Interested in learning more about student life at Carolina Law? Our students are more than happy to share their experiences with you. Please review the profiles of our ambassadors below to see if there is one that has similar goals, involvement, or interests as you. If so, please note their name on the request form. If not, we will match you with a student who closely matches your Legal/Academic Areas of Interest. If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Admissions.
CLA President
Name: Morgan Hoyt
Education: UNC BA ’20, Clemson University MBA ’21
Hometown: Fuquay Varina, NC
Summer Involvement: Maynard Nexsen (formerly Nexsen Pruet) 1L & 2L summer
Campus Involvement: CLA President, Community Outreach Committee Chair, JOLT Articles Editor, WIL, Tubingen-Chapel Hill Study Abroad Program
Legal Interests: Real Estate, Construction, Corporate, Tax
Favorite place in CH: The Crunkleton
Fun fact: I love Taylor Swift!!
CLA VP
Name: Troy Reid
Education: North Carolina State University (B.S., Business Administration)
Hometown: Lexington, NC
Summer Involvement: Hayward Holdings (In-House) in Charlotte.
Campus Involvement: CLA Vice President, Holderness Moot Court Appellate Advocacy Team Member, Alumni Affairs Committee Member, TCLA, and 1GLP.
Legal Interests: Corporate/Transactional, Commercial Litigation, Real Estate, Aviation Law.
Favorite place in CH: Al’s Burgers
Fun fact: I am also a private pilot and spend a lot of my free time flying.
CLA AMBASSADORS
Name: Kallie Bergers
Education: University of South Carolina
Hometown: Northville, MI
Campus Involvement: I plan to get involved in Women in Law, Transactional and Corporate Law Association, and Law Students Against Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence.
Legal Interests: Banking Law
“I chose Carolina Law because…”: I chose Carolina Law because of the potential to focus more on banking law through upper-level courses, the Banking Law Journal, and clinics.
Fun fact: I have been to 45 countries!
Name: Maggie Caudle
Education: UNC-CH
Hometown: Wilmington, NC
Campus Involvement: women in law, pro bono, the environmental law project
Legal Interests: Environmental Law and Entertainment/Media Law
“I chose Carolina Law because…”: I loved the Carolina community as an undergrad student and wanted to continue my education here in Chapel Hill. UNC is also a great law school when it comes to bar passage and employment rate, which both factored into my decision.
Fun fact: I attended all the same schools (elementary through college) as Michael Jordan!
Name: Carley Cook
Education: UNC-CH
Hometown: Santa Fe, NM
Campus Involvement: Honor Court, Member of CPILO
Legal Interests: Public Interest, Government, Civil Rights
“I chose Carolina Law…”: To be in a community committed to academic rigor, public service, and well-rounded, balanced lifestyles.
Fun fact: I walked the Camino in Spain this spring – 540 miles all on foot!
Name: Rachel Coutinho
Education: Belmont Abbey College
Hometown: Cornelius, NC
Campus Involvement: Immigration Law Clinic and Journal of Law and Technology (staff & board), Teaching Assistance for Profession Hornstein’s Enviro Law Undergraduate class, Environmental Law Project
Legal Interests: Personal injury, bankruptcy, corporate, and other transactional matters
“I chose Carolina Law because…”: It is affordable, but not at the expense of academic rigor. I loved the kind, down to earth community. The alumni network is phenomenal, and I loved that I’ve always felt confident that I could get a job after law school if I went here.
Fun fact: I have been to 2 different Women’s World Cup Finals. They were in Canada and France, and the US Women’s National Team won in both!
Name: Halley Dannemille
Education: Clemson University
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
Campus Involvement: First Amendment Law Review, Kilpatrick Townsend mock trial competition, externship with Appalachian Regional Healthcare Systems General Counsel, Women in Law
Legal Interests: Transactional generally with focus on healthcare policy and regulatory work
“I chose Carolina Law because…”: Both of my parents went to UNC for undergrad so I always wanted to be a Tar Heel and jumped at the opportunity once I was accepted and given a good amount of scholarship money. It was also the most highly ranked school (at the time) that I got into!
Fun fact: I have two rescue dogs named Ellie and Elmer.
Name: Stephanie Duensing
Education: Pepperdine University
Hometown: Mokena, IL
Campus Involvement: Women in Law
Legal Interests: Real Estate, Media
“I chose Carolina Law because…”: Cost, Future employment statistics
Fun fact: I have gone cage diving with sharks in Hawaii!
