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*** OPENING KEYNOTE SPEAKER *** Dennis J. Shields, Esq. Dean, Phoenix School of Law (Phoenix, Arizona) Dennis J. Shields is the Dean of Phoenix School of Law. Prior to assuming this deanship in August 2005, he served in senior administrative posts at the University of Iowa College of Law, the University of Michigan Law School and Duke University School of Law. While Dean Shields was Assistant Dean for Admissions at the University of Michigan Law School, he was instrumental in drafting the law school admissions policy and had primary responsibility for its implementation. This policy was unsuccessfully challenged in Grutter v. Bollinger, in which the U. S. Supreme Court held that both the policy and the methods of its implementation are constitutional. Dean Shields is an expert on law school admissions and diversity in legal education. He has written extensively on the subject of diversity in education and is a frequent speaker/contributor at education conferences on this subject. He has served in leadership roles with several national organizations affiliated with legal education. Dean Shields received his Bachelor's degree in business administration from Graceland College in Lamoni, Iowa and his law degree from the University of Iowa College of Law.
* SOCIAL NETWORKING RECEPTION/ MENTORSHIP MIXER* ***KEYNOTE SPEAKER*** Latosha Lewis, Esq. President, Houston Lawyers Association (Houston, Texas)
Latosha T. Lewis is an associate in the Environmental Section of Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP. Her practice focuses on environmental, toxic tort, product liability, personal injury, premise liability, and wrongful death litigation. Ms. Lewis also has experience with state and federal statutory and regulatory environmental legal matters. Ms. Lewis received her B.A. in Environmental Studies and Political Science from Tulane University, where she served as President of the pre-law society, Black American Lawyers of Tomorrow, and as chair of a mentoring program serving over 100 primary and secondary school children in New Orleans through the Live Oak Young Adult League (or Project L.O.Y.A.L.). As a Thomas J. Watson Fellow, she studied culture and the development of women's sports in Kenya, Swaziland, Botswana, Ghana and Jamaica. Ms. Lewis received her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law in 2000. As a part of her continuing interest in mentoring, Latosha returned to Houston after law school and served as a mentor in the Communities in Schools program and the Houston Young Lawyers Assocation's Leadership 2000 mentoring program. She has also served as a member of the Board of Directors of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Houston since 2004. Ms. Lewis currently serves as President of the Houston Lawyers Association, the African American Bar Association of Houston, which represents the interests and serves the community on behalf of over 1400 African American lawyers in the Houston area. She is a Fellow with the Houston Bar Foundation and the Houston Young Lawyers Foundation and a member of the State Bar Legal Services to the Poor in Civil Matters Committee.
*** LEGACY BUILDERS AWARDS RECEPTION *** ***KEYNOTE SPEAKER*** Everett Bellamy, Esq. Assistant Dean and Adjunct Professor of Law, Georgetown University School of Law (Washington, DC)
Everett Bellamy is an Assistant Dean and Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center.
Dean Bellamy has been a dean at Georgetown since 1980. He is a member of the American Bar Association, Business Law Section and former Co-Chair of the National Bar Association Law Professors Division. Since 1990, he has been teaching a small business law course at Georgetown. In 1998, he taught a course in international business regulation in Florence, Italy.
His recent writings include: The Status of African American Law Professors, NBA National Bar Association Magazine (1992); Academic Enhancement and Counseling Programs: Counseling Minority Law Students; St. Louis University Public Law Review (1991); and Law School Admissions Advisor - Minority Students, Kaplan/Newsweek (1999). Before joining the Law Center staff, he served in the Office of Student Affairs at Cleveland State University. He has also been an instructor for the Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO) Program and the Charles Hamilton Houston Law School Preparatory Institute. He has served as the Chairperson of the D.C. Chapter of the National Conference on Black Lawyers, and was a member of the Board of Governors of the National Bar Association.
He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Wisconsin. He is a graduate of the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Cleveland State University.
*** CLOSING KEYNOTE SPEAKER ***
Dr. John H. Jackson, Jr., Esq. Chief Policy Officer, NAACP Chairman, National Equity Center, Inc. (Washington, DC) Under the leadership of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) President and CEO Bruce Gordon, Dr. John H. Jackson, Esq. was appointed as the NAACP’s Chief Policy Officer. In this capacity, Dr. Jackson is responsible for coordinating and implementing the Association’s research, advocacy and training agenda in education, health, economic empowerment, criminal justice, civic engagement, voter empowerment, housing, labor and international affairs. Prior to being appointed Chief Policy Officer, for the past five years, Dr. Jackson has diligently served as the NAACP’s National Director of Education. Before joining the Association, Dr. Jackson possessed a broad array of professional experience. In 1999, at age 27, President Clinton appointed Dr. Jackson to the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education (OCR). While at OCR, Dr. Jackson served as Senior Policy Advisor. Dr. Jackson is one of the few Americans to have earned five higher education degrees. Dr. Jackson possesses a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Xavier University of Louisiana; a Master of Education degree in Education Policy from the University of Illinois' College of Education; and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Illinois' College of Law. In addition, Dr. Jackson received a Master of Education and Doctorate of Education in Administration, Planning, and Social Policy from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. Dr. Jackson is currently an Adjunct Professor of Race, Gender, and Public Policy at the Georgetown University School of Public Policy. He is also Chairman of the National Equity Center Inc., a national non-profit established to promote diversity and democratic values by providing youth with the needed leadership, academic, research and advocacy skills to eliminate existing local and national civil rights and social justice disparities. Dr. Jackson is a member of the Louisiana Bar Association, the American Bar Association, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Prince Hall Masonry, and New Psalmist Baptist Church. He has been identified as one of EBONY Magazine‘s Thirty Leaders of the Future. He is a native of Chicago, Illinois, and currently resides in Owings Mills, Maryland.
*** FEATURED SPEAKER ***
Frederick Barrow, Esq. President, J.L. Turner Legal Association: The African-American Bar Association of Dallas Vice-Chair, African American Lawyers Section, State Bar of Texas (Dallas, Texas)
Frederick Barrow is a magna cum laude law graduate of the Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Marketing at Louisiana State University. He is an associate at Littler Mendelson, P.C. He advises and represents employers in a broad range of employment law matters, including claims based upon Title VII, ADEA, ADA, and numerous state statutes, as well as litigation avoidance. Attorney Barrow counsels employers on preparing AAP’s for compliance with OFCCP requirements, severance agreements, and employment policies. Mr. Barrow also has extensive experience responding to charges of discrimination filed with federal and state agencies, and complying with federal, state and municipal employment laws. He currently serves as the President of the J.L. Turner Legal Association: The African-American Bar Association of Dallas. He is a member of the Texas State Bar, the Board of Directors of the African American Lawyers Section of the State Bar, the National Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. He is also a member of the Dallas Bar Association’s Board of Directors and serves as Co-Chair of its LegalLines Section.
