LEAD Fellows
Matthew Akins '27 is from Alpharetta, GA. He graduated from the College of Wooster with a double major in Political Science and History in 2022. He then pursued a Masters in Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and graduated in 2024. At Duke, Matthew served as a 1L Rep and is now the VP of Administration for DBA. In his free time, he enjoys video games, getting his daily steps in, trying new food, and anything wildlife related. He is very excited to be a LEAD fellow and to welcome you to Duke!
Co-LEADer: Gustavo De Toni Uchoa
Talia Bergerson '27 is from Apple Valley, Minnesota. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2023 with a degree in Philosophy and Criminal Justice. At Duke, she is involved in Moot Court, Mock Trial, and the Transactional Law Society. This summer, Talia worked as a Summer Associate at Jones Day in New York. In her free time, she loves being outside, running, ice skating, reading, and will always be found going on long walks.
Co-LEADer: Brady Ellis
Elizabeth Carter '27 is from Atlanta, Georgia. She graduated from the University of Notre Dame, where she studied Philosophy, Theology, and Spanish. This summer, she returned home to live with her siamese cat and worked as a legal intern at Atlanta Legal Aid. At Duke, she is a member of the Mock Trial Board and co-president of Tricky Dick (Duke Law's Sketch Comedy Club). In her free time, you can find her watching Notre Dame football, exploring coffee shops around Durham, or complaining that the vending machine ran out of Diet Coke again. She is excited to welcome the class of 2028!
Co-LEADer: Alison Talty
Natalie Cooke '27 is originally from San Clemente, California. She graduated from UCLA in 2024 with a Bachelors in political science. At Duke, she’s involved with the California Club, Women’s Law Students Association, Veterans Assistance Project, and Innocence Project. During her 1L summer, Natalie worked as a summer associate at Simpson Thacher in Los Angeles. In her free time, Natalie loves running, pilates, trying new restaurants, and watching tv shows with her roommate Lauren! She is very excited to welcome the incoming 1Ls!
Co-LEADer: Lauren LeClaire
Alyssa Crosby '27 is from Mansfield, Texas. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Journalism and a Bachelor of Arts in Government. Before law school, she worked as an executive assistant for a national personal injury firm. At Duke, she is a member of several organizations, including the Black Law Students Association, First-Generation Professionals, and Women of Color Collective. In her free time, Alyssa enjoys reading and playing video games with her sisters.
Co-LEADer: Cynthia Wang
Gustavo De Toni Uchoa '27 is originally from Brazil and also lived in Spain, Canada, and Texas. He graduated from the University of Houston in Finance, with a minor in Phronesis (political theory, ethics, and classical studies). With an interest in technology, Gustavo went to work at AMD where he supported the initial and ongoing development of a contracting software. At Duke, Gustavo is involved with LALSA, Texas Club, and the Technology Society. During his 1L summer, he was in-house legal intern at Lenovo. In his free time, Gustavo enjoys playing & watching soccer, trying new restaurants, taking long walks, and going to the beach. Welcome to Duke!
Co-LEADer: Matthew Akins
Davis Donaldson '27 is from Overland Park, Kansas. He graduated from Texas Christian University in 2020 (Go Frogs!) with a B.B.A in Finance. After college, he moved to Hawai’i by way of Teach For America where he taught Exploratory Video Production & Media at a middle school in Ewa Beach, O’ahu for four years. He also coached middle school football where he led his squad to an 0-7 record (We had a lot of fun though!). At Duke, he is a Guardian Ad Litem volunteer for Durham County. During his 1L summer, he lived in Kampala, Uganda and interned for Honorable Lady Justice Monica Mugenyi of the Ugandan Supreme Court. In his free time, he plays basketball, watches Survivor, and listens to The Ringer podcasts. Excited to meet y’all!
