Speakers & Panelists

Conference Host

Evangeline M. Mitchell, Esq., Ed.M., Founder & Executive Director (Houston, Texas)

2011 KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Theodore M. Shaw, Esq., Professor of Professional Practice in Law, Columbia Law School (New York, New York)

2011 Legacy Builder Award Recipient

Yolanda Young, Esq. is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center and the author of the award winning memoir, On Our Way to Beautiful (Random House). Her latest book is Thurgood’s Legacy: Black Lawyers Reflect on Life, Law School and the Legal Profession, Graduates Reflect on Law school, Lawyering and Life. The activist and lecturer is a frequent contributor to USA Today and the founder & editor of the popular legal blog: On Being A Black Lawyer (OBABL). She is often called upon to offer legal, political, and social analysis for Fox5 and NPR. She has been invited to speak at Harvard Law School, The Building A Better Legal Profession at Stanford Law School, and several National Black Law Student Association Conferences.

 

Daryl D. Parks, Esq., President, National Bar Association; Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Parks & Crump, L.L.C. (Tallahassee, Florida)

DARYL D. PARKS is co-founder and managing partner of the law firm of Parks & Crump, L.L.C., located in Tallahassee, Florida. On Wednesday, August 3, 2011, Mr. Parks was sworn-in as the 69th President of the National Bar Association (“NBA”).

In 2008, Florida Trend Magazine named Parks one of the “top 50 Floridians that will change the world.” Daryl Parks takes a global perspective to all he does, from activism to philanthropy to business and the law. To that avail, President Parks plans to lend his skills, talent and time to expand its horizons and lead the National Bar Association to the next level. President Parks has participated in numerous NBA international meetings, most recently, in Past President Demetrius Shelton’s stead, leading a delegation to China.

President Parks’ goals for his presidential term include: improving technological infrastructure, stabilizing finances and generating revenue, elevating the NBA’s voice on judicial and legal issues, and increasing membership. Advancing the NBA’s technological infrastructure is key to increasing knowledge and access to NBA events and membership benefits. He plans not only to stabilize and improve the NBA’s finance and budgetary systems, but will continue efforts to diversify revenue streams. His agenda includes elevating the NBA’s voice on judicial and legal issues, and providing increased access to Capitol Hill. Membership is the lifeline of any organization; President Parks will encourage current members to renew dedication of their time and talent to the NBA, reclaim past members, recruit new members, and continue the pipeline efforts at law schools.

During the upcoming year, Parks will ensure the NBA maintains its commitment to civil rights and serving the underprivileged both nationally and internationally. The leaders of the NBA recognize the significance of the 2012 United States Presidential election, and will work diligently to empower voters and ensure election protection. The NBA will continue its effort to provide opportunities to African American students through the Crump Law Camp, will continue providing economic relief to Haiti, and will expand domestic and international aid programs. President Parks will also seek to strengthen the NBA’s relationship with foreign entities and associations to elevate the NBA’s global affiliations and status.

A Life Member of the NBA and accustomed to national leadership positions, President Parks has held various positions within the organization over the past sixteen years including: General Counsel, Vice-President of Finance, Regional Director of Region XI, and President of the Virgil Hawkins Florida Chapter of the NBA. President Parks’ commitment and dedication was recognized by his receipt of Presidential Awards in 2005, 2007, 2008, and 2009. A talented trial attorney, the American Association for Justice appointed President Parks to serve as its Minority Caucus Chair and on the Board of Governors. He has also held numerous leadership positions with the Florida Justice Association, including serving on the Board of Directors and serving as Diversity Committee Chairman, Vanguard Fundraising Committee Chairman, and Women & Minority Task Force Vice-Chairman. He is also a member of the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers and the Million-Dollar Advocacy Forum. An active member of the Florida Bar, President Parks served on the board of the Florida Bar Foundation and on the Florida Bar Admissions Committee. Most recently, Senator Bill Nelson appointed President Parks to the Federal Judicial Nominating Commission for the Northern District of Florida, and Governor Charlie Crist appointed him to the Judicial Nominating Commission for the First District Court of Appeals for Florida.

President Parks served his alma mater as Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU), as a board member of the FAMU Foundation, Inc., and as Chairman of the FAMU Boosters. He remains actively involved in his community and serves on the board for the Tallahassee Urban League, is Chairman of the board for the Leon County Sickle Cell Foundation, and on Bethel AME’s Community Development Corporation.