*** FEATURED SPEAKER ***
Michael Sterling, J.D. Candidate National Chairperson, National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA) (Houston, Texas)
Michael Sterling was raised in Beaumont, Texas,
the son of Doretha and Charles Sterling. While a high school student
in Beaumont, Michael interned for three years in the City of Beaumont
Executive Offices for the Mayor, City Manager, and City Council.
Michael, at the Mayor’s request, established the Mayor’s
Youth Council to address growing concerns among youth in Beaumont.
Michael Sterling became known in the community as a young orator,
speaking at churches, community events, and on key issues in the
city of Beaumont. While still a senior in high school, Michael
was featured as a keynote speaker at the Annual Conference for
the Texas Alliance of Black School Educators in the Spring of
2000. After graduating high school, Michael Sterling attended Morehouse
College in Atlanta, Georgia. While at Morehouse, Michael
served as Captain of the Morehouse Debate Team, Vice Polemarch
Vice President) of Pi Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.
Michael also served as a legislative aide to State Senator Kasim
Reed. Senator Reed was so impressed while Michael assisted
him in the legislature that Senator Reed asked Michael to play
a key role in his bid for re-election. Michael spent his
summer organizing students, rallies, attending fundraisers, and
developing campaign strategies that would assist Senator Reed
in winning re-election with 59% of the vote. Senator Reed
remains Michael’s mentor. Shortly after that summer ended Michael began law school at the Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of law in Houston, Texas. Michael achieved academic excellence remaining in the top 5% of his class, serving on law review, and becoming the first ever first-year student elected as Student Bar Vice President. Michael served as a law clerk to Norm Silverman, a criminal defense lawyer in Houston, Texas at the completion of his first year and throughout his second year of law school, where he received a full offer of employment upon graduation. During the summer after his second year, he clerked at the prestigious firm of Sidley Austin in Chicago, Illinois. Michael was elected as National Chair of the Black Law Students Association (NBLSA) in the Spring of 2006 at the 38th Annual NBLSA National Convention in Washington, D.C. NBLSA is the largest student-run organization in the country, representing over 200 chapters at accredited ABA law schools across the nation and more than 7,000 members. One of NBLSA’s many goals is to increase the declining number of blacks attending law school.
THE FEATURED PRESENTERS & PANELISTS FOR 2006
Adjoa A. Aiyetoro, Esq. Adjoa A. Aiyetoro is an Assistant Professor of Law at the UALR William H. Bowen School of Law. She graduated, cum laude, from St. Louis University School of Law where she was inducted into the Jesuit Honor Society, Alpha Sigma Nu. Before joining the faculty she had a career as a human rights attorney. She began her legal career as a staff attorney with the United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Special Litigation Section where she litigated cases involving the rights of the institutionalized and developed an expertise in prisoner rights. She joined the ACLU National Prison Project in 1981 where she remained until 1992. Since 1992 she has served as the Executive Director of the National Conference of Black Lawyers, the Director of Administration for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc., a consultant to the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and the Chief Legal Consultant for the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America (N’COBRA). Ms. Aiyetoro was an Adjunct Professor with the American University, Washington College of Law from 1997 through 2003. She was a Visiting Scholar with the University of California at Santa Barbara, Center for Black Studies, Spring 2003 and a Visiting Professor at West Virginia University College of Law, Fall 2004. Professor Aiyetoro has extensive experience working domestically and internationally to obtain remedies for historical and present day wrongs to people of color, women and other oppressed groups. She represented the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) (2000-2001) at the World Conference Against Racism, including attending all the preparatory meetings and serving as a leader of the African and African Descendant Caucus. In 1995 she coordinated the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law’s delegation to the United Nations’ Conference on Women in Beijing and also represented the organization at the 2000 Beijing Plus 5.
Michelle Allison, Esq. Michelle Allison is the Assistant Director of Admissions at Northeastern University School of Law in Boston, Massachusetts. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree with honors from Howard University and her Juris Doctor from Northeastern University. Ms. Allison serves on a number of law school and university committees including the Alumni/ae Relations Board of Directors and the Committee Against Institutional Racism. She also serves as the Alumni/ae Liaison for the Admissions Office and the Black Law Student Association. Prior to joining the law school she clerked for a Massachusetts Superior Court Judge and two Boston law firms. She is a member of the American Bar Association, the Boston Bar Association and the Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association.
Jessica Anderson Jessica Anderson is a native of Stuart, Florida. The second child born to Charles and Xenobia Anderson, she has always used her bright personality to help others. While matriculating through the Martin County School District Ms. Anderson was constantly involved in school leadership positions. As an honor student throughout elementary, middle and high school, she served in student government in various capacities, lastly as her high school class president all four years. Ms. Anderson completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Public Relations with a minor in Agricultural Communications from the University of Florida. While at Florida, she was selected to be a member of the distinguished Florida Cicerones, Presidential Personal Hosts, a member of the University Gospel Choir and elected Student Senator. Just turning 21, Ms. Anderson returned to Stuart, Florida where she became the youngest teacher at Jensen Beach High School, instructing 9th, 10th and 11th grade students. At the same time, Jessica became involved in community activities mentoring middle and high school girls as a Generation X-ample mentor and producing a community play. Jessica is a “Double Gator” returning to University of Florida Levin College of Law in the spring of 2005 and is now a second-year law student. Truly committed to empowering others, Ms. Anderson has used much of her resources and time while at Levin to encourage and motivate other Black students toward the legal profession. She envisioned and co-created the First Year 101 Program, an introduction to the ends and outs of law school for incoming Black students, is a member of the UF LAW Student Recruitment Team, nationally renowned UF Trial Team, case worker on the Restoration of Civil Rights Empowerment Project, and is the College Division Coordinator for the George W. Allen Chapter of BLSA. Jessica is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and has interned at the prestigious law firm of Gary, Williams, Parenti, Finney, Lewis, Watson and Sperando and clerked at the law firm of Pressly and Pressly.
Tamara Martinez-Anderson Tamara Martinez-Anderson is the Assistant Dean for Admissions and Communications at Oklahoma City University School of Law. Ms. Martinez-Anderson has been in the field of law school admissions for nine years at both private and public institutions, including Gonzaga University and the University of Idaho. Ms. Martinez-Anderson serves on the Services and Programs Committee with the Law School Admission Counsel. She has created a variety of educational programs and publications for pre-law students and is committed to assisting and guiding prospective law students through the law school admissions process. Ms. Martinez-Anderson earned a Bachelor of Arts from Utah State University, with a major in American Studies and attended graduate school at the University of Michigan where she studied American History focusing on women, labor, and the American West.
Janice L. Austin Janice L. Austin has spent her entire adult life surrounded by lawyers. Currently, she is the Assistant Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at Penn State University Dickinson School of Law. From 1994-2002, Dean Austin was the Assistant Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at the University of Pennsylvania School of Law. She also served as the Director of Admissions at the University of California Hastings College of Law from 1990-1994, the Assistant Director of Admissions at the Columbia University Business School 1988-1990 and as an Admissions Officer at Columbia University School of Law from 1980-1988. Dean Austin served on the 2003-2005 term of the Board of Trustees for the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC); additionally she is the immediate-past chair of the Minority Affairs Committee. She also served as a Trustee from 1998-2001, and a trustee liaison to the Finance and Legal Affairs Committee. Among her numerous years of service to LSAC, Dean Austin has served as a board appointee to the LSAC Strategic Planning Work Group, the New Building Committee, a committee member on Services and Programs, the Alternative Decision-Making Models Work Group, the Annual Meeting Planning Work Group, and a member of the Gay and Lesbian Work Group. During her experiences in higher education administration, Dean Austin has served as the advisor to student organizations, such as the Black Law Students Association, OutLaw(Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered Law Students Association), and other multicultural organizations. She has made presentations on topics as affirmative action, disabilities issues, financial aid, and diversity, and on being out in the workplace. Her writings appear in Journal of Legal Education, the Kaplan/Newsweek Law School Admissions Adviser, How to Get into the Top Law Schools, Law School Confidential: A Complete Guide to the Law School Experience, and Our Place on Campus. Recently, she had an essay titled “LSAT, U.S. News and Minority Admissions" published in the St. John’s Law Review. Dean Austin is currently working on two manuscripts, one on law school admissions’ professionals of color and affirmative action, and the other on her experiences as a kidney donor for her older brother. She received her Bachelor of Arts. degree in biology from Columbia University. Vicki D. Blanton, Esq. Vicki D. Blanton
is a Senior Attorney practicing employee benefits and executive
compensation for J.C. Penney Corporation, Inc. In that capacity,
she handles the legal issues related to the Company’s 401(k)
plan, the equity and executive compensation plans, and international
benefit plans. Vicki ensures maintenance and compliance
of existing plans and participates in the various ad hoc teams
for the design and implementation of new benefit plans.
For example, Vicki currently serves as legal team leader for implementing
the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004, which requires sweeping
changes to executive compensation. Vicki also sits on the Company’s
Human Resources Compliance Committee. Prior to
her promotion to the Legal Department, Vicki was the Tax Attorney
and Manager of Benefits & Compensation, in the Federal Audit,
Benefits and Special Projects Group of the Tax Services Department
at JCPenney. Vicki practiced as the benefits tax counsel
providing legal guidance for the tax issues related to the over
50 pension, welfare benefit, and compensation plans and programs
for JCPenney and Eckerd. Vicki worked closely with in-house
ERISA counsel and engaged outside counsel and/or accounting consultants,
as needed. Additionally, Vicki monitored new legislation and regulations
for tax planning opportunities, such as taking advantage of the
ESOP dividend deduction created by EGTRRA resulting in value of
a $27 million tax deduction for the Company in 2002. Another example
of one of Vicki’s tax projects ensured the deductibility
of a $600 million contribution to the Company’s Pension
Plan in 2003. Vicki began
her legal career in 1991 at Thompson & Knight as an associate
in the Trial Department. In 1995, Vicki became an Assistant City
Attorney for the City of Dallas, Texas, where she changed her
practice to employee benefits. Vicki received
a J.D. from the Southern Methodist University School of Law in
1991, and a Bachelor of Journalism from the University of Texas
at Austin. Vicki is President-Elect of the J.L. Turner Legal Association and serves on several non-profit boards, such as the United Way Central Allocation Committee and Board chair of Home Health Services of Texas. Vicki’s active community work with the J.L. Turner Legal Association garnered the Star of Achievement Award from the State Bar of Texas in 2004. Vicki was named to D Magazine’s 2005 List of Best Lawyers in Dallas.
Michael W. Boylen Michael W. Boylen is assistant dean of admissions at Roger Williams University School of Law in Bristol, Rhode Island. Mr. Boylen began his career in legal education in 1995 at Suffolk University Law School’s Career Services Office. He transitioned into Suffolk’s Office of Admissions, eventually holding the title of associate director of admissions. While at Suffolk, he was involved in the execution of a Council on Legal Education (CLEO) Summer Institute. In 2002, he joined Roger Williams University School of Law as director of admissions, and in 2005 his title was changed to assistant dean of admissions. He has presented at numerous Law School Admission Council (LSAC) forums, as well as the Northeast Association of Pre-Law Advisors (NAPLA) Conference. He holds a B.A. in political science from the University of Notre Dame and a master’s degree in political science from Suffolk University.
Collins Byrd Collins Byrd is the Assistant Dean for Admissions at the University of Iowa College of Law, where he has worked since August of 2005. Mr. Byrd has been in the field of undergraduate and graduate school admissions for 20 years. Prior to being employed by the University of Iowa College of Law, Mr. Byrd was the Director of Admissions at the University of Minnesota Law School, for 8 1/2 years. Prior to that, Mr. Byrd was the Assistant Dean for Admissions at William Mitchell College of Law for 6 1/2 years. Mr. Byrd also worked for Northwestern University' s Kellogg Graduate School of Management as Associate Director of Admissions, and for Dartmouth College, where he was Assistant to the Director of Admissions. Mr. Byrd has additional work experience in corporate marketing and consulting with General Mills, Inc., The Pillsbury Company, and Bentz Whaley Flessner, a consulting firm that caters to not-for-profit organizations. Mr. Byrd earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Dartmouth College, with a major in Psychology; and he earned a Master of Business Administration from Northwestern University's Kellogg Graduate School of Management, where he concentrated on marketing, strategic planning, and public and not-for-profit management.
Lynell Cadray Lynell Cadray is Assistant Dean of Emory University School of Law in Atlanta, Georgia where she serves as Dean of Admission and Financial Aid. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana and her Master of Arts from Georgia State University. Dean Cadray has 24 years of university enrollment experience. Prior to her 12 year career at Emory, Dean Cadray was the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Admission at Tulane University and the Director of Undergraduate Admission at Mercer University. She spent several semesters serving as Vice President of Enrollment at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia. At Emory, Dean Cadray oversees all admission, enrollment and scholarship issues; works on various university-wide committees and has served on the President’s Commission on Race and Ethnicity. Dean Cadray currently serves on the President’s Commission on the Status of Women and the Women’s Leadership Committee. Dean Cadray works with the Law School Admission Council and has held positions on both the Minority Advisory Committee and the Services and Program Committee. In her spare time, she works as a private consultant on issues related to enrollment and diversity.