Co-LEADer: Ellie Purinton
Brady Ellis '27 grew up in Dublin, Ohio. He attended The Ohio State University, where he studied Accounting. He worked for four years after completing his undergraduate degree in various roles in the finance department of a startup and as an investor at an emerging markets investment firm. At Duke Law, he is involved in Tricky Dick, Duke Bar Association, Duke Law Run Club, the Duke Law Soccer Club, and the Transactional Law Society. In his free time, he enjoys plays piano, running, and watching OSU football and Duke basketball. Welcome Duke Law, Class of 2028!
Co-LEADer: Talia Bergerson
Maya El-Sharif '27 is a JD candidate at Duke University School of Law and earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Psychology in 2024. At Duke, Maya serves on the executive board of the Federalist Society, The Coalition Against Gendered Violence, Moot Court, Mock Trial, and Duke Law Lifting. She is involved with the Duke Immigrant and Refugee Project (DIRP), Veterans Affairs pro bono group, and the Muslim Law Students Association (MLSA). She also serves as a Research Assistant to Professor Lemos. A die-hard Floridian, Maya spent her 1L summer near home at a firm in Miami, where she continued her legal work and soaked up the sun. In her free time, she can usually be found at Wilson Gym or boxing, hanging out with her dogs, or reading fiction and debating in the law library. She’s excited to connect with the broader Duke Law community and to welcome the incoming 1L class.
Co-LEADer: Alison Riddoch
Christopher Everett '27 grew up in Clayton, North Carolina. He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he studied Public Policy and Media & Journalism. During undergrad, he served as the Student Body President and a member of the university’s Board of Trustees. After graduating, Christopher came straight through to Duke, where he currently serves as the Director of Communications for the Black Law Students Association and as a Twiggs-Beskind Cup Coordinator for the Mock Trial Board. In his free time, he enjoys playing video games, spending time with friends, and finding new baking recipes to try. Welcome to Duke Law!
Co-LEADer: Zhihan Xu
Alex Gantt '27 grew up in Austin, TX. He attended The University of Texas at Austin where he graduated with a degree in Political Communications in 2023. During his time at UT, he worked at the Texas Capitol on sports and technology legislation. Prior to law school, he worked at a boutique litigation firm in Houston as a Project Assistant. At Duke, Alex is involved in the Texas Club, Technology Society, and Sports and Entertainment Society. This summer, he worked as a summer associate at Vinson & Elkins in Houston. In his free time, Alex enjoys golfing, pickleball, and watching sports (especially Texas Football). Welcome to Duke Law y'all!
Co-LEADer: Matthew Matour
Wilson Jeter '27 grew up in Raleigh, NC. He graduated from Tulane University in New Orleans with a degree in Chemical Engineering and Computer Science along with a commission in the United States Navy. Joining the Submarine force, Wilson spent two years in beautiful and sunny Charleston, SC learning all things Nuclear Engineering and then five years stationed in beautiful but most definitely not sunny, Seattle, WA. It wasn’t all gloom and light haze as he met and married his wife in Seattle. Wilson completed five deployments on an Ohio Class submarine before transitioning out of the Navy. He now attends Duke Law pursuing a JD/LL.M in Law & Entrepreneurship. Wilson spent his 1L summer at the Virginia/DC office of Cooley LLP working in the private companies group. Wilson is most likely to be found poolside, at a hip coffee shop, or out on a day hike.
Co-LEADer: Blake Ohanesian
Brady Allen Kruse '27 is from New Haven, Missouri, a very small farm town. He graduated from Mississippi State University in 2021 with a degree in computer science and minors in English and math. He received his Masters in Public Policy from the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke in 2024 before enrolling at Duke Law. At Duke Law, Brady is a member of the Duke Law and Technology Society, Texas Club, and has done pro bono work for the Innocence Project and the Duke Decarceration Project. Brady also serves as a Graduate Usher for Duke basketball, and he is more than thrilled to talk to anyone about campout and the ticketing process (and he really, really encourages you to do it!). This past summer, Brady worked at Norton Rose Fulbright in Austin as a part of the intellectual property disputes team. Next summer, Brady will be working at Hogan Lovells in Washington, D.C. in regulatory compliance, particularly in cybersecurity and data privacy. In his free time, Brady plays a lot of pickup basketball, golfs badly, is learning piano, and takes care of his two amazing cats Patsy and Loretta.