President Parks and his firm are known for their philanthropy and activism. He annually endows several scholarships at Florida State University College of Law and FAMU for economically challenged students. In 2008, Parks & Crump, L.L.C. committed to an annual endowment of $1,000,000 to fund Legal Services of North Florida, Gadsden County Division, providing legal representation to indigent citizens of Florida’s only predominately African American County. In honor of their contribution, Legal Services renamed their Quincy facility the Parks & Crump Justice Center. In 2008, the Association of Fundraising Professionals also recognized President Parks as Outstanding Philanthropist of the Year.

In 2006, his firm represented the parents of a fourteen year-old killed in a juvenile boot camp in Bay County, Florida, recovering a multi-million dollar settlement and convincing the Florida legislature to close all remaining juvenile in boot camps in the State. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) acknowledged President Parks’ civil rights activism, awarding him the National Foot Soldier Award in 2003.

A Haines City, Florida native, Daryl D. Parks attended FAMU on a Presidential Scholarship. While a student, President Parks was the first Student Body President elected to two consecutive terms and founded the National Coalition of Black College Student Governments. In 1992, Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity selected Parks as National College Brother of the Year, and he graduated from FAMU with his Bachelor degree in political science and economics. Parks received his Juris Doctorate from Florida State University in 1995, and founded Parks & Crump, L.L.C. in 1996 with partner, Benjamin L. Crump. His firm Parks & Crump focuses on wrongful death, medical malpractice, products liability and pharmaceutical litigation, personal injury, and civil rights cases.

President Parks is admitted to practice law in the State of Florida, the Federal Courts for the Middle and Northern Districts of Florida and the United States Supreme Court. He has also appeared for special purposes in Georgia, Maryland, Missouri and New Jersey.

Sharon Frame, Former CNN Anchor, America’s Premier Follow Through (TM) Coach and Author of Wired to Win! (Atlanta, Georgia)

Sharon Frame is a former CNN news anchor, awarding-winning television journalist, Empowerment Speaker and “Your Media Coach.” She helps clients master their media message, and teaches business owners how to get more clients and grow their business through free media exposure. Frame It Media focuses on sharpening three areas: Your Mind, Your Method and Your Message. Clients learn to build confidence, master communication techniques and deliver a compelling message with clarity, conviction and credibility!

Anita Barksdale, Esq.

Anita Barksdale, Esq. joined the Houston office of Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P. in 2008 as an associate. Her practice focuses on a variety of labor and employment matters. She represents management and employers in arbitration, mediation and litigation of matters regarding harassment, discrimination, retaliation, as well as termination.  Ms. Barksdale graduated magna cum laude from Howard University (HU) in 2002, with a bachelor’s in business administration and a concentration in information systems, and from Georgetown University Law Center in 2008 with a juris doctorate. While in law school, Ms. Barksdale was a recipient of the Dean’s Certificate. Prior to law school, she was an information management senior associate with KPMG LLP, where she won the Washington, D.C. Chairman’s Award.  She actively volunteers for various organizations within the community, and currently serves as a member of the Delta Leadership Southwest Task Force.

The Honorable Arthur L. Burnett, Sr.

Senior Judge Arthur L. Burnett, Sr. is a graduate of Howard University summa cum laude with a major in political science and a minor in economics.  In his junior year, he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.   He then attended New York University School of Law where he received his law degree in 1958, graduating in the top 10% of his class, and as a Founders’ Day Award recipient. 

His long and illustrious legal career includes positions in the Attorney General’s Honors Program at the United States Department of Justice in the Criminal Division, as an assistant United States attorney in Washington, D.C., the first general counsel of the Metropolitan Police Department in the District of Columbia, the first African American United States magistrate (now call United States magistrate judges) in the United States, the legal advisor for the United States Civil Service System, a legal advisor to the President of the United States on all civil service and personnel laws in the United States and as one of the President’s chief representatives in dealing with all bills pending before the U.S. Congress dealing with the federal personnel system, a United States magistrate judge in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, and for the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. 

He retired in October 1998 and then became senior judge status in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.   While retaining the status of a senior judge, on August 1, 2004, he took a sabbatical and assumed the position of national executive director of the National African American Drug Policy Coalition, Inc., in which position he now serves in addition to being an adjunct law professor at two law school.

