for working professionals and place-bound students seeking greater flexibility.

�þ��� and Elon Law have applied to the American Bar Association to launch a full-time, 2.5-year J.D. program in Charlotte beginning in Fall 2027.

The Honor Roll recognition complements Elon Law’s strong national reputation for experiential learning. Elon Law is the only law school in North Carolina to earn an A+ rating for Practical Training from PreLaw Magazine, the National Jurist’s sister publication.  Elon Law has placed in the top 10 with an A+ rating annually since 2023.

Together, these distinctions highlight Elon Law’s commitment to expanding access to legal education while ensuring graduates enter the profession with the skills and experience needed to serve clients and communities.

About Elon Law

Elon Law is the preeminent school for engaged and experiential learning in law. With a focus on learning by doing, it integrates traditional classroom instruction with a required residency-in-practice field placement for all full-time students during the winter or spring of their second year. The law school’s distinctive full-time curriculum provides a logically sequenced program of professional preparation and is accomplished in 2.5 years, which offers exceptional value by lowering tuition and permitting graduates early entry into their careers.

Elon Law has graduated nearly 2,000 alumni since opening its doors in 2006. Its annual enrollment now tops 540 students. The law school is regularly featured in PreLaw Magazine’s “Best Schools for Practical Training” rankings, maintaining an A+ rating and Top 10 placement annually since 2023. Elon Law was also among schools highlighted by Bloomberg Law in 2023 for its innovative approach to student development.

In downtown Greensboro, the Elon Law campus spans several buildings within a two-block radius adjacent to the judicial hub of central North Carolina. Courts a short walk from the law school include the U.S. District Court and U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. Several branches of the North Carolina General Court of Justice, including the Superior, District, Drug Treatment, Mental Health and Small Claims Courts, are within walking distance. Dozens of large, medium and small law firms, as well as municipal offices, are likewise located nearby.

Elon Law is one of only a handful of law schools in the nation to house a working court with the North Carolina Business Court hearing cases in the Robert E. Long Courtroom on the Greensboro campus. The Long Courtroom annually hosts oral arguments of the North Carolina Court of Appeals and has twice welcomed the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

In Charlotte, the Elon Law Flex Program — a part-time, in-person J.D. program for working professionals and place-bound students, launched in fall 2024. Housed at �þ���’s national campus in Charlotte, the Flex Program is designed to be completed in just under four years. It enrolled its second cohort in fall 2025.

Assistant Professor of Law Rosa Newman, whose scholarship focuses on housing and economic development law, was named chair of the American Bar Assocation’s Real Property, Trusts, and Estates (RPTE) Section Legal Education Committee on Sept. 1. In the role, Newman helps guide the section’s efforts to strengthen �þ��� and scholarship in property, trusts and estate law. The RPTE Section is one of the ABA’s largest professional communities, connecting lawyers, academics, and policy experts who advance best practices in areas affecting real property, housing, land use and wealth transfer. Newman previously served as the committee’s vice chair.

Additionally, Newman recently joined as a contributing editor. She will highlight and review notable new scholarship in property law. The online publication features leading academics offering accessible insights into important developments in their fields, connecting practitioners, teachers and students to innovative legal research.

“I see my work with RPTE and Property JOTWELL as part of a larger effort to connect ideas to impact – elevating the kind of scholarship and dialogue that make property law more equitable, relevant, and responsive to how people actually live and build community,” Newman said.

Newman will also lend her scholarly expertise this fall to a symposium around housing insecurity. will examine housing insecurity in the Greensboro area from civic, legal and religious perspectives. The symposium is Nov. 6 at 5:30 p.m. in the fellowship hall of West Market Street United Methodist Church, at 302 W. Market Street in Greensboro, co-hosted by the church and Elon Law.

Newman joined the Elon Law faculty in 2022 after concluding her service as a Louis Westerfield Fellow at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. Her legal research and �þ��� are focused primarily on property, land use, and business transactional law, with additional interest in affordable housing development.

Newman continues her service to the statewide legal community on the Trusts Drafting Committee of the North Carolina General Statutes Commission, which studies and recommends updates to the state’s trust laws to ensure clarity, consistency, and modernization.

Newman previously worked in the commercial real estate development field for several firms both in her hometown of Miami and in Charlotte, specializing in multilayered financing for mixed-income, multifamily housing developments in four states. She also has experience working for a Florida elder care law firm where she handled wills, trusts and estate matters.

She claimed her termination, for posts made before she was hired, violated the First Amendment’s protection of free speech.

Her daughter, a student at the same school, protested her mother’s dismissal by wearing a “MAGA – Make America Great Again” t-shirt that also enumerated conservative political and religious beliefs. When administrators barred her from wearing the shirt under the school’s dress code, she too alleged a violation of her free-speech rights.

