Haley H. Crossley
Haley H. Crossley is a Juris Doctor candidate at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, where she is building a strong foundation in litigation, advocacy, and corporate law. Currently serving as a Summer Legal Intern with FedEx, Haley combines her legal studies with practical experience gained through judicial, corporate, and private practice roles. Her professional journey reflects a commitment to excellence, integrity, and lifelong learning, with a particular interest in helping organizations navigate complex legal and business challenges.
Before pursuing law school, Haley spent nearly a decade in the hospitality industry, where she developed exceptional leadership, customer service, and operational management skills. An opportunity to join a law firm as a legal assistant sparked her passion for the legal profession, leading her to advance into litigation paralegal work and ultimately pursue a legal career. Since entering law school, Haley has gained valuable experience as a Judicial Extern with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Tennessee, a Summer Law Clerk with Rice Amundson & Caperton PLLC, and a competitor in national moot court competitions, including earning regional semifinalist honors in Detroit.
In addition to her academic and professional accomplishments, Haley is an active leader within the legal community. She serves as President of the Veterans Law Society at the University of Memphis, is a member of the Moot Court Board, and was selected as a Law Student Liaison for the Tennessee Bar Association Young Lawyers Division. As an Ombudsman for the U.S. Navy and a mother of five, Haley brings a unique perspective on leadership, time management, and service. She credits her success to strong personal values rooted in authenticity, honesty, and perseverance, and remains dedicated to using the law as a vehicle for advocacy, problem-solving, and positive impact.
• Notary Public (Virginia and Tennessee)
• The University of Memphis—Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law- J.D.
• Regent University- B.A.Sc.
• Moot Court Regional Competition Semifinalist
• Detroit
• Veterans Law Society
• Student Ambassador and Liaison
• Tennessee Bar Association Young Lawyers Division
• Moot Court Board
• Ombudsman
• Navy Personnel Command
• Ombudsman for Navy Personnel Command (liaison between family members and command for service member families)
What do you attribute your success to?
I would say hard work and the undeniable drive that I have. I truly don't know where it comes from, but there is no way that I am not going to do what I want to do with my life. I guess knowing that I have one life, and I want to live every day knowing that this is my one life, and this is my chance, and if I don't do what I want to do now, I may never get that opportunity. That awareness drives everything I do.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Do the hard thing first, and start before you're ready. Don't wait until you think you're ready. Just start. That advice has pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me take on challenges that I might have otherwise avoided. It's been instrumental in my journey through law school and my career.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Never say that you don't belong there. There's not a table or a room that you don't belong in, just because of some qualities or characteristics that you are. You deserve, and should be, wherever you want to be. So don't let anything hold you back. Walk into that boardroom, sit at that chair and that desk, and know your name is on the back of that chair.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I think the biggest challenge, but also definitely an opportunity that is here to stay, is artificial intelligence. It's making such a monumental change in the industry itself and the practice of law, from the small boutique firms to the huge corporations. I'm seeing it in every space of the legal field. It can be scary, and I understand that, but it's only as scary as what you make it. You can use it to optimize every aspect of your life. A lot of people don't even know it, but you already do use AI in things like talk-to-text and spell check. It's not new, it's just getting better. Learning how to use it is going to be really important so that it can benefit you. It's going to be years in the making of what it's going to do to the industry.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I would say integrity, being honest with yourself, is always the first step to being able to be helpful to anyone in life. If you're not honest with yourself, you can't really be authentic in life. So integrity, honesty, and just living your true self, because I think automatically, if you're doing that, you're helping people. Not living to help people, but living for yourself and to be your true self, and that inherently means you're helping others, because you're being your true self and they're seeing that and gaining something from you every day.