 Amber Burton

Amber Burton is a third year law student at South Texas College of Law. She has quick wit and kindness that has enhanced her law school career. Amber does nothing without putting the utmost effort in it.  She has exemplified this by raising three children alone, working two jobs, being a varsity moot court advocate, tutoring fellow students, and going to school full time.  She is also an executive board member of BLSA and a member of Phi Delta Phi, an honors law fraternity. Ms. Burton plans to pursue a career in civil litigation and also has political aspirations. She currently works as a judicial intern for a state judge and a research assistant for a professor. Although, she has a hectic schedule she still makes time for her family, friends and is actively involved in her community.

Collins J. Byrd, Jr., MBA

Collins J. Byrd Jr. is the assistant dean for admissions at the University of Iowa College of Law.  He has been in the field of undergraduate and graduate school admissions for over 20 years.  Dean Byrd has served as director of admissions at the University of Minnesota Law School, assistant dean for admissions at William Mitchell College of Law, and associate director of admissions at Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management.  Mr. Byrd earned a Bachelor of Arts from Dartmouth College and a Master of Business Administration from Northwestern University.

Elizabeth A. Campbell, Esq.

Elizabeth A. Campbell is an attorney and diversity practitioner with a successful record of working with business leaders, executives and teams to accomplish organizational goals. In her role as Partner and Chief Diversity Officer, she is responsible for the development and implementation of the diversity and inclusion components of the firm’s strategic plan. She collaborates with the firm’s Labor and Employment Section attorneys and is a frequent speaker, training facilitator and author on the topic of diversity and inclusion and related employment law topics.

She works closely with the chairs of the firm’s Diversity Committee and the Women’s Initiative Team, and is a member of the Recruiting, Professional Development and Associates Committees. She also collaborates with the firm’s marketing professionals to drive marketing and branding strategies; the Community Relations partner to identify opportunities to support community-based endeavors that align with the firm’s strategic goals; human resources professionals to develop human capital strategies for all employees; and accounting professionals on the firm’s supplier/vendor diversity pursuits.

During her career, Elizabeth has worked in the areas of litigation, administrative and employment law both in law firm and in-house counsel settings, and has led human resources, employment relations and diversity strategies at large corporations. Before joining Andrews Kurth in February 2007, Elizabeth served as Vice President of Employment Relations and Corporate Diversity Officer for ARAMARK Corporation in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Elizabeth received her J.D. from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and her B.A. from the American University in Washington, D.C.

Wilvin Carter, Esq.

Sonya Chandler-Anderson, Esq.

Sonya Chandler-Anderson, Esq. is a practicing attorney in Houston, Texas.  She is a graduate of the University of Denver Sturm School of Law.  She has served as a student representative on law school’s admissions committee, a student representative on the Diversity in the Legal Profession Committee for the Denver Bar Association, a committee member and organizer of the 2007 Colorado and Denver Bar Association Diversity in the Legal Profession Rocky Mountain Diversity Legal Summit, and fellow of the Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO).  Her legal experiences include interning for Attorney Joseph Barilla Jr., externing for the Superior Court of Los Angeles in the Criminal Justice Division, serving as a student attorney at the law school, and interning for the law firm of Holland and Hart.  She has actively participated in mock trial, appellate advocacy, and negotiation competitions.  Ms. Montgomery earned a B.A. in political science with a minor in legal studies from the University of Texas at San Antonio where she was a member of the debate team and earned her place on the dean’s list.

Yvonne Cherena-Pacheco, Esq., LL.M.

Yvonne Cherena-Pacheco, Esq. has been assistant dean for enrollment management and director of admissions at the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law since November 2000. She received her J.D. as a member of CUNY Law School’s inaugural class and her LL.M. from Georgetown University Law Center, where she was a teaching clinical fellow. She became a member of the founding faculty at the District of Columbia School of Law (now UDC), where she was an assistant clinical professor and she served on the Admissions Committee. For eight years, she was associate dean and director of admissions at St. Mary’s University School of Law. Dean Cherena-Pacheco has been a volunteer panelist with the Law School Admissions Council Law Forums on minority student recruitment, financial aid, and admissions panels.  Before attending law school, she was an elementary and junior high school teacher for 13 years, committed to Black and Latino students and minority affairs.

 Felix Chevalier, Esq.