In this fictional appeals case — the constitutional question at the heart of the 16th annual Billings, Exum, and Frye National Moot Court Competition at �þ��� School of Law — the U.S. Supreme Court is asked to decide whether Mount Pilot Public Schools lawfully acted to prevent disruption within its classrooms or whether it impermissibly censored political expression protected by the First Amendment.

At the end of the two-day competition, Emily Conway and Mohsin Minhas of Benjamin N. Cardozo Law School at Yeshivia University, bested 41 other teams from 25 universities across the U.S. to claim the Chief Justices’ Cup. They edged out Courtney Yamagiwa and Stephanie Timofeyeva of University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law in the final round judged by four of North Carolina’s top jurists.

Minhas also took home the Best Oral Advocate Award for the final round. He and Conway will receive a replica of Elon Law’s Chief Justices Cup and have their school’s name engraved on a permanent trophy that resides at Elon Law. Each individual member of their team also received a plaque. Second-year law students, this was Minhas’ and Conway’s first time competing as members of Cardozo Law’s moot court team and both credited their coaches and teammates with helping them prepare.

The competition problem was inspired by recent First Amendment cases in several federal circuits and written by Vice Dean and Professor of Law Alan Woodlief, who also directs Elon Law’s Moot Court program. Madison Gilbert L’25 composed the bench brief provided to more than 100 judges who heard arguments during the annual competition held Oct. 17-18 at Elon Law.

“We are honored that so many exceptional teams chose to compete here this year and were humbled by the number of positive comments from coaches and competitors,” Woodlief said. “I am proud of the exceptional leadership the Moot Court Board displayed in coordinating this year’s competition, and I am thankful for all the students, alumni, faculty and staff who contributed to its success.”

Reflections from the Winning Team

“The problem itself was very interesting and relevant. We really enjoyed talking it through and thinking of all the legal and policy questions it raised. All the research, writing and debate the competition allowed us to engage in will remain with me for my legal career. The organizers made us feel welcome from the start, and the judges asked some very stimulating questions and provided helpful feedback.” — Mohsin Minhas, Class of 2027, Benjamin N. Cardozo Law School at Yeshivia University

“What I loved most about this competition was the challenging and timely nature of the problem. The issues we grappled with were both legally complex and academically engaging. The judges’ questions, especially in the semi-finals and finals, were rigorous and nuanced, pushing us to think critically under pressure. … Overall, competing in Elon’s Billings, Exum, and Frye competition has been the most rewarding aspect of law school.” — Emily Conway, Class of 2027, Benjamin N. Cardozo Law School at Yeshivia University

Final Round Judges

The Hon. Catherine C. Eagles
Chief District Judge, U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina

The Hon. Patrick Auld
Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina

The Hon. April C. Wood
Associate Judge, N.C. Court of Appeals

The Hon. Cheri Beasley (retired)
Former Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court and Elon Law’s Sandra Day O’Connor Professor of Law

Semifinal Round Judges

The Hon. Ralph Walker (retired)
Former N.C. Superior Court Judge and N.C. Court of Appeals Judge, and Director of the N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts

The Hon. Lindsay Davis (retired)
Former N.C. Superior Court Judge

The Hon. Richard Doughton (retired)
Former N.C. Superior Court Judge

The Hon. James Gale (retired)
Former Chief Judge of the N.C. Business Court, located at Elon Law

The Hon. Lisa Johnson-Tonkins
N.C. District Court Judge

Greg Schwitzgebel (retired)
Past chair of the N.C. Bar Association’s Appellate Practice Section and professor at Campbell University and East Carolina University

Patricia Perkins
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Elon Law

Enrique Armijo
Professor of Law, Elon Law

Elon Law Moot Court Board Committee Co-Chairs for the 16th Billings, Exum & Frye National Moot Court Competition

Overall Competition Chairs: Rebecca Bailey L’25, Catherine Lohn L’25 and Adriana Hernandez Ordonez L’25

Judge Committee Chairs: Landon Eckard L’25, Lillie Kieken L’25 and Sarah Ruffin L’25

Bailiff Committee Chairs: Cameron Riordan L’25, Taylor Rockwood L’25 and Anderson Rowe L’25

Scoring Committee Chairs: Kelsey Greene L’25, Marcella McIntyre L’25 and Karrington Wallace L’25

Hospitality Committee Chairs: Ashley Clayton L’25, Alexis Croce L’25, Saniya Pangare L’25 and Hanna Riley L’25

A dual-sport collegiate athlete in field hockey and track at Christopher Newport University, where she majored in American studies and political science, she brought her passion for athletics into the classroom when she decided to pursue a career in law. Lewis was drawn to Elon Law for its focus on experiential learning, and she quickly identified sports and entertainment law as her niche — a place where her personal experiences intersect with her professional ambitions.