Martin L. Camp, Esq. Martin L. Camp is the current Assistant Dean for Student Affairs at Southern Methodist University's Dedman School of Law. He is a summa cum laude graduate of Centenary College of Louisiana where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Government. He went on to earn his Juris Doctor cum laude from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law garnering the academic distinctions of becoming a member of the highly esteemed Order of the Coif and Law Review. His extensive legal experience includes working as an associate at Hughes & Luce Law Firm and at the Jones Day Law Firm where he served as Of Counsel, Partner in Charge of the Real Estate Section of the Austin Office, Partner in Charge of the Kuwait Office and Partner in the Dallas Office. In his practice, he has specialized in the areas of Real Estate, Land Use and Development, Finance, and Corporate Acquisition and Disposition. He has especially broad experience in the restaurant and retail industries where he has acted as principal outside counsel to major international restaurant and retail companies in the disposition and refranchising of more than 3,000 restaurant and retail units and as regional leasing and site acquisition counsel. His practice has also included the acquisition and disposition of health care facilities and large medical practices. He has extensive experience in the representation of real estate developers in land acquisition, subdivision, zoning, special district financings and development matters as well as corporate relocations. He has represented property owners and developers in the master planning of thousands of acres as well as major high rise office, residential and mixed use developments. He has recently served as real estate counsel to American Electric Power Company in the disposition of twelve electric power generating plants involving thousands of acres of property across the State of Texas. Representative clients that he has performed services for include: YUM Brands Pizza Hut, KFC, Taco Bell, Long John Silvers, MRG Restaurant Group, Steak & Ale, Bennigan's, Ponderosa and Bonanza, Tony Roma's, Ruth's Chris Steakhouses, Dave & Busters, 99 Cents Only Stores, Barnes & Noble and West Coast Videos. His corporate real estate representations have also included significant projects for State Farm Insurance Company, Dell Webb Sun City Austin, and a consortium which included 3M Corporation. Dean Camp has spoken and written extensively on the topics of land use regulation, representation of foreign investors in U.S. real estate, commercial leasing and refranchising at Texas State Bar Continuing Legal Education Programs as well as seminars for organization such as NACORE, CORENET, and the Center for International Studies. He currently teaches Land Use Law and Real Estate Transactions at Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law. He has also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Texas School of Law teaching Land Use Law and Real Estate Transactions. He has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America and Texas Super Lawyers in Real Estate Law. For many years he served on the Legal Forms Committee of the Real Property Section of the State Bar of Texas which was responsible for drafting the Texas Real Estate Forms Manual.
He is a Member of the Texas Bar Association, The Texas College of Real Estate Lawyers, and the Dallas Bar Association where he is also a Fellow of the Dallas Bar Foundation. He has served on the board of directors for the Central Dallas Association and is involved in numerous other civic endeavors. He also serves on the Editorial Board of The Journal of Leisure and Retail Property.
He participated as a Steering Committee Member in the drafting of the Austin Plan, the Comprehensive Plan for the City of Austin. He also served on the Downtown Commission for the City of Austin and participated in the preparation of the Comprehensive Austin Zoning Ordinance. He assisted in drafting the first transferable development rights ordinance and state statute in Texas.
Prior to his current position, while at the Dallas Office of Jones Day, Dean Camp served as the New Associates Coordinator where he was responsible for training and assimilating new lawyers in the firm. During this time, he continued to be a member of the recruiting committee and actively interviewed and evaluated law students for possible summer and permanent positions. Dean Camp chose to serve in his current position because of a strong desire to give back. As Assistant Dean, he coordinates the efforts of the student organizations, and the law reviews and journals. He also coordinates with the Associate Dean for Administration and the Senior Associate Dean for Academics on course schedules and ABA compliance, and with the Career Services Office to assist with career issues. He also helps deal with any disciplinary actions and academic counseling and probation issues.
Victoria Taylor Carter, Esq. Victoria Taylor Carter joined Charlotte School of Law as the Assistant Dean of Admissions in June 2005. Prior to joining CSL, Dean Carter served as the Assistant Dean of Admissions for the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill School of Law. She served as a Legal Writing Professor at the North Carolina Central University School of Law and was also a visiting instructor at the North Carolina Central University School of Business. Dean Carter has been involved in the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SCS) and the American Bar Association law school re-accreditation review process. Prior to her academic career, Dean Carter was an education consultant for Omuteko Gwamaziima Charter School and an Employment Relations Consultant for Wachovia Bank, handling EEOC mediations and investigating employee issues. Dean Carter is very active in the Charlotte Community. She is a volunteer and mentor of INROADS of Charlotte, a board member of Child Care Resources, Inc., a Fair Housing Hearing Officer for the City of Charlotte, a member of the Basic Operating Grants Committee – Cultural Educational Panel of the Arts and Science Council, and sits on the Charlotte City Council Community Relations Committee.
Lynda Cevallos, Esq. Lynda Cevallos is an attorney who serves as pre-law coordinator and undergraduate adviser for the Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO) of the American Bar Association and oversees the Thurgood Marshall College Scholars Program funded by the U.S. Department of Education and the Thurgood Marshall Legal Education Opportunity Program. Before joining CLEO, Ms. Cevallos practiced employment and labor law for four years with a Washington, D.C. law firm and previously clerked for the National Labor Relations Board and the U.S. Department of Labor. Attorney Cevallos is a cum laude graduate of Rutgers University and also received an Associate’s degree in German from Schiller University in Heidelberg, Germany. She earned her Juris Doctorate from the Washington College of Law at American University, and barred in the states of New York and New Jersey. William B. Churchill Bio forthcoming.
Carol T. Cochran Carol T. Cochran is Assistant Dean for Admission at the Seattle University School of Law. She is a graduate of Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington and recently completed a Master of Not-for-Profit Leadership at Seattle University. In her current position she is also the advisor to the Black Law Student Association. She has worked in higher education since 1991 when she became an admission counselor at her alma mater. At PLU she chaired the Rieke Minority Scholarship program for two years. In 1994, she joined the staff of Seattle University School of Law as the Assistant Director of Admission. She became the director of admission in 1999 and was appointed Assistant Dean last summer. Ms. Cochran has served on numerous information panels at the LSAC Law School Forums and has presented at the LSAC Annual Meeting and Educational Conference. She previously served on the Minority Affairs Committee for 2001-03 and was a member of the 2003 Annual Meeting and Educational Conference Planning Work Group. In her community, Carol serves as board member to the Seattle Math, Engineering and Science Achievement Program (MESA).