Felix Chevalier is the Managing Partner of Chevalier Helms, pllc. The boutique law firm serves as corporate counsel for emerging enterprises and large corporations. The firm’s clients include AT&T, Aramark, City of Houston, Houston Arts Alliance and Neutex Advanced Energy Group, Inc.  Felix is licensed to practice law in Texas, New Jersey and New York.

Felix received his Juris Doctorate from St. John’s University School of Law in 1997.  He received his Bachelor of Arts from State University of New York at New Paltz.  Felix completed an Executive Education Program at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business and will attend the Harvard Business School Executive Education Program in March 2012.

Felix joined BASHEN Corp. in 2000 as a legal consultant, advising fortune 500 clients.  Soon after, Felix joined Dallas based, The Wilmington Institute, as a trial analyst.  He later became an associate attorney with the law firm of Greer, Herz & Adams, L.L.P. serving as regional counsel.  He founded Chevalier Helms, PLLC in 2005.

As an active member in the legal and business community, Felix is a member of the Houston Bar Association and National Bar Association.  He served as Co-Chair of the National Bar Association’s 83^rd Annual Convention held in Houston.  Felix is the co-founder of Steaks & Stogies, a quarterly “off the record” dinner that provides networking and mentoring opportunities for professionals.  The dinners have provided a link between seasoned businessmen and those who hope to follow in their footsteps. He is also a graduate of the Center for Houston’s Future Business/Civic Leadership Forum, a member of the Greater Houston Partnership and served on the City of Houston’s Contract Compliance Commission.

Felix has also been civically engaged in the community since his arrival in Houston 14 years ago. He serves as an Advisory Board Member to Pro-Vision, Inc., a non-profit charter school for young males. Felix is the Chairman of Key PAC, a non-partisan political action committee.  He served on Mayor Annise Parker’s transition team. Felix is also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Felix is fluent in Spanish. He enjoys golf, skiing, reading and spending time with friends and family.

Laura J. Coe, Esq.

Laura J. Coe focuses her practice on commercial and complex litigation.  She has successfully tried cases to jury verdict and prosecuted appeals before federal and state courts in Texas.  Ms. Coe’s practice encompasses a wide variety of commercial and civil matters ranging from contract to fraud disputes.

Ms. Coe is a Co-Chair of the Tomorrow’s Attorney Pipeline Program (TAPP), which is dedicated to increasing diversity in the legal profession by targeting diverse high school students and providing them concrete, motivating opportunities to learn about the law and begin planning for their law school education.  She is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Harris County Dispute Resolution Center, which a non-profit corporation sponsored by the Houston Bar Association and funded through Harris County, providing free alternative dispute resolution services to the residents of Harris County.

Ms. Coe is also a former Co-Chair of the firm’s Diversity and Attorney Development Committee.

Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Coe was associated with two large national law firms in the Houston area.

Brandi Croffie

Brandi Croffie is a third-year law student at the University of Houston Law Center.  Currently she serves as the Vice President of Internal Affairs for the Black Law Students Association and as a KaplanPMBR student representative.  Since being in law school, Brandi has furthered her law school education by interning with Judge Ann Claire Williams with the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Chicago.  After her second year, Brandi completed a summer clerkship with Hoover Slovacek LLP.  Brandi is a member of the Houston Lawyers Association student division as well as a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.

Prior to law school, Brandi attended Baylor University where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology.  Upon completion of her undergraduate degree, Brandi continued her educational endeavors by obtaining her Masters of Arts in Counseling from Sam Houston State University.  She has worked as an adult probation officer for Montgomery County and as an Eighth Grade Math Teacher for Spring Independent School District.

Brandi plans to receive her Juris Doctorate from University of Houston Law Center in May 2012.  Upon completion of her law degree, Brandi will be working for Hoover Slovacek LLP in Houston.

Justin Dandridge-Smith

Justin L. Dandridge-Smith is a third year law student in Thurgood Marshall School of Law (TMSL) at Texas Southern University.  Justin was born in Houston, TX, but raised from an early age in Memphis, TN; graduating from WhitehavenHigh School.  A proud “Morehouse Man,” Justin graduated cum laude fromMorehouseCollege in 2005; where he majored in Business Administration, with a concentration in Management and a minor in Economics.

Prior to law school, Justin gained much experience in healthcare.  He is a candidate for a Masters in Healthcare Administration at Texas Southern University.  Additionally, he has experience in hospital administration, health insurance sales, and pharmaceutical sales analysis.

