Interested in learning more about student life at Carolina Law? Our students are more than happy to share their experiences with you. If you would like to speak with a current student, contact Brenda Tabolt, Assistant Director of Admissions.
CLA Leadership
CLA President
Dalton Lutz
Education: Brigham Young University
Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina
Legal Interests: Trusts and Estates, Bankruptcy, Private Practice
Campus Involvement: Moot Court, Alternative Dispute Resolution Team, Transactional and Corporate Law Association, Deans Fellows, Christian Legal Society
Fun Fact: I lived in Mongolia for 2 years
CLA Vice President
Ben Barnabei
Education: The University of Georgia
Hometown: Davidson, North Carolina
Legal Interests: Financial law or Real Estate law
Campus Involvement: Christian legal society, St. Thomas Moore society
Fun Fact: I can list all the presidents in order
CLA Ambassadors
Nick Bakaysa
Education: Northwestern University
Hometown: Indianapolis, Indiana
Legal Interests: Antitrust and Competition Law
Campus Involvement: American Constitution Society, OutLaw, Transactional and Corporate Law Association, and Run Club
Fun Fact: I’ve held a door open for Jeff Bezos!
Ethan Brinkley
Education: East Carolina University, East Carolina University (MS Security Studies)
Hometown: Benson, North Carolina
Legal Interests: Criminal Litigation
Campus Involvement: Journal (First Amendment Law Review), Media Law Society, OutLaw
Fun Fact: I’m currently the head coach of a U16 travel soccer team!
Meredith Byrd**
Education: Anderson University (SC)
Hometown: Birmingham, Alabama
Legal Interests: Child/Youth Advocacy, Family Law, Family Defense, Education, Public Interest
Campus Involvement: Family Defense Clinic, Pro Bono, Women in Law, Law Students Against Sexual and Domestic Violence, Anti-Death Penalty Project
Fun Fact: I went 10 years without having soda
Anna Calloway
Education: University of Georgia
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
Legal Interests: Intellectual Property, Civil Litigation, Transactional Law
Campus Involvement: Women in Law, OutLaw, and the Anti-Death Penalty Project
Fun Fact: I was a bartender for three years, so I am weirdly good at eyeballing measurements 🙂
Kaylyn Cooper
Education: Indiana University
Hometown: Indianapolis, Indiana
Legal Interests: Appellate Litigation, Tax Law, Healthcare Law
Campus Involvement: Christian Legal Society, Law Students Against Domestic Violence, Women in Law
Fun Fact: I know morse code!
Abby Cota
Education: University of Nebraska
Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska
Legal Interests: Labor & employment, sports
Campus Involvement: North Carolina Law Review, Women in Law
Fun Fact: I have bungee jumped off the highest commercial jump in the world
Antoine Espadero
Education: N.C. State University
Hometown: Singapore, North Carolina
Legal Interests: Transactional and Corporate, Litigation, Appellate Practice
Campus Involvement: N/A
Fun Fact: I’m a big The Lord of The Rings fan and have been to The Shire in New Zealand!
Martina Essert
Education: University of Georgia
Hometown: Chesapeake, Virginia
Legal Interests: Commercial litigation, media, labor & employment
Campus Involvement: North Carolina Law Review, Media Law Society, Dean’s Fellows
Fun Fact: My great-great-great grandmother swam ashore from a shipwreck off the coast of the Outer Banks!
Hannah Hall
Education: Michigan State University
Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland
Legal Interests: Transactional & Corporate (Entertainment)
Campus Involvement: Transactional & Corporate Law Association, Women in Law, Sports & Entertainment Law Association, Student Bar Association, Deans Fellow
Fun Fact: I love to bake and I am on the hunt for the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe!
EJ Jessup
Education: George Washington University, George Washington University (M.A. in Media and Strategic Communication)
Hometown: Chapel Hill originally, D.C. for the last 10 years (I think of both as my hometown), North Carolina
Legal Interests: I’m keeping an open mind, but at this point I’m most interested in civil rights, labor and employment, and media/first amendment law
Campus Involvement: OutLaw, the Anti Death Penalty Project, Labor and Employment Law Association, Media Law Society
Fun Fact: N/A
Sarah Jewett
Education: Dartmouth College
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina (since undergrad, I’ve also lived in Norfolk, VA and metro Detroit!)
Legal Interests: Education Law, Public Interest Law, Non-Profit Law, Sports Law
Campus Involvement: Women in Law, Pro Bono Program, Carolina Public Interest Law Organization, Sports and Entertainment Law
Fun Fact: I worked at a bakery decorating sugar cookies and have made sets for bridal showers and birthday parties!
Pat Kavanagh
Education: University of Maryland
Hometown: Millville, NJ, New Jersey
Legal Interests: Transactional/Corporate Law in private practice, specifically Real Estate and Structured Finance
Campus Involvement: Externship program in Spring 2026!, Transactional and Corporate Law Association, Enrichment Group Leader for 1L Contracts class
Fun Fact: I worked in a pizza shop for five summers growing up on the Jersey Shore!
TJ Picciotti
Education: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Hometown: Ocean City, Maryland
Legal Interests: Energy development and regulation, administrative law
Campus Involvement: North Carolina Law Review, Moot Court, Environmental Law Project, Run Club
Fun Fact: I make a giant batch of a different soup every Sunday from October through March. It kicks my week off on a high note.
Avani Putcha
Education: Vanderbilt University
Hometown: Dallas, Texas
Legal Interests: Transactional / Corporate: M&A, Investment Funds
Campus Involvement: Immigration Clinic, Asian American Law Students Association, Women in Law, Transactional & Corporate Law Association
Fun Fact: I have the same birthday as both of my parents!
Cameron Randall
Education: Baylor University
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Legal Interests: Corporate, Real Estate, Healthcare Regulatory, Small Business
Campus Involvement: N/A
Fun Fact: I have a long haired mini-dachshund named, Louie.
Sara Rich
Education: UNC Chapel Hill
Hometown: Mooresville, NC, North Carolina
Legal Interests: General litigation, antitrust, labor and employment, and white collar crime investigations
Campus Involvement: North Carolina Law Review, legal extern at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, pro bono projects, Dean’s Fellow, Co-President of Consumer Legal Advocacy Society and member of Women in Law, Carolina Public Interest Organization and Anti-Death Penalty Project
Fun Fact: I am ordained and officiated a wedding in Sweden!
Colton Wood
Education: UNC-CH
Hometown: Garner, North Carolina
Legal Interests: General litigation
Campus Involvement: UNC Law Run Club, Carolina Health Law Association, Transaction and Corporate Law Association, Labor and Employment Law Association
Fun Fact: I am slightly ambidextrous. I do almost everything right-handed, but I eat and throw frisbee with my left hand.
Grace Yager
Education: Clemson University
Hometown: Charleston and Fort Mill (spent equal time in both), South Carolina
Legal Interests: International law, employment law, transactional, and human rights
Campus Involvement: Women in Law, Outlaw, and Transactional and Corporate Law Association
Fun Fact: I met the Jonas Brothers at a meet and greet and then fell asleep in the front row of the concert halfway through.
*undergraduate student athlete
**working towards a dual degree