Name: Robby Fensom
Education: UNC-Wilmington
Hometown: Fayetteville, NC
Campus Involvement: pro bono opportunity this semester, NC Legal Aid and the NCBA
Legal Interests: Public interest (specifically in areas of criminal law like qualified immunity and civil forfeiture)
“I chose Carolina Law because…”: I know I want my career to focus on the legal needs and issues facing North Carolina. The choice was made even easier by the connections I made with current students during the admissions process.
Fun fact: I’ve visited all but two of the UNC System Schools and hope to round out the list by the end of the academic year.
Name: Mya Fernandez
Education: UNC Charlotte
Hometown: New York City & Dominican Republic
Campus Involvement: HLSA
Legal Interests: All, haven’t decided. If I had to choose I would say corporate or military law.
“I chose Carolina Law because…”: My scholarship!
Fun fact: I love to play pickleball.
Name: Brett Goble
Education: Centre College
Hometown: Georgetown, KY
Campus Involvement: Run Club, the Environmental Law Project, as well the Innocence Project.
Legal Interests: Environmental, Transactional/Contracts.
“I chose Carolina Law because…”: I chose Carolina Law because of its community, rank, and the opportunities I believe it can lead me to in my professional life.
Fun fact: Even though I am from Kentucky, I’ve never ridden a horse!
Name: Katherin Godwin
Education: NCSU for undergraduate, UNC for graduate school
Hometown: Chapel Hill
Campus Involvement: Federalist Society, North Carolina Bar Association, Wake County Bar Association
Legal Interests: real property, tax, corporate M&A
“I chose Carolina Law because…”: Both of my parents are alumni, my dad with his Bachelor’s and my mom with her Bachelors and her masters from UNC. I learned and developed immensely during my time at The Graduate School, and I knew I would experience similar levels of growth and development at Carolina law.
Fun fact: I have three children, ages four, two, and three months.
Name: Katrina Hauprich
Education: UNC undergrad, M.A. in higher education from the University of Maryland, College Park.
Hometown: Burtonsville, MD
Campus Involvement: Externship, Journal, Women in Law; Pro Bono
Legal Interests: Education; Labor & Employment
“I chose Carolina Law because…”: Community, Chapel Hill, Closer to family, Affordability
Fun fact: I’ve driven across the country in both directions!
Name: London Hayes
Education: UNC Chapel Hill
Hometown: Denton, NC
Campus Involvement: Research Assistant, Externship for UNC Center for Civil Rights
Legal Interests: Family Law/ Adoption
“I chose Carolina Law because…”: I attended UNC Chapel Hill for undergrad and am extremely passionate about the quality of education and sense of community you can build at Carolina. Carolina was truly my dream law school.
Fun fact: I’m interning this fall semester at a family law firm in Raleigh!
Name: Matthew Heldman
Education: Emory University
Hometown: Cincinnati, OH
Campus Involvement: Environmental Law Project, Carolina Public Interest Law Organization (CIPLO), Jewish Law Students Association
Legal Interests: Real Estate, Land Use Law (public or private sector)
“I chose Carolina Law because…”: I am interested in pursuing a degree with a masters in city and regional planning, and Carolina was the perfect fit for both programs. Carolina Law also had the ideal student body size, I heard great things about RRWA, and was very impressed with the CDO at Admitted Students Day
Fun fact: I am allergic to bananas!
Name: Hannah Litty
Education: Auburn University
Hometown: Chapel Hill, NC
Campus Involvement: Journal of International Law, Women in Law
Legal Interests: Criminal, International, Litigation
“I chose Carolina Law because…”: I chose UNC because it’s the best education for the price, the resources that come with having a degree from UNC are incredible. I also really love the people. It’s a great community and I wanted to be a part of that.
Fun fact: I have a three-legged cat named snowball
Name: Sutton Orndorff
Education: University of Richmond
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
Campus Involvement: Law School Run Club, LSADV, Sports & Entertainment Law Association, Women in Law
Legal Interests: public interest, transactional, real estate, IP
“I chose Carolina Law because…”: I chose Carolina law for several reasons. One being, I knew I wanted to be closer to home than Richmond and I was set on attending law school in NC. I was drawn to big public schools & college towns because I spent undergrad at a small, private school in a bigger city and was interested in a different setting for graduate school. One of my biggest mentors is a Carolina Law grad and I’m also a huge sports fan, so I was super excited by the sports scene at UNC.
