Meet the Class of 2026: Alex Mahmou-Werndli

Incoming 1L Alex Mahmou-Werndli ’26, grew up in Wisconsin a little north of Madison. The University of Minnesota became his home during his undergrad years. He majored in Arabic and North African history. He also worked in the U's Department of Athletics and the Writing Center. After graduating, he taught English in Morocco where he met his wife. His experience in the Writing Center peaked his interest to earn a master’s in rhetoric/composition at Oregon State. He then returned to Morocco as a university faculty member.

Welcome to Minnesota Law! Can you tell us why you chose the University of Minnesota Law School.

I chose Minnesota Law with an eye to the future. First and foremost: I want to live and practice in the Twin Cities area, and Minnesota Law’s opportunities and contacts are thus a great fit for my long-term career goals. Within Minnesota Law itself, I’m interested in getting involved with one of several journals and practical experience opportunities. Finally, during the admissions process, the Minnesota Law faculty members were quite responsive compared to those of some of the other schools I was considering, and I could picture myself forging relationships with them.

What are you looking forward to the most about starting law school?

Intellectual community! I’m looking forward to meeting my peers and discussing all manner of things (legal and extra-legal) with folks who are excited by the act of discussion. No matter what I’m doing, I feel most comfortable in a community where folks are engaged with and actively thinking about their work, and I’m sure I’ll find that in law school.

Minnesota Law strives to embody a culture of equity, inclusiveness, and belonging in the classroom and in our community. What are some of the most important aspects of creating a culture where all students feel like they belong?

I’d say the most important individual habit for creating such a culture is listening. Here I’m thinking of something deeper than just waiting patiently for your turn to speak—rather, a deeper consideration of and subsequent response to the perspectives that someone else is willing to share, as well as a general orientation towards asking questions. This kind of listening accomplishes two things. First, as a speaker, I think being listened to tends to make everyone more comfortable by showing that your words are valued. Second, as a listener, I think that seeking out and listening to people with life experiences which are vastly different from one’s own is a sustainable way to broaden perspectives, question assumptions, and reduce bias.

Are you interested in practicing in a certain area of the law? Which one and why?

Tentatively, energy/environment. I’m especially interested in opportunities to work in areas related to water rights, agriculture, and natural resources. Energy is the fundamental currency of life, and I want to focus my career on one aspect of the interactions between society, energy, and the natural world.

Do you have a hobby or special interests? And/or what do you like to do during your free time?

I like to role play, and I particularly like activities which encourage wit or creativity and provide an outlet for my energy. I enjoy being outside (hiking, biking, canoeing, reading, tossing a frisbee, etc.).

Who inspires you and why?

All sorts of people. Supportive family members, open-minded in-laws, mentors who exercise discipline in their own work and care for their mentees … it’s hard to pick just one, here.

What’s the most recent book or podcast you’ve read or listened to?

Podcast: The Great Simplification. Nate Hagens (an adjunct faculty member at our own university) interviews experts from a wide variety of disciplines and puts issues in the greater context of the current “metacrisis” of energy, materials, and human behavior.

Finally, what or who makes a good lawyer?

Not sure (yet). I will say, though, that most of the lawyers I’ve met share cynical or sarcastic senses of humor, which (at least in my experience) they seem to use to mask the fact that they are inherently optimistic people.