Adriana Hernandez Ordonez L’25 strengthened her skills in real estate and commercial law with the legal team at Bell Partners in Greensboro, gaining valuable practical experience through Elon Law’s signature Residency-in-Practice Program.
Adriana Hernandez Ordonez L’25 first discovered her interest in the law as a criminology major at Eastern Connecticut State University. That curiosity found fruition in her current path to a career in business and real estate law.
An internship at a small law firm confirmed her desire to pursue a legal career and eventually brought her to Elon University School of Law, where a residency-in-practice with Bell Partners sharpened her skills and confidence.
“My residency helped me shift from thinking like a law student to thinking like a practicing attorney,” Hernandez said. “You don’t just research for the sake of it. You’re solving real problems, and that makes you more efficient, more focused, and more prepared.”
Elon Law’s Residency-in-Practice Program is the cornerstone of an innovative curriculum that emphasizes legal skills through hands-on learning. Every second-year law student spends the winter or spring in a full-time, 10-week placement under the supervision of jurists and lawyers inspired to mentor future legal leaders.
This is the third in a series of conversations with Elon Law students in the Class of 2025 reflecting on their recent residencies-in-practice.
What inspired you to study law, and why did you select Bell Partners for your residency-in-practice?
From a young age, I was always interested in the law. In college, I majored in criminology and was required to complete an internship. I knew I didn’t want to follow the typical path, like interning with a parole officer, so I sought out my own opportunity and interned at a small law firm near campus. I realized this was something I truly enjoyed, and it confirmed my decision to pursue law school after graduation.
Bell Partners first caught my attention when their senior vice president spoke to one of our student organizations about what in-house counsel work is like. After the meeting, I introduced myself and explained my interest in business law. I even spoke to a former Elon Law student who had completed a residency there and asked about their experience.
When it came time for the residency match process, Bell Partners was my top choice. I was excited by the opportunity to learn more about in-house counsels’ role — especially at a company focused on investment and real estate, which is an area I have a personal connection to through my family. The combination of business law and real estate made it a great fit.
What were some of your daily responsibilities?
My responsibilities varied day to day, which kept things interesting. Some days, I redlined contracts or non-disclosure agreements. Other days, I focused on legal research, looking into statutes that involve rental properties and issues.
My supervisors also involved me in day-to-day issues. For example, if an urgent legal matter arose and they needed to solve a problem, I was able to assist and support them. It was a great way to learn how fast-paced and dynamic in-house counsel roles can be.
What did you learn in your residency that surprised you?
What surprised me most was how broad in-house legal work really is. My supervisor once told me that in this role, you don’t need to know everything about one thing, you need to know a little bit about a lot of things. That really stuck with me. You don’t need to specialize in certain areas, you need to be versatile and know enough about different areas of the law to be able to research and resolve issues.
One of the biggest things I learned was how important it is to simplify legal language. As law students, we’re trained to explain everything in detail. But in the real world, sometimes the answer needs to be clear and simple — just a “yes” or “no,” especially when working with non-lawyers. I learned to adjust how I communicate based on my audience.
The experience with Bell Partners also improved my legal research skills. I honed abilities I already felt comfortable with, like issue-spotting and being able to analyze information quickly but in a very detail-oriented way. For example, in a contract, maybe you redline those terms you want to revisit and fine-tune in the final version.
Looking toward graduation and launching your career, how did your residency experience prepare you? What essential skills or connections did you develop?
This experience confirmed for me that this is the area of law I want to go into. As an undergraduate, I dabbled in business law and kept it in the back of my head throughout law school. Being able to work and see the daily lives of attorneys in an in-house counsel position proved that this is where I want to be.
My residency experience played a crucial role in preparing me for my job search. I built meaningful connections with my supervisors, several of whom have supported me with recommendations during the application process. The experience also gave me greater confidence in the quality of my work and affirmed my ability to contribute effectively in a legal environment.
Getting a taste of professional legal experience through the Residency-in-Practice Program before we graduate from law school and enter practice is very important. It helped me recognize my value as a potential employee at any law firm. Additionally, I developed stronger communication skills, particularly in understanding how different attorneys approach and respond to various situations. These insights have been essential in shaping my professional growth and readiness for the next step in my career.