Candice Cook, Esq. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Candice S. Cook received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from the University of Virginia in 2000. While in attendance at the University of Virginia she was the recipient of several scholarships, served as a facilitator in the Curry School of Education, and was selected by civil rights activist Julian Bond to attend the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates Conference. In 2003, Ms. Cook received her Juris Doctorate from Vanderbilt Law School where she served on the Honor Committee, was inducted into the Phi Delta Phi Honors Fraternity, was the recipient of the Vanderbilt Law School Academic Excellence Award and the Vanderbilt Law School Public Interest Award, and advocated on behalf of Domestic Violence victims in Tennessee. While in law school, Ms. Cook also studied trial techniques at Oxford University, participated in the Mock Trial and Moot Court competitions, worked as a Research Assistant for the Journal of Legal Education, and clerked for the Honorable John J. Ellington with the Georgia Court of Appeals. Currently, she practices commercial litigation with the law firm Bickel & Brewer and serves on various committees within the Dallas community including her position as co-chair of the Domestic Violence Committee of the Dallas Young Lawyers Association.
Tony Credit, Esq. Tony Credit is the Executive Director of Admissions at Valparaiso Law School. Previous admissions experience includes serving as Director of Admissions at Valparaiso Law School and Assistant Director of Admissions at St. Louis University School of Law. Mr. Credit has also served as in-house counsel for Nubian LLC. Before practicing law and working in law school administration, he served in a number of other positions including working as a Criminal Investigator for the Missouri Public Defender, in the Securities Division for the Missouri Secretary of State, as a Branch Manager for the Missouri State Treasurer, the Administrative Assistant to the Chief of Staff for the Missouri Governnor, and a Political Consultant for the Missouri Democratic Party. His experience also includes serving on the campain staff for the Congressman Alan Wheat and for President Clinton and Vice-President Gore. He also served as a Financial Aid Counselor, Tutor and Admissions Representative for the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri Kansas City where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Justice Administration and Saint Louis University where he earned his Juris Doctorate. He is a member of the American Bar Association Inspection Committee and the Indiana Pro Bono Commission. His publications include articles entitled "Elitism, Reverse and Statistical Racism in College Admissions" and "Who Can Stop Rising Tuition Costs?" published in the Northeast Association of Pre-Law Advisors Newsletter Mr. Credit is also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated. He is a licensed attorney in the state of Missouri and a member of the Missouri Bar Association.
Heather A. Creed, Esq. Heather Creed has been the Director of Student Relations at Baylor Law School since June of 2002. In that capacity, she is actively involved in Recruiting, Admissions, Financial Aid, and Alumni activities.
Ms. Creed is a 2002 graduate of Baylor Law School where she was a member of the Order of Barristers. Before attending law school, Ms. Creed taught Algebra in Miami, Florida after earning her B.S. magna cum laude in Elementary Education from Taylor University in Upland, Indiana. Ms. Creed currently enjoys serving on the Board of Directors of the local chapter of the Texas Young Lawyers Association, coaching the Baylor Undergraduate Mock Trial team, and attending Redeemer Presbyterian Church.
Andriel M. Dees, Esq. Andriel M. Dees is the Associate Dean for Multicultural Affairs at William Mitchell College of Law. Ms. Dees is a 1995 graduate of William Mitchell College of Law. Prior to her appointment, Ms. Dees worked as Operations Managing Attorney at the Office of the Monitor in St. Paul, Minnesota, which was established following class action lawsuits by African-American Farmers against the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Before that, she was an Employee Relations Consultant at U.S. Bancorp in Minneapolis, Minnesota for four years and an Employment Claims Representative for the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust in St. Paul. Dees also has worked as Diversity/Civil Rights Coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Economic Security and the Minnesota Department of Employee Relations. Dees is active in the legal community, currently serving on the Mnlegaldiversity.org Subcommittee of the Minnesota State Bar Association Minority Bar Summit Committee. She is a member of the Minnesota Association of Black Lawyers, serving as a board member and secretary for two years. She also was a board member of the Minnesota Board of Private Detectives and Protective Agents for five years. Dees is admitted to the bars of the Minnesota Supreme Court and the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals. Dees has a Bachelor's degree from Hampton University in Virginia.
Beverly Caro Duréus, Esq. Beverly Caro Duréus, an attorney licensed to practice in Texas, is currently on the Faculty of the Dedman School of Law at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. She currently teaches Legal Research, Writing and Advocacy. She serves as one of the Faculty Advisors of the Black Law Students Association and Ex-officio Member of the Judicial Clerk and Diversity Issues Committees. She served in the past as a member of the Faculty Review and Investigation Committee of the Honor Council. She was also an Associate
Professor at Drake University Law School where she taught Civil
Procedure, Evidence, and Legal Writing, and was a member of the
Admissions & Scholarship Committees, and served as the Faculty
Advisor to the Black Law Students Association. Her private practice experiences include being
a Clerk Intern for Chief Judge William C. Stuart in the United
States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa; Shareholder
at Chapman & Reese, P.C.; Section Coordinator & Chair
of the Ecclesiastical Section and Senior Counsel of General Civil
Litigation at Adorn Yoss White & Wiggins (Dallas Office),
formerly White & Wiggins, LLP; and an Associate at Gardere
& Wynne. She also worked at the Iowa Civil Rights Commission;
for the renowned Criminal Law Firm of Alfredo G. Parrish, P.C.;
and as a Summer Associate for Blackwell, Sanders, Mathney, Weary & Lombardi. Beverly Caro Duréus currently also
serves select clients through her own private practice on primarily
ecclesiastical and non-profit matters. She has over 40 hours of
training as a mediator. For her education following graduating with honors
from the Sumner Academy of Arts and Sciences in Kansas City, Kansas,
she received a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration from
Drake University; Juris Doctorate from Drake Law School; and Master
of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary. Her honors and professional associations include
being a member of State Bar of Texas; National, American and Dallas
Bar Associations; William Mac Taylor American Inn of Court; Dallas
Bar Foundation Fellow; former member and Director-at-Large of
the J.L. Turner Legal Association; former member of the Dallas
Association of Black Women Attorneys, including President, Historian
and Vice-President; Volunteer for North Texas Legal Services;
member of the National Order of Barristers; Who’s Who is
American Law Schools; Who’s Who in American Colleges &
Universities; Dean’s List at Drake Law; Rodney L. Hudson
Senior Advocacy Award Recipient; Moot Court Board Chairman; National
Moot Court Team Member; Midwest Moot Court Team Member; Best Oralist
of the Midwest Region; Phi Alpha Delta, Member and Vice
Justice; Black Law Students Association Member and Vice-President;
and Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., including past
Basileus of the Eta Tau Chapter. Beverly Caro Duréus is also the Founder and President of Katallasso Ministries International™ an expository teaching and proclamation ministry. She is married to Reverend Edsel Duréus, the Pastor of Thanksgiving Tabernacle Bible Fellowship in Cedar Hill, Texas. They have one son, Edsel, II (E.J.). They make their home in Cedar Hill, Texas.
Remeko T. Edwards, Esq. Remeko T. Edwards is a 2005 graduate of Thurgood Marshall School of Law in Houston, Texas. She was licensed to practice law in the state of Texas in November 2005. Prior to receiving her Juris Doctorate, she was a Juvenile Probation Officer with Dallas County Juvenile Probation Department. Since obtaining her JD, she has continued her work in the community with juvenile offenders and currently serves as an Attorney with the U.S. Government Small Business Administration Disaster Assistance Program in Fort Worth, Texas. Attorney Edwards has a Bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at Arlington.
Arturo Errisuriz, Esq. Arturo Errisuriz received his Bachelor of Arts in Government and Spanish in 1996 from the University of Texas at Austin. He then enrolled in law school at Ohio Northern University’s Claude Pettit College of Law and earned his Juris Doctor in 1999. After graduating law school, Attorney Errisuriz went to work for the Galveston County Criminal District Attorney’s Office in Galveston, Texas where he served as an Assistant Criminal District Attorney. He joined the Texas Wesleyan University School of Law administration and adjunct faculty in 2003 and currently serves as the Assistant Dean for Career Services and teaches trial advocacy to the law school's mock trial competition teams. Dean Errisuriz is licensed to practice law in both Texas and the District of Columbia.
Marva Fabien, Esq. Marva Fabien joined Willamette University College of Law in January 2001 as its first coordinator of professional development and multicultural affairs. In this position, Fabien assists with admissions and implementation of the academic support program. Fabien also is responsible for multicultural planning, programming and student affairs in the College of Law. Most recently, Fabien was assistant superintendent for the MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility in Woodburn, Oregon. She was appointed to the Oregon Board of Parole and Post Prison Supervision in 1993 by Governor Barbara Roberts, eventually serving as chairperson. In 2003, she was elected to the Oregon State Bar Board of Governors. Fabien served as the Academic Support Director for Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland from 1988 to 1993. She also has been an attorney in private practice and was a staff attorney for the Multnomah County Legal Aid Service in Portland. She is a member of the bar in the states of Oregon and Idaho. Fabien earned her law degree at Northwestern School of Law of Lewis and Clark College and her Bachelor's degree from the University of Oregon. She is a native of Trinidad.
Dr. Aaron D. Ford, Esq.
Dr. Aaron D. Ford, Esq. earned his Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies from Texas A&M University, his Master of Arts in International Education from The George Washington University, and his Master of Arts in Educational Administration and Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Administration from The Ohio State University. His judicial clerkship experience includes clerking for District Judge Denise Page Hood of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and Circuit Judge Johnnie B. Rawlinson of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. His legal work experience includes serving as a law clerk for Thompson, Hine and Flory, LLP and Jones Vargas. He also worked as an Adjunct Professor of Education Law at Wayne State University Law School, and has practiced law as an Associate Attorney at Bracewell & Guiliani, LLP and currently as an Associate Litigation Attorney at Weil, Gotshal Manges, LLP. Dr. Ford’s professional memberships and associations include serving as a member of the advisory board for the J. McDonald Williams Institute, Director and Vice President of the J.L. Turner Legal Association, Chair of the Law Day Committee and Vice Chair of the Admissions and Membership Committee of the Dallas Bar Association, and a board member of the Cedar Hill Economic Development Corporation. He is also a member of the Cedar Hill Education Foundation, an associate of the Patrick E. Higginbotham Inn of Court, and a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated. He has received numerous awards and recognition including American Marshall Memorial Fellow, Dallas Bar Foundation Fellow, and member of the Pro Bono College of the State Bar of Texas. He received the Dallas Bar Association Board of Director’s Award of Excellence and the Dallas Bar Association’s Outstanding Minority Bar Leader Award. Additionally, he was selected as a Texas “Rising Star” and one of Dallas’ “Top Lawyers Under 40.” Furthermore, Dr. Ford, Esq. is fluent in Spanish. He is husband to Berna L. Rhodes-Ford, Esq. and father to Avery, Aaron II, and Alexander.
Tynan Grayson Tynan Grayson is a 2005 graduate of Oklahoma City University School of Law. During the past year, Ms. Grayson has served as a federal clerk with Judge Miles-LaGrange in the Western District of Oklahoma. At the conclusion of her judicial clerkship, Grayson has accepted a position as an associate in litigation position with Crowe and Dunlevy.
Ms. Grayson earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and a Master of Science in Computer Science from Oklahoma State University. Furthermore, she worked as an Associate Professor of Computer Science at Langston University for two years. As a law student, she was selected for the prestigious Hatton Sumner Scholarship, awarded at only two law schools in the nation. In addition, she was an officer in the Black Law Student Association, and the National Women Law Students’ Association at OCU LAW. She also was member of Phi Delta Phi, the ABA Law Student Division, Merit Scholars and competed as a member of the Jessup Moot Court Team.
Ms. Grayson serves as a great example old-fashioned notions of obtaining success. As stated by Grayson in a recent newsletter to incoming minority OCU law students, “I believe now, more than ever, in personal responsibility, morality, and integrity. I believe that love and respect for your fellow man are indispensable characteristics for any person. I still believe that good will ultimately triumph over evil. Law school has confirmed the fact that some people have major character flaws. They determine your value, based on qualities that are ultimately superficial like class rank, or personal wealth. The truth is that there will probably always be these kinds of people. My goal is to never be one of them.”
Donna Davis-Gregory, Esq. Donna Davis-Gregory, Director of Career Services at Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University, has thirteen years of experience in the legal field. She was formerly the Director of Public Service Programs at The University of Texas School of Law, and has held various positions in law schools, government agencies, and other legal organizations around the country. Mrs. Davis-Gregory is a board member of the National Association for Law Placement, National Advisory Council Member of Equal Justice Works, and an Executive Board Member of the American Association for Law Schools Pro Bono Committee. Mrs. Davis-Gregory received her J.D. from Southern University Law Center, and her B.A. in Business Administration from Dillard University, where she majored in Business Management with an emphasis in Marketing. Mrs. Gregory is a frequent workshop presenter who speaks extensively on legal career related issues involving interview techniques, resume preparation, business etiquette and attire, recruiting strategies, meeting the expectations of your audience, and networking tools.
Reginald Green, J.D. Reginald Green
has served as Assistant Dean for Career Resources at South Texas
College of Law for nearly a decade, and has counseled hundreds
of law students and graduates on legal career options, networking
strategies, resume development, interview preparation and career
management. In his current position, Dean Green supervises all
aspects of the Law School Career Resources Center (CRC) including:
development of relationships with potential employers, aggressive
searches for information about employment opportunities, and developing
effective working relationships with students, alumni, staff and
other placement professionals throughout the United States.
