Arkansas Business

Melissa Bandy

Melissa Bandy considered becoming a lawyer while attending Davidson College in North Carolina but decided to wait.

“I just wanted to make sure that it was what I really wanted to do,” said Bandy, who was born in Ohio and grew up in Little Rock.

She worked for a year as an admission counselor traveling the southeast region for Davidson College after graduating in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in English.

Bandy returned to Little Rock to pursue a law degree, following the advice of a relative: If you know where you want to practice law, go there.

She graduated with high honors from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Bowen School of Law in 2011.

Bandy joined the Mitchell Williams law firm in Little Rock, working in its business group, primarily in the areas of commercial transactions, finance and real estate.

Her pre-law resume includes working in the volunteer services department at Arkansas Children’s Hospital and in the research department of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

Her volunteerism includes coaching and helping fundraise for the Miracle League in Little Rock, a baseball program for children with disabilities. She also co-chaired the Designing Women fundraising event for the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas.