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Haley Mendola’s first experience working in Washington, D.C. came during her junior year at ��������Ƶ when she landed a legal internship.

Now, the political science major is working full-time in the nation's capital as an attorney at Slocumb Law Firm, where she is specializing in personal injury cases.

Mendola - who earned her law degree from Elon University School of Law in Greensboro, N.C. in 3 1/2 years, negotiates with insurance companies on behalf of her clients. If negotiations fail, she and her colleagues file lawsuits and prepare for trial.

Mendola just started her new job, a surprising path for her, in August and she enjoys it.

"I never imagined myself doing personal injury work," she says. "I always thought I’d be a criminal attorney. With that being said, I’m relatively new to practice, so it is likely I’ll get involved with criminal law at some point."

Mendola says ��������Ƶ prepared her for law school and her career through coursework and internships, including one at the Westmoreland County Courthouse in her senior year. Faculty and instructors, including Tom Balya, Bill Black, Dr. Michael Cary, and Dr. Frank Klapak, helped her on her career path.

Before her move to Washington, Mendola worked for the Allegheny County District Attorney, and for the firm LAWSMITH, The Law Offices of J. Scott Smith, PLLC, in North Carolina. There, Mendola worked in criminal defense, family law, and personal-injury cases.

Mendola competed in the American Bar Association's National Appellate Advocacy Regional Competition in Brooklyn, N.Y., where she placed 10th out of 100 oral competitors. She also competed in the National Veterans Law Moot Court Competition and later was inducted into the Order of Barristers, an organization that recognizes excellence in oral advocacy.

��������Ƶ’s young alumni are making their mark on the world through their work in science and healthcare, finance and business, industry, entertainment and service to those in need. The Fall/Winter 2019 edition of ��������Ƶ’s Forward magazine featured 30 of these alumni, all under the age of 30. You can find all of their stories here on ��������Ƶ’s site (just look for the “30 Under 30” icon).