Justin is the Director of Community Service for the Rocky Mountain Region of the National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA) for the 2011-2012 academic year.  Additionally, Justin presently serves as Vice President for the Sports & Entertainment Law Society (SELS) of TMSL, where he envisions providing law students with networking opportunities and professional exposure to the legal aspects of sports and entertainment.

Darrell J. Davis, Esq.

Darrell J. Davis, Esq. is assistant dean for students and multicultural affairs at Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota.  Dean Davis is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he received his B.A. in political science.  He completed his J.D. at the University of Minnesota Law School.  Following graduation from law school, Dean Davis was appointed special assistant attorney general for the Minnesota Attorney General from 1981 to 1986.  In 1986, he joined Honeywell Inc. as senior attorney, where he managed litigation.  From 1992 to 2007, Dean Davis served as director of litigation for Graco Inc., where he was responsible for managing all litigation for the company.  During his career, he has taught legal writing and research as an adjunct professor at William Mitchell College of Law, and served on numerous boards.  He is a member of the Minnesota State Bar Association, the Minnesota Black Lawyer’s Association, the American Bar Association, and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

Donna M. Davis, Esq.

Donna M. Davis, J.D., Assistant Dean of Career Services at Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University, has fifteen years of experience in the legal field. She was formerly the Director of Public Service Programs at The University of Texas School of Law, Assistant Director of Career Services and Professional Development at Chapman University School of Law, and Assistant Dean of Career Development at the University of Houston Law Center. Prior to joining the law school career services field, Mrs. Davis-Gregory was a Legal Research and Writing Instructor, District Counsel and Immigration Liaison for Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, and has held various positions in law schools, government agencies, and other legal organizations around the country.

Mrs. Davis-Gregory is a former board member of the National Association for Law Placement (NALP) where she also served as the Diversity Committee Liaison, National Advisory Council Member of Equal Justice Works, previous Chairwoman of the Executive Board for the Southeastern Minority Recruitment Program (SEMJF), the largest legal minority recruitment program in the country), PSLawNet Advisory Council member, and a former Executive Board Member of the American Association for Law Schools Pro Bono Committee.

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. Recent presentations include, “Blogging for a Job” at the Equal Justice Works Conference and Career Fair; Panelist in discussion of “Legal, Media & Communication Issues of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Policy”, USC Gould School of Law; “Third Year Career Strategies”, National Black Pre-Law Admissions & Preparation Conference and Law Fair.

Mrs. Davis-Gregory is responsible for the day-to-day management of the career services department. She actively recruits prospective employers to expand job opportunities for students through firm visits, targeted recruitment mailings, telephone outreach, website updates and other marketing strategies. Additionally, she instructs students and alumni in methods to identify prospective employers by region, practice type, and employer size. Her duties also include overseeing the on-campus interview program, and acting as a liaison between the law school, employers and community outreach programs.

Carolyn Dennis

Carolyn Dennis is director of admission for Willamette University College of Law in Salem, Oregon.  With over nine years of law school admission experience, Dennis oversees all admission and prospective student outreach efforts. She actively participates in multicultural student outreach, law school admission educational panels, and is a member of multiple local and national educational and legal organizations. Prior to law school admission, Dennis’ professional experience includes working as an account manager for a high-tech public relations firm, freelance copywriter, operations office manager, and as an executive administrative assistant in corporate, not-for-profit, and college settings.

Angela L. Dixon, Esq.

 Angela L. Dixon, Esq. is the owner of the Law Office of Angela L. Dixon, P.L.L.C. and practices in the areas of family law, social security disability law, wills and probate, and personal injury law.  She earned her bachelor’s degree from Alabama A&M University, M.B.A from St. Ambrose University, and law degree from the University of Iowa College of Law. Prior to starting her own firm, Attorney Dixon was an associate with Powers & Frost L.L.P., practicing toxic tort and products liability litigation.  As a law student, she served as a judicial extern for the Honorable Ewing Werlein Jr. of the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, and law clerk for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Huntsville, Alabama, and Findlay & Tate in Cape Town, South Africa.  Additionally, she was a member of the Journal of Transnational Law and Contemporary Problems, winner of the client counseling and business law essay competitions; and winner of the Garfinkel Glantz Prize for the Best Civil Liberties Paper.  In her spare time, Attorney Dixon is a cast member of the Houston Bar Association’s all-lawyer musical production Night Court, a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and a big sister with the Big Brothers Big Sisters program of Houston.

