Meet The Instructors
Alex Schwarz
Alex Schwarz is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School and an attorney at Schwarz & Schwarz, P.C. law firm. While at law school, he earned a Certificate of Business Administration from The Wharton School. He scored in the 99th percentile on the LSAT. Alex has been tutoring the LSAT for nearly a decade and worked for one of the largest test prep companies before opening our company. He offers one-on-one private LSAT, 1L/2L/3L assistance, and Bar Review instruction directly tailored to each student’s strengths and needs to reach their goals. In addition, he can remain involved with students through their law school careers and beyond.
Campbell Schwarz - Business Development
As the youngest member of Elevate Legal Education, I bring fresh energy and innovative ideas to the team, driving the company’s growth and impact. My older brother, a University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School graduate, founded Elevate with a vision to help aspiring law students achieve their goals. From the start, I believed in his ability to succeed. I witnessed firsthand how he transformed the lives of the students he worked with, and I knew he had developed something truly special—a curriculum that could empower thousands to pursue their dreams of attending top law schools.
While my brother built a curriculum that has helped countless students excel, I saw an opportunity to amplify its reach and impact. As the head of business development, I brought structure to the marketing process, crafting strategies to expand Elevate's audience and connect with more students than ever before. From identifying growth opportunities to streamlining outreach efforts, my contributions have helped Elevate grow into a company that has now guided thousands of students to success in their legal education journeys.
My passion for helping others succeed is at the heart of everything I do at Elevate. By blending my creativity with my business development expertise, I’m proud to have played a key role in building a brand that empowers students to achieve their academic and professional goals.
Brittney Ajaj
Brittney has been a dedicated LSAT tutor for the last several years, coaching hundreds of students with a personable and approachable style. Brittney understands the pressures and challenges of the exam and is committed to being a consistent resource for her students, offering support whenever they need it. Outside of tutoring, Brittney is a passionate animal lover and enjoys spending time with her German Shepherd, Cody, and hiking. Her warm, supportive approach not only prepares students for the LSAT but also makes the journey less stressful and more enjoyable.
Ezer Benzaquen
Ezer holds a bachelor of Talmudic law and rabbinic ordination from YOEC as well as a master of social work from Yeshiva University. Ezer enjoys helping students master the LSAT by engaging in creative joint writing exercises that utilize formal logic as well as breaking down LSAT questions using critical analysis and the Socratic Method. He will be attending Georgetown Law this coming fall.
Brian Boyle
As a licensed attorney with a passion for education, Brian has spent years working with hundreds of students for the LSAT and Bar Exam. Through personalized instruction and mentorship, Brian strives to empower students with the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve their academic and professional goals. When Brian is not teaching, he enjoys spending his time traveling, playing sports, and being with friends and family.
Zach Friedman
Zach Friedman is a graduate of Temple University Beasley School of Law, where he was a Beasley Scholarship Recipient, a Law & Public Policy Scholar, and a member of the Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic, where he assisted clients in resolving their issues with the IRS. Zach currently works at KPMG as a member of their international tax practice and a team that advises multinational corporations on their tax compliance and strategic cross-border business planning.
Jesse Friedson
Jesse is a Connecticut native and a graduate of Haverford College. He now lives in the Washington, D.C. area working as a paralegal at the Department of Justice. Jesse will be attending Yale Law School this coming fall. In his spare time, Jesse acts in musicals and spends time with his parrot, Otis!
Lily Gannon
Lily Gannon graduated from the University of Delaware in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science. Following graduation, she worked in Washington, D.C., in the fields of public policy and government relations. She will be an 1L in the Fall. Lily is thrilled to have the chance to help others navigate this process and succeed on the LSAT. She feels very passionately about the fact that every person can excel on this exam, as there is a method to understanding and approaching the LSAT, which she believes guarantees success. Despite many common misconceptions, Lily speaks from experience in stating that preparing for the LSAT can be enjoyable and exciting. As an instructor, Lily looks forward to helping her students find similar enjoyment in the LSAT prep process and ultimately achieve top-notch LSAT scores!
Shawn Hakakian
Shawn received his undergraduate degree in Management Science and Business from the University of California, San Diego and is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, where he also received a Certificate in Business Administration from the Wharton School. Shawn’s training at one of the country’s top law and business programs has enabled him to tackle and overcome the toughest exams and academic challenges. He uses these skills to guide his students to success when preparing for the LSAT or Bar Exam.
Mendel Jacobson
Mendel Jacobson serves as Director of the Truman Scholars Program and Assistant Director of the Lobel Teachers Colloquia at the Tikvah Fund. In 2020, he graduated from the Central Chabad Yeshiva, where he studied Jewish law and theology. Mendel completed fellowships at the Public Interest Fellowship, Tikvah Fund, American Enterprise Institute, and Hertog Foundation. He is a federally certified prison chaplain and has worked with incarcerated people in over thirty prisons across the United States. When not tutoring the LSAT, you can find Mendel at a classical music concert, practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, or reading about American history.
Michelle Kaplin
Michelle is a practicing attorney who is barred in both Florida and California. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Miami in 2018 and received her J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law in 2021. She is now a lawyer at Morgan & Morgan, a large civil litigation law firm. Michelle has mastered various exams throughout her life, including the LSAT, the Florida bar exam, and the California bar exam. She is passionate about using the tools she has learned over the years to teach others to excel in these exams.
Adlai Lamason
Adlai is a student at Cardozo Law School in New York City. She attended Penn State University, majoring in criminology. Upon graduation, Adlai began preparations for attending law school, and found studying for the LSAT to be fun and engaging. Adlai loves living in New York City and enjoys trying new restaurants and exploring new neighborhoods.
Elura Nanos
Elura has spent the last 25 years working with aspiring and current law students. She has spent thousands of hours on air, including real-time trial analysis on Law&Crime, a starring role in her own reality show, dishing celebrity gossip on Reelz and MTV, debating law and politics on hundreds of national and local news appearances, and making live sales on QVC.
Rachel Rood-Ojalvo
Rachel graduated with honors from Brown University, where she majored in Urban Studies with a focus on criminal justice reform. She is passionate about creating equal access to high quality education, employment, housing, and health care. After college, she worked at an education nonprofit in Mexico City. For years, she has helped students prepare for college entrance exams and the LSAT. Rachel strongly believes in supportive, personalized education that encourages students to have fun and feel confident. In her free time, she loves reading fiction, swimming, and drinking coffee with dessert.