Co-LEADer: Hannah Strauss
Paige Kupas '27 is from Danville, PA. She graduated from Georgetown University with majors in political economy and history. This summer, she was a judicial intern at the US District Court for Washington, DC. At Duke, she is a member of the Mock Trial team, VP of Finance for WLSA, and involved in various pro bono projects. In her free time, she loves to go on long runs, read books, cook fun dinners, and go to Two Roosters in Durham for ice cream. Paige is so excited to welcome the incoming 1Ls to Duke Law!
Co-LEADer: Landon Pierce
Lauren LeClaire '27 is from Hamilton, New Jersey. She graduated from Yale University in 2024 with a B.A. in Ethics, Politics, and Economics. At Duke, she’s involved with the Women’s Law Students Association and is co-chair of the Health Care Planning Project. During her 1L summer, she was a summer associate at Lowenstein Sandler. In her free time she enjoys spin classes at Revel Durham, watching reality TV with her Duke Law roommate Natalie, and trying new Durham restaurants. She can’t wait to meet the Duke Law Class of 2028!
Co-LEADer: Natalie Cooke
Hope Lusby '27 is from Huntington, New York. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2023 with a degree in English and Music, where she studied violin. Prior to Duke, she worked for a music publishing company in New York City. At Duke, she is the Co-President of the Sports and Entertainment Law Society, and the Vice President of Finance of JLSA. During her 1L summer, she was a research assistant for Professor Steven Schwarcz. In her free time, Hope enjoys exploring the Durham food scene, working out, stress baking, and going on long walks through East Campus. She is so excited to welcome everyone to Duke!
Co-LEADer: Pratham Patel
Matthew Matour '27 is from Collegeville, PA. He graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 2024 with a B.A. in Political Science. At Penn State, Matt was a scholar in the Schreyer Honors College and a member of Delta Upsilon International Fraternity. Prior to law school, Matt worked as a server at a movie theater/bar/restaurant hybrid for four consecutive summers, combining his passions in both cinema and craft cocktails. At Duke, he serves on the executive board for the Duke Law Lifting Club, and during his 1L summer, he interned for the Honorable Gerald J. Pappert in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Matt is also a massive Philly sports fan, a country music enthusiast, and in his spare time, he collects bottles of rare Kentucky bourbon.
Co-LEADer: Alex Gantt
Jared Naughton '27 grew up in Dallas, Texas, before attending The Ohio State University and graduating in 2024. Jared graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Sports Industry. At Ohio State, he worked for the football team in recruiting. At Duke, he's involved in the Texas Club and the Innocence Project. Jared also tries to go to every Duke basketball game. During his 1L summer, he worked at Jackson Walker in Austin as a litigation associate. In his free time Jared watches college sports, hikes, and plays with his dog (German shepherd named Hershey).
Co-LEADer: Adam Yaggy
Thomas Newell '27 was raised in Augusta, GA. He graduated from Clemson University in 2023 with degrees in Biochemistry and Genetics. The highlights of Thomas’s 1L year were cooking for dinner parties and finishing legal writing in the stands at March Madness. This summer, he worked in patent litigation at Kilpatrick’s Atlanta office. In his bountiful free time, Thomas enjoys compiling a near-endless To-Be-Read list (primarily from recommendations on The Ezra Klein Show), being way too loud on the 4th floor of the library, scrolling aimlessly on Tiktok while asking “is this wasting my potential?”, and touching grass at the Duke Pond. Most importantly, he is so excited to welcome you to Duke Law!
Co-LEADer: Max Sander
Blake Ohanesian '27 grew up in Los Angeles, California. He graduated from Baylor University, where he studied finance and biochemistry. At Baylor, he was involved in Student Government and studied abroad in Dublin, Ireland, where he met his wife. He worked as a management consultant for four and a half years before coming to Duke Law, where he is pursuing his JD/LLM in Law & Entrepreneurship. At Duke, Blake is the incoming Co-President of MENALSA, VP of Events for the Transactional Law Society, and the VP of Finance for California Club. He spent his 1L summer at Latham & Watkins in D.C., where he will return for his 2L summer. When he isn’t “studying at the pool” with classmates, he enjoys traveling, exploring the outdoors, snowboarding, and playing video games with friends. He’s excited to welcome you all to Duke!
Co-LEADer: Wilson Jeter
Jared Park '27 is from Menlo Park, CA. He graduated from the University of Southern California, where he earned his undergraduate degree in Neuroscience in 2021 and master’s degree in Health Administration in 2022. Before attending law school, he worked for two large health care organizations as a business analyst and as a clinical project manager. This summer, he worked as a Legal Intern for Blue Shield of California, rotating through the organization’s corporate, litigation, government affairs, and compliance teams. He is a board member of Duke’s Asian Pacific American Law Students Association and Health Law Society. In his free time, Jared enjoys studying at cafes, thrifting, exercising, and watching basketball. Welcome to Duke!
Co-LEADer: Sabrina Peng
Pratham Patel '27 is from Atlanta, GA. He graduated from the University of Georgia in 2024 with a degree in Economics and Management Information Systems. At Duke, Pratham is a member of the Business Law Society and the South Asian Law Student Association. Pratham spent his 1L summer as a summer associate at Troutman Pepper Locke in Atlanta. In his free time, Pratham enjoys watching UGA football, the Braves, and exploring Durham.
Co-LEADer: Hope Lusby
Sabrina Peng '27 is from Austin, Texas. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she studied Political Science. Sabrina also received her Master of Science in International Development and Economic History from the London School of Economics. At Duke Law, she's the on the board of First Generation Professionals and APALSA. This summer, she's working at the Office of the Federal Public Defender in the District of Hawaii. Sabrina enjoys traveling, going to college basketball games, and watching Formula 1. She's excited to meet the class of 2028!
Co-LEADer: Jared Park
Landon Pierce '27 is from Redwood City, California. She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 2023, majoring in legal studies and political science. Before law school, she worked as an English Language Assistant in Spain. At Duke, Landon is on the board of the Women Law Students Association and involved with Duke Street Law. Landon spent her 1L summer interning for a federal judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. In her free time, Landon enjoys swimming, hiking, and traveling.
Co-LEADer: Paige Kupas
Ellie Purinton '27 grew up in Concord, Massachusetts. She graduated from Emory University in 2024, where she received B.A. degrees in English & Creative Writing and Human Health. At Duke, Ellie is a JD/MA in Bioethics, Science, & Technology. She is the secretary for the Health Law Society and a member of several on campus organizations including the Women's Law Student Association. During her 1L summer, Ellie worked as a legal intern at a pharmaceutical company in Boston. In her free time, Ellie enjoys exploring new restaurants with her friends, taking barre classes, and trying to befriend her neighbors' dogs. She is excited to welcome the incoming 1L class!
Alison Riddoch '27 is originally from Coquitlam, British Columbia. She graduated from Université Laval in 2024, where she earned a Bachelor of Laws (LLB). At Université Laval, she volunteered with several pro-bono projects and represented her faculty in the Laskin Moot, a Canada-wide moot court competition in constitutional and administrative law. At Duke, Alison is a 2L representative for 1GP, a Dean’s Cup Coordinator and a member of the Moot Court Board. This past summer, she worked as a research assistant at the Duke Center for Firearms Law. In her free time, Alison enjoys cycling, playing videogames, and watching hockey. She is excited to meet the incoming 1L class!
Co-LEADer: Maya El-Sharif
Max Sander '27 is originally from Louisville, KY. He graduated as a business major from the University of Michigan where he was also a Residential Advisor. At Duke, Max is a part of several organizations including the Duke Decarceration Project, Transactional Law Board and Texas Club. During his 1L summer, Max was a Summer Associate at Kirkland & Ellis in Dallas. In his free time, Max loves to play with his dog, Biscuit, hang out with his friends and try out new restaurants in Durham! Max is excited to meet the incoming 1L class!