Ronald Dupree, Esq.

Ronald Edward Dupree, Esq. is the founder and managing member of The Dupree Law Firm, PLLC, and the founder and president of the Dupree Mediation and Arbitration Group.  Attorney Dupree is a graduate of The Florida State University, where he obtained both his bachelor’s and juris doctorate degrees.  While at Florida State, Mr. Dupree was a Virgil Hawkins Fellow, and an intern for Dean Donald J. Weidner.  He also clerked for the law firm of Bryant Miller & Olive, P.A.  Attorney Dupree received his mediation training at the University of Texas School of Law’s Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution. He is the co-chair of the Houston Young Lawyers Association Solo Practitioners’ Committee, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Dispute Resolution Center of Harris County.

Taft Foley, Esq.

Taft L. Foley is a preeminent, personal injury lawyer and truly a rising star among Houston’s legal community. The law firm’s repertoire includes several multi-million dollar jury awards and hundreds of clients whose expectations have been exceeded.

Taft L. Foley’s unrivaled courtroom success is equally matched by his dedication and proven track record as a community activist. Attorney Foley graduated cum laude from the University of Massachusetts Amherst where he obtained bachelors’ degrees in Legal Studies and African American history. Upon graduation from Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Attorney Foley went on to become the youngest Director of Legal Advocacy Programs for the Houston NAACP. In 2005, Attorney Foley founded The Foley Law Firm where he created the firm’s Community Development Initiative. The Initiative consists of an HIV/AIDS activism program, a poverty program, and a mentorship program. Attorney Foley’s tireless efforts to eradicate the social ills imposed by disadvantage have had a profound impact on the Houston community.

In April of 2011, Taft L. Foley was awarded the Francis Williams Advocacy Award by the Houston Lawyers Association for his demonstration of unrelenting and vigorous defense of significant issues of concern for the African American community that impact social change. In 2001, 2004 and 2005, Attorney Foley received the Houston NAACP Alex Award for Legal Excellence. Attorney Foley is a life member of the NAACP, and a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church.

Taft L. Foley is an active participant with various community service organizations. His weekends are often spent building houses with Habitat for Humanity or feeding the homeless. Attorney Foley is currently working on his second degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and has studied at Eternal Martial Arts in Pearland, Texas, for the past four years.

Kenneth Ford

Kenneth Ford is a third-year law student at Thurgood Marshall School of Law. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, FL. Mr. Ford has previously interned for the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. He is the Regional Director of the Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition (BLSA), and currently a clinical intern for the Earl Carl Institute.  Mr. Ford is looking forward to pursuing a career in appellate litigation.

Famose Garner

Famose Garner, Esq. is admitted to practice inTexasand the Southern District of Texas. He also has participated in client matters inWashington,D.C.and Virginia.  Famose currently serves as a law clerk to the Honorable Jeff Bohm, United States Bankruptcy Judge.

Famose’s practice focused on a variety of bankruptcy and litigation.  He has handled consumer matters under Chapters 7, 11, and 13 of the Bankruptcy Code and business matters under Chapters 7 and 11 of the Bankruptcy Code.  His litigation experience includes business, real estate, and consumer protection.  Famose has also counseled clients in forming and acquiring businesses.

Famose graduated from the University of Houston Law Center, where he obtained the Insignis Officio Dedicato UHLC Distinguished Service Award.  Famose served as a Notes & Comments Editor for the Houston Law Review.  Before law school, Famose developed his business acumen as a financial risk manager and analyst with petrochemical companies.  Famose also worked as an operations engineer for multiple international chemical companies.  Famose earned a Masters of Business Administration with a Finance concentration from theUniversity ofHouston and an undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering fromPrairieViewA&MUniversity.

Paula Gluzman, Esq.

Paula Gluzman, Esq. is the Assistant Director of Admissions at the University of Washington School of Law in Seattle, Washington.  A native Californian, Paula attended college at the University of California at San Diego (UCSD).  At UCSD, Paula was a Resident Advisor, Orientation Leader, and a very involved student organization member.  Her proudest accomplishment was founding the Kiss the Pig campaign to raise funds for the American Diabetes Association. Paula also interned in Washington, DC through the UCDC Program, and studied abroad in Seville, Spain.

