About Ashton Lee
Ashton Lee Cooke earned a B.A. in Journalism and Women’s & Gender Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2014. She returned to UNC for law school and received her J.D. in 2018. That combination of coursework shaped an approach that balances attention to narrative and close reading of statutes.
Cooke’s legal training included a range of practical placements during law school. She served as a certified student practitioner in UNC’s clinical programs in 2017. That same year she worked as a legal extern in the UNC Office of University Counsel and as a legal intern at Davis Mangum, PLLC. The year before, she spent time as a legal intern with the North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence. These roles gave her exposure to client interviews, drafting, and institutional legal work.
After law school, Cooke joined the Land Loss Prevention Project as a staff lawyer in 2018. The position placed her in an organization that handles legal problems affecting landowners and communities. At the Land Loss Prevention Project she has represented clients and taken part in case preparation, document review, and legal research. Her work there has involved regular interaction with community members and other stakeholders.
Her background in journalism adds a particular set of skills to her legal work. Reporting and writing training help in preparing clear pleadings and communicating complex points in simple terms. Her studies in Women’s & Gender Studies contribute perspective on how legal issues intersect with broader social dynamics. Together those strands influence how she approaches fact development and client interviews.
Cooke is licensed to practice in North Carolina. Since 2018 she has held professional memberships relevant to her practice. She continues to contribute to the organization's work through direct client representation and collaborative projects with colleagues and community partners.
Presently she practices law in North Carolina and serves as a staff lawyer at the Land Loss Prevention Project, where she focuses on the legal matters handled by that organization.