Co-LEADer: Thomas Newell
Gabi Snyder '27 is from Long Branch, NJ. She graduated from Barnard College in 2022 with a B.A. in Sociology. She worked as a litigation paralegal in NYC for two years before starting at Duke Law. At Duke, she is involved in the Women’s Law Student Association, Duke Bar Association and the Innocence Project. During her 1L, Gabi worked as a legal intern at Arup US, Inc., a sustainable development consultancy in NYC and loved it. In her free time, Gabi enjoys exploring with her dog Red, trying new restaurants, playing tennis and singing badly at karaoke. She is super excited to be a LEAD fellow and welcome you all to Duke Law!
Co-LEADer: Worth Talley
Hannah Strauss '27 grew up in Westchester, New York and graduated from Cornell University in 2022. She worked for two years in NYC as a paralegal before law school. At Duke, she is an executive board member of the Duke Bar Association and the Jewish Law Student Association, and is involved in pro bono projects for If/When/How and Coalition Against Gender Violence. This summer, Hannah worked for a U.S. District Court Judge for the SDNY. In her free time, she loves drinking matcha lattes (at Mad Hatter, specifically), reading historical fiction, and traveling.
Co-LEADer: Brady Allen Kruse
Worth Talley '27 is from Atlanta, GA. He graduated from Davidson College in 2022 with a B.A. in Hispanic Studies and Russian Language & Literature. Before law school, he worked as an Associate at BCG in Washington, D.C. At Duke Law, he is a writing tutor and Internal VP of North Carolina Club. He spent his 1L summer at Smith Anderson in Raleigh. In his free time, Worth likes to cook and agonize over his fantasy football team. Welcome to Duke Law!
Co-LEADer: Gabi Snyder
Alison Talty '27 is from Haddonfield, NJ. She graduated from Georgetown University in 2024, where she majored in both Government and Studio Art and minored in Art History. At Duke, Alison is a 2L Representative for the Duke Bar Association and a Jail Mail Team Lead for the Innocence Project. During her 1L summer, Alison interned for the Honorable Christine P. O'Hearn in the District of New Jersey. In her free time, she enjoys painting, going to hot yoga, watching reality TV, and trying new restaurants. She is so excited to welcome the class of 2028!
Co-LEADer: Elizabeth Carter
Cynthia Wang '27 grew up in Warrenton, Virginia. She graduated from Wellesley College with a degree in Computer Science and English. At Duke, Cynthia is the Vice President of Communications for the Intellectual Property Law Society. This summer, she was a 1L Summer Associate in Fish & Richardson's Boston office. In her free time, she likes knitting, baking, and hanging out with her cat, Tuna. Cynthia is so excited to return to Duke for 2L and to welcome the class of 2028!
Co-LEADer: Cynthia Wang
Zhihan Xu '27 grew up in Concord, Massachusetts. He attended Amherst College, where he majored in Law, Jurisprudence, and Social Thought. During undergrad, he did research on the death penalty, wrote a thesis on labor law during times of crisis, and was an active member of the Amherst Symphony Orchestra. This year, Zhihan will serve as the VP of Communications for the Government and Public Service Society (GPS) and as the VP of the Duke Labor and Workers' Rights Alliance. Zhihan is also involved with the Duke Decarceration Project. During his 1L summer, he worked as a judicial intern with Chief Justice Budd of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. In his free time, he enjoys playing violin, cooking, and playing ultimate frisbee. Zhihan is looking forward to welcoming the class of 2028!
Adam Yaggy '27 grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Before law school, he was a Kelley Scholar at Indiana University and graduated in 2024. At Duke, Adam is involved with the Moot Court Board, Mock Trial Board, and the Duke Club Tennis team. Adam spent 1L summer outside Miami at Podhurst Orseck, a litigation boutique specializing in plaintiff-side aviation work. In his free time, Adam enjoys all things general aviation, (probably too much) tennis, and spending time with friends. He looks forward to welcoming the 1Ls this fall!
Co-LEADer: Jared Naughton