Fun fact: I just rescued a 1.5 year old poodle mix this summer! He’s the best study buddy and walking partner
Name: Emma Poole
Education: Auburn University
Hometown: Leesburg, VA
Campus Involvement: Holderness Moot Court, NC Journal of International Law, Women in Law, TCLA, Innocence Project
Legal Interests: Regulatory and compliance
“I chose Carolina Law because…”: I loved campus when I visited (came weekend that UNC beat Duke in Final Four) and I thought it presented a lot of good opportunities to learn in a friendly/collegial environment.
Fun fact: I am a certified group fitness instructor!
Name: Kassie Rimel
Education: Kenyon College
Hometown: Duncan, SC
Campus Involvement: Carolina Law softball team, Pro bono, Carolina Intellectual Property Association, Women in Law, Sports and Entertainment Law Association
Legal Interests: Litigation, Intellectual Property, Labor and Employment, Personal Injury etc.
“I chose Carolina Law because…”: Two Carolina Law professors—the Gerhardts—came and spoke at my undergraduate institution and recommended I applied. I ultimately chose UNC because I wanted to learn from professors like them and it seemed like a place that would allow women to thrive. Additionally, academic and geographic concerns played a role in my decision.
Fun fact: I am the first girl born in my family in 100 years.
Name: Serena Shah
Education: Elon University
Hometown: Chapel Hill, NC
Campus Involvement: Women in Law, Asian American Law Student Association, CLA, Dean’s Fellows
Legal Interests: Business/bankruptcy/real estate and or high net worth divorce.
“I chose Carolina Law because…”: Going to Carolina law has been a dream of mine since I could remember. Everyone in my family when to undergrad or grad school at Carolina and growing up here, there was no other place I could imagine going to law school. Carolina blue truly does run through my veins. Besides that, this is an incredible school with some of the best professors in the country. And it happens to be very cheap (in comparison to other top law schools).
Fun fact: I was chased down by a baboon when I was in Malawi, Africa studying abroad during undergrad. The only thing that was harmed was my ego.
Name: Alex Spratley
Education: University of Virginia
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
Campus Involvement: DV Clinic, Dean’s Fellow, Honors Writing Scholar, North Carolina Civil Rights Law Review Board, NLG board, Pro bono attorney projects, Innocence Project pro bono, LSASDV pro bono
Legal Interests: I have lots of interests but I will be in the Energy practice group of the firm I’m going to work for.
“I chose Carolina Law because…”: I’m from NC and have always been very proud of UNC as a public institution that is so committed to serving the state. I came for law school because I knew it would set me up well to stay in North Carolina or to work elsewhere, I got the sense that the school was a genuinely collaborative and nice place, and it was the most affordable school I got into.
Fun fact: I’ve been a witness in a stranger’s wedding.
Name: Hayley Stancil
Education: University of Texas at Austin
Hometown: Charleston, SC/ Houston, TX
Campus Involvement: Managing Editor of the Journal of International Law, Community Development Law Clinic, externship
Legal Interests: Maritime, energy/natural resources, environmental
“I chose Carolina Law because…”: The value! I knew I was getting a great education at a reputable school, and it was going to be affordable compared to many of the other top schools. I also appreciated that Carolina students seemed very collegial. The location was also a huge plus: traditional college town but still lots to do in the triangle (and not too far from beaches/mountains).
Fun fact: I grew up on a sailboat!
Name: Julian Surprise
Education: University of Vermont
Hometown: Alburgh, VT
Campus Involvement: LSASDV, ELP
Legal Interests: Transactional Law
“I chose Carolina Law because…”: I chose Carolina Law to best give myself the opportunity to stay in North Carolina post grad and because the student body was the most welcoming of all schools I was interested in!
Fun fact: I have restored a vintage 1960s truck that is currently at Holden Beach!
Name: Sam Taylor
Education: BA & MPA from University of Alabama
Hometown: Fayette, AL
Campus Involvement: Federalist Society, Christian Legal Society, Public Interest Law
Legal Interests: Criminal law; financial law; national security law; religious liberty
“I chose Carolina Law because…”: I wanted to go out of state and UNC offered me a good opportunity. I was drawn to the area based on its relatively small size and the large presence of nature.
Fun fact: I attended Serena Williams’s final match of her career in person.
Name: Deven Upadhyay
Education: University of Virginia
Hometown: Dulles, VA
Campus Involvement: North Carolina Law Review; Kilpatrick Townsend Mock Trial Competition; Supreme Court Program, Dean’s Fellows, AALSA
Legal Interests: Commercial Litigation, White Collar Crime, Corporate
“I chose Carolina Law because…”: Great reputation, smaller class sizes, awesome weather, diverse.
Fun fact: I picked up abstract art as a COVID hobby.