He has traveled nationally speaking with hiring partners, recruiting
coordinators, and law school administrator on topics ranging from
legal market trends, hiring practices and strategies for recruitment
and retention. Prior to joining career placement, Dean Green
worked in law school admissions, where he recruited nationally
for South Texas as well as served on the law schools admissions
committee.
Carol Y. Guess, Esq.
Dr. Frank Guliuzza
He is the current President of the Western Association of Pre-Law
Advisors and is Chair-Elect of the Pre-Law Advisors’ National
Council. Further, is he on the Executive Board of the American
Collegiate Moot Court Association, and the Board of Directors
of the American Mock Trial Association. Angela W. Harper, CFP(R), RFC Angela W. Harper is a Registered Principal with Associated Securities Corp. (ASC) and an Investment Advisor Representative with Associated Planners Investment Advisory, Inc (APIA), a Registered Investment Advisor. Angela is a native of Sulphur Springs, Texas and a graduate of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. She obtained her B.S. in Economics with a minor in Finance in 1987. Angela has worked in the Financial Services arena for 8 years of her 20 years of financial experience. For 5 years she worked as a teller, savings counselor, and accountant at Southwest Savings and Loan of Dallas, Texas and for 9 years she worked as accountant, financial analyst and advanced financial analyst at Electronic Data Systems of Plano, Texas. Angela joined Associated Securities Corp in 2000. Angela has held the Assistant Controller and Commission Accounting Manager positions while at Associated Securities Corp in Los Angeles, California where she gained experience in commission accounting, compliance and other back office operations. She also held the title and position of Vice President/Regional Manager at Associated Securities Corp. and provided supervisory responsibilities for approximately 40 branch offices in various states for three years. She received the Professional Designation in Personal Financial Planning from UCLA in 2002 and attained the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification in June 2004. Angela has her General Lines Insurance license in Texas (License #1195882) and Georgia (License #688352) and holds the following Securities Licenses: Series 7, Series 24, Series 53, and Series 66 and is registered with ASC to offer securities in California, Texas, Georgia, and New Mexico. Angela is a member of International Association of Registered Financial Consultants (IARFC) and is on DFW Financial Planning Association 2006 Board of Directors as the Pro Bono Chairperson. Angela is also a member of the Texas A&M Alumni Association and the Texas A&M Black Former Students Network, and an Executive Member of the Black Sports Agents Association.
Julia Clark-Hayes, Esq. Originally from Riverside, California, Attorney Julia Clark-Hayes has been licensed by the State Bar of Texas since 2003. Mrs. Clark-Hayes earned her Juris Doctor degree from Syracuse University, College of Law, in 2001. She attended the University of California, Davis where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English in 1998. After graduation from
law school, Mrs. Clark-Hayes clerked with the United States Department
of Education, Office for Civil Rights, where she investigated
allegations of discrimination in federally funded educational
institutions in five states. She also worked at the University
of Texas, Dallas, where she managed the university’s technology
transfer division of the Research and Graduate Education Program. In January of 2005, at the young age of 28, Attorney Clark-Hayes started her own law firm, practicing primarily criminal and family law. She is a member of the American Bar Association, Dallas Bar Association, Tarrant County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Texas Young Lawyers Association and the JL Turner Legal Association.
The Honorable Carl Hays Carl Hays is an associate judge with the City of Dallas and an attorney with Carl Hays and Associates. He has also worked as an attorney with Barnes, Keck and Law, served as an Assistant Public Defender and then Director of the Dallas County Public Defender’s Office, and a solo practitioner focusing on civil, criminal, family and municipal law. Judge Hays’ professional activities include membership in the Dallas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, the Dallas County Criminal Justice Management Committee, the Dallas County Juvenile Justice Committee, the Dallas County Management Task Force Committee, the state Bar of Texas Grievance Committee, and the Oak Cliff Bar Association. In the community, Judge Hays is the Vice President of Prayer and Patriotism Project, a member of the Dallas County Mental Health and Retardation Committee, on the Deacon Board of the Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship Church, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Mendenhall Ministries and the Greater Dallas Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse. Among his numerous honors are the Community Service Award, the Defense Attorney of the Year, the Pro Bono Attorney Award from the North Central Legal Services, the Citizenship Award from the Community Action Committee, and Outstanding Elected Official Award. Judge Hays earned his Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Bishop College and his law degree from Texas Southern University’s Thurgood Marshall School of Law. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the Federal Bar Association, and is a Certified Lecturer for Continuing Legal Education with the State Bar of Texas.
Erika Hill Erika Hill is currently the Associate Director of Admissions and Recruitment at the Florida State University College of Law. Before being promoted to her current position 3 years ago she was hired as Assistant Director of Admissions and Recruitment. During her 6 year tenure at FSU, she has implemented several new recruitment programs. Prior to entering the field of law school admissions, Ms. Hill worked for 2 years at the Florida Department of Elder Affairs in the Office of the General Counsel and later served as one of the Communications Liaisons for that same state agency. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitative Services and a minor in Psychology from Florida State University. She is currently working towards the Master’s degree in the Higher Education Administration at FSU.
Rev. Dr. Judge Vonciel Jones Hill Vonciel Jones Hill earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and English at the University of Texas at Austin, a Master of Library Science from Atlanta University, a Master of Arts in History from Rice University, a Juris Doctorate from the University of Texas School of Law and a Master of Divinity from the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. She is also the recipient of an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Paul Quinn College. Hill is currently an attorney with her own private practice - Law Office of Vonciel Jones Hill. It is a general civil practice, with an emphasis on municipal law, wills, probate, and guardianships. She also has a limited family law and federal white collar criminal practice. Previously, her prior legal experience includes serving as an Interim Municipal Judge in the City of the Colony, a District Court Administrator with Dallas County, an Assistant City Attorney with the City of Dallas, a Staff Attorney with the Public Utility Commission of Texas. She is a certificed mediator and probate attorney ad litem. Hill is a member of a number of professional associations and activitiesincluding the State Bar of Texas, College of the State Bar of Texas, Dallas Bar Association, J.L. Turner Legal Association, William "Mac" Taylor American Inn of Court, Dallas Bar Foundation, University of Texas Law School Alumni Association Executive Committee, Texas Municipal Courts Education Center, Texas Municipal Courts Association, and the Rice University Alumni Association. She has also served as a guest lecturer at the Queen's Theological College in Birmingham, England and at the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. Ms. Hill is active in the community as well having served on the Board of Trustees for Paul Quinn College, the National Council of Negro Women, the City of Dallas Interim Judicial Nominating Commission, the City of Dallas Municipal Courts Task Force, the SMU Perkins School of Theology Faculty Search Committee, the Museum of African -American Life & Culture, Board of Visitors and the NAACP. In addition to her extensive professional and community service, Hill is the Senior Paster of the Mt. Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church for almost seven years. She is also a frequent guest preacher at various churches locally, statewide, nationally and internationally.