That focus came into full view during her residency with USA Lacrosse.

After spotting a prior internship posting with USA Lacrosse, Lewis reached out directly to the organization’s general counsel, pitching herself and explaining Elon Law’s Residency-in-Practice Program. That led to a 10-week placement where she worked closely with the General Counsel on projects of national significance — contributing to the organization’s preparations for the 2028 Summer Olympics. Using her legal knowledge, she edited the organization’s corporate governance policies and bylaws to be compliant with the requirements of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC).

Lewis also was able to collaborate with other departments, specifically the Corporate Partnerships Department, where she assisted in negotiating and drafting a multi-year apparel sponsorship with Capelli Sport.

The experience not only gave her firsthand insight into the practice of sports law but also solidified her passion for a career in the field.

Elon Law’s Residency-in-Practice Program is the cornerstone of an innovative curriculum that emphasizes legal skills through hands-on learning. Every second-year law student spends the winter or spring in a full-time, 10-week placement under the supervision of jurists and lawyers inspired to mentor future legal leaders.

This is the fourth in a series of conversations with Elon Law students in the Class of 2025 reflecting on their recent residencies-in-practice.

Share how you were inspired to pursue a career in the law, and how did you first learn about Elon Law?

A career in the law has always been my goal. Specifically, I have always wanted to study the intersection of the law and athletics because sports have been a significant part of my life since I was young and throughout college as a dual-sport athlete. In fact, being a college athlete brought me to Elon Law. I first heard of Elon Law because one of my college teammates had a twin sister who was attending Elon Law. We communicated about the law school, which really helped me make my decision.

How did you identify your residency as an option?

I coordinated my residency placement through the independent placement option. Previously, I saw a posting for a summer legal internship with USA Lacrosse and the intern needed to be able to earn class credit for their work. I made a mental note that USA Lacrosse accepts legal interns and that interns earned class credit for working. Knowing that the residency program required earning class credit for the work, I thought this would be a good match. I sent an introductory email to USA Lacrosse’s general counsel for explaining what residency was and essentially pitched myself for the job.

Describe your daily responsibilities at the office.

Working alongside the general counsel, some unanticipated tasks emerged daily. However, my main project was working on the National Governing Body application to submit to the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee in preparation for the 2028 Summer Olympics.

For its application, USA Lacrosse had to complete a full edit and audit on all corporate policies, bylaws and national team player contracts. This exposed me to the process of auditing corporate policy documents, redlining agreements and allowed me to practice the skill of drafting agreements. It was very rewarding to see the project through over my 10-week residency.

Other projects I worked on included completing an audit of the contract management system, which contained over 400 contracts. This involved high attention to detail and taught me about contract lifecycle management. I also independently created and presented a risk assessment concerning USA Lacrosse’s compliance with ADA web content standards. I also assisted in policing USA Lacrosse’s trademarks. I was responsible for over 200 takedowns of products that infringed on the organization’s protected marks. As someone who is very interested in intellectual property, I thoroughly enjoyed getting hands-on experience with this assignment.

Based on your experience, what’s surprised you the most about the practice of law?

The most surprising aspect of my residency was discovering how much more I learned through practical experience compared to a classroom setting. In just 10 weeks, I encountered and explored many more legal topics during my residency than I ever did in a ten-week class.

In what ways, if any, has your residency experience shaped your plans for after graduation?

This experience truly solidified my passion and commitment to pursuing a legal career within the sports and entertainment industry. It was amazing to learn from such an influential woman in the industry. My supervisor was an amazing leader to learn from because she led by example with her strong work ethic, dedication to making the organization a better place for employees and members, and her emphasis building on relationships.

I’ve always said that I wanted to work in sports and entertainment, so it was an amazing opportunity to work under the supervision of someone who had my dream job as general counsel for a sports organization. In-house legal roles offer the unique opportunity to work toward a common mission with one client, while collaborating across departments to shape strategic decisions. Moreover, merging my lifelong passion for athletics with a legal career allows me to contribute meaningfully to an industry that has personally impacted me.

Share one “quick tip” for current and prospective students as they prepare for their own Elon Law residencies or, more broadly, law school in general.

My biggest piece of advice would be to say yes to everything. If your supervisor asks if you want to sit in on a meeting, then the answer is yes. When they ask if you want to work on a certain project, the answer is also yes. Saying yes to all the opportunities you are offered, demonstrates a strong work ethic and exposes you to many different areas of the practice.