Law Student Representative: Veronica Peña
2025-26 NCBA law student representative Veronica Peña is excited to connect her classmates in Elon’s Flex Program with the vast opportunities afforded to them by the NCBA. The Flex Program is full of nontraditional students, with the average age being 29 and ranging from working moms in their 40s to a freshly graduated 21-year-old. Many are working full-time jobs, and others have children. Since it can be difficult to keep up with opportunities while managing such a full plate, Veronica hopes to serve as a bridge, giving her peers and campus a familiar face to turn to with questions or interests.
Prior to law school, Veronica graduated in 2022 from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with three bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice, political science and history, as well as two minors: American studies and legal studies. She has spent the last three years working primarily with victims and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and crimes against children. This passion was reflected during her undergraduate years when she was a member of UNCC’s Activate! Social Justice Institute, a semester-long program focused on social justice, equity and activism.
I’ve known I wanted to go to law school for the majority of my life, and I’ve made every decision with that goal in mind. I struggled with taking the next step in my career because I’ve spent the last seven years in Charlotte building a life and a career, and I hated the idea of leaving everything that I love to pursue my dream. In 2023, when Elon announced they were going to open a part-time program, everything fell into place. Elon became the key to achieving something I’ve been dreaming of for so long.
For nearly four years, she has served as a victim/witness legal assistant for the Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office on several teams: Felony Crimes, Felony Special Victims and Misdemeanor Special Victims. These close personal experiences with the criminal justice system turned into a fascination with the legal system, which grew into a love and passion for the law. Also with the District Attorney’s Office, Veronica is a member of its Community Literacy and Institutional Responsibility Committee, where she helps build a workforce that honors the array of worldviews across the county and fidelity to cultivating public confidence, as well as its Explorer’s Program, which allows students to examine what a career in criminal law looks like.
The Venn diagram of where my majors and minors intersect is where my heart lies. Even prior to my current work experience at the District Attorney’s Office, I knew I wanted to pursue criminal law in some capacity or another. I have always been passionate about criminal justice reform and prison reform. I’ve been involved in politics and social issues since I was in early high school. The experiences afforded to me by UNCC confirmed what I have long known to be true: Law school is where I am meant to be. My enrollment in Elon’s law school is the culmination of everything I have ever worked for.
Veronica dreams of one day becoming an assistant district attorney. She adores her place at the District Attorney’s Office and its supportive and invaluable environment, and she will continue as part of the support staff until she can achieve that long-term goal.
The best advice I can give to future law students is to do it scared. As 1Ls, none of us know what we are doing, but that’s what we’re here to change — we are here to learn, to grow and lead. I never want to be someone who didn’t pursue something I knew I was meant to do out of fear. Stay humble, stay focused and do it scared. You’ll be all right!
When she isn’t making her way up in the legal world, Veronica is a proud cat mom, huge history buff, pop culture fiend, craft master and avid reader. She even used to run a “bookstagram,” @ronireads, and hopes to return to it as a creative outlet while studying.
Are you interested in helping Veronica represent the NCBA at accredited law schools across the state? Learn about the NCBA Law Student Division.