Monica Ingram, Esq. Monica Ingram, a native of Columbus, Georgia, received her baccalaureate degree in Broadcast Communications from Grambling State University and her Juris Doctor degree from The University of Texas School of Law.
After graduating from UT Law in 1998, Ingram
garnered experience (1) as a practitioner in public education,
(2) a licensing agency staff attorney in the Investigations and
Enforcement division of the State Board for Educator Certification
(SBEC), and (3) as a staff attorney at the Texas Association of
School Boards (TASB), a non-profit association that represents
Texas school board members. In April 2002, Monica Ingram returned to her law school alma
mater as the Assistant Dean for Admissions of The University of
Texas School of Law. Yet, she continues to serve the legal
community in various capacities. Ms. Ingram served as: an
Attorney Ad Litem for Travis County; an executive member of the
Austin Black Lawyers Association (ABLA), and a member of the Austin
Bar Association. Additionally, Ms. Ingram served as an Austin
Children’s Shelter Board Member and a T.A. Brown Elementary
Adopt-A-School Program Mentor. She continues to serve as
a member of the St. James Episcopal School Board.
Darrell D. Jackson, Esq.
Dean Jackson received his J.D. from George Mason University School of Law in 1990 where he co-founded the George Mason University Civil Rights Law Journal in 1989 and co-authored "The Sunset of Affirmative Action?" City of Richmond v. J. A. Croson Co., 12 Black L.J. 73 (1990). In 1987, he received his Bachelor of Arts in Spanish with a minor in Sociology from the College of William and Mary, where he was a member of both the varsity football and varsity track teams. Dean Jackson is a member of the Virginia Bar.
Shirley A. Jefferson, Esq. Shirley A. Jefferson, a Selma, Alabama native, received her B.S. in Public Administration from Southeastern University and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Vermont Law School. She is a member of the Vermont Law School Class of 1986 and is the law school’s Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Diversity. In this capacity, she provides leadership and guidance for individual students and student organizations, administers the VLS Code of Conduct, serves as chair of the Student Services and Diversity Committee and serves as an advisor to the President and Dean and other Deans and Directors on student and diversity issues. She is also an adjunct professor and teaches Race and the Law and Non-Profit Organizations. Prior to her position as Associate Dean, Ms. Jefferson was the Director of Alumni Relations and Admissions Counselor for Vermont Law School. Upon graduation from Vermont Law School, Ms. Jefferson served as Legislative Assistant to Washington, D.C. Councilmember Wilhelmina J. Rolark, supporting her work on the city’s Judiciary Committee. In 1988, Ms. Jefferson became an Associate in Mrs. Rolark’s law office and Associate Counsel to the United Black Fund, Inc., a non-profit grant making institution for a community-based organization. She became full-time General Counsel to the United Black Fund in 1994. As General Counsel, her duties included establishing a local, national and international chapter of the United Black Fund. She assisted over 30 community, health, welfare, education and human care agencies in obtaining non-profit status. Ms. Jefferson has been the Commencement speaker for the South Royalton High School Class of 2000, the Sharon Academy Class of 2003, and the Tunbridge 8th grade class of 2004, Chelsea High School Class of 2005. Ms. Jefferson is also known for her motivational speeches on diversity for many different audiences. She was recently appointed by Governor Jim Douglas to the Vermont State Police Advisory Commission. She lives in Tunbridge with her son Jamaal and her granddaughter, Liyah.
Cassandra B. Jeter, Esq. Cassandra B. Jeter, Esq., is the Assistant Director of Admission & Financial Aid at Capital University Law School. Ms. Jeter, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology in 2000 from Howard University. She enrolled at Capital University Law School in Columbus, Ohio where she received the Dean’s Academic Scholarship and earned a Juris Doctor with a concentration in Labor & Employment Law in 2003. Ms. Jeter was subsequently admitted to the Ohio Bar in November 2003. During her academic career at Capital University Law School, she served as a Teaching Assistant in Torts Law, a Research Assistant in Labor and Employment Law and a member of the Labor & Employment Law Moot Court Team. She was elected Vice President and Treasurer of Capital’s BLSA Chapter and the Midwest Regional Secretary for NBLSA. She also served as a law clerk for Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue and the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. Ms. Jeter is a member of the American Bar Association, Ohio Bar Association, and the National Bar Association. Currently, she is pursuing her L.L.M. in Business at Capital University Law School.
The Honorable Faith Johnson Faith Johnson is the first African-American female to be appointed to the position of State Criminal District Court Judge in the State of Texas. Judge Johnson was appointed to the bench by Governor Bill Clements on December 14, 1989. Judge Johnson is a pioneer. She is the first African American female to attain the highly regarded status of Chief Felony Prosecutor in the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office. Her tenure at the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office spanned over seven and a half years. Judge Johnson is from Atlanta, Georgia and is the youngest of thirteen children. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and her Master’s of Education in Community Counseling from Georgia State University. She moved to Texas and received her Juris Doctorate from Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Texas Southern University in 1980. She was admitted to the State Bar of Texas and U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas in 1980. She has held positions of psychological counselor, attorney, Assistant District Attorney, Chief Felony Prosecutor of the Child Abuse Unit and State Felony Prosecutor of the Child Abuse Unit and State Criminal District Court Judge. As a State District Court Judge, Judge Johnson has handled an average of 1,600 felony cases annually since her appointment in 1989. She has been instrumental in reducing crime throughout Dallas County by instituting a Drug Day Program, incarcerating felons, public speaking, exposing metroplex school children to courtroom procedures, conducting workshops to familiarize ministers with legal procedures, and conducting crime prevention seminars. All of her community service activities have been done on a volunteer basis. Judge Johnson is highly respected in the community and among her peers. She has broken new ground for women and provided a positive role model in the community, state and nation. She is to be commended for her leadership and dedication to law enforcement and community service to the general public.
Virginia Keehan, Esq. Virginia
Keehan
is the Assistant Dean and Director of Admissions at SMU Dedman
School of Law, where she has worked since August 2002. She
is responsible for supervising and implementing a highly competitive
admissions process for the law school's full-time, part-time evening,
and master's of law degree programs. In addition, she organizes
recruitment and outreach activities and administers scholarship
applications and awards.
Cary L. Lee, Esq. Cary L. Lee is the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs at the University of Mississippi School of Law. In that capacity, she is involved with recruiting, admissions, scholarships and student affairs. |