Paula earned her Juris Doctorate from Pacific-McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, California. During law school, she worked at McGeorge’s Community Legal Services clinic in the Family Law practice and clerked at Union Pacific Railroad Company’s Law Department.  Her legal internships took her to New York City to intern with the New York State Attorney General, and back to Washington, D.C., where she was a summer clerk at the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.  At Pacific-McGeorge, Paula was very involved with student affairs and organization leadership- both on campus and in the community.  She served as a Graduate Recruiter for Pacific-McGeorge’s Office of Admissions, traveling across the country to represent Pacific-McGeorge to universities and prospective law students.

As a member of the California Bar, Paula practiced civil defense litigation for several years after law school. She left private practice to become the Assistant Director and Counseling Attorney at UCSD’s Office of Student Legal Services, advising students and programming preventative legal education workshops.  Now in Seattle, Washington, Paula is thrilled to be a part of the stellar admissions team at the University of Washington School of Law.

 The Honorable Hilary H. Green

Judge Hilary H. Green was sworn in as presiding judge of Harris County Justice of the Peace Court (Precinct 7, Place 1) on June 20, 2007. In March of 2008, Judge Green secured her position as presiding judge in a contested primary election.

Judge Green brings to the bench a wealth of knowledge in civil and criminal matters.  She has worked as a trial attorney for major corporations, as well as represented individuals in matters ranging from complex litigation to small claims.  Prior to assuming the bench, Judge Green served as managing partner of The Green Firm, LLP.

Judge Green is married to Houston City Controller Ronald C. Green and has one son.

Lewis K. Harley, Esq.

Lewis K. Harley, Esq. is the senior managing attorney responsible for development and management of a U.S. and international practice with over 23 years of legal experience.   Mr. Harley’s practice area includes: White Collar fraud/abuse civil and criminal litigation; Corporate Compliance and Integrity; Finance; Real Estate Acquisitions; Leasing; Construction and Development; Commercial and Business Litigation; legislative and regulatory issues and due diligence.   Mr. Harley was also lead litigation attorney for several major white collar financial crime initiatives involving mortgage, financial institution and healthcare fraud. In 2007 Mr. Harley was appointed as Independent Counsel to investigate the failure of Pacific Savings Bank. 

He has lectured nationally on fraud/abuse and compliance issues for Lormans; A speaker for the Houston Bar Association on offshore trust, company formation and financial issues in 2000; a featured speaker for National Medical Association on fraud and abuse in 2001. 

Mr. Harley has served as past associate general counsel to the National Association of Real Estate Brokers, Inc., Washington, D.C., (non-profit). He served as past general counsel to the Small Business Development Corporation, Houston, Texas.  

Mr. Harley is a member of the State Bar of Texas.  He earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree in 1986 from South Texas College of Law.

 Tamesha Harper

Since 2006, Tamesha has successfully collaborated with faculty and staff at colleges throughout the southeastern region to develop and strategically identify talented students for the SEO Internship program.

 Tamesha co-manages the Corporate Law Program and the SEO Black Outreach Initiative.  Based in Atlanta, Georgia she recruits, interviews, trains, and mentors students to increase representation from the Southeast Region on Wall Street, in Corporate America, and in corporate law firms across the country.

Prior to joining SEO, Tamesha served as a diversity recruiter. In that role she managed internship programs for collegiate scholars and planned national conferences to assist HBCUs in various facets. Prior to that, Tamesha served in the corporate philanthropy sector, where she achieved many successes in grant distribution, community relations, and media relations. With over 12 years of experience in nonprofit management, Tamesha enjoys the opportunity to help students reach their full potential.

She is a graduate of Hampton University, where she received a BA in Political Science.

Courteney Harris, Esq.

Courteney Harris, Esq. is an attorney for Aldine Independent School District.  She was an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Texas (Child Support Division) for five years.  Ms. Harris has taught at the University of Phoenix for seven years.  She is also a Trustee with Bering Omega Community Services (BOCS), a nonprofit that nurtures the well being of people living with HIV/AIDS.  She is on the Executive Committee and serves as Chair of the Nominating Committee.

Ms. Harris attended Xavier University in New Orleans for undergraduate earning a Bachelor’s Degree in English.  She earned her master of public administration and juris doctorate from Thurgood Marshall School of Law.  

Tamecia Glover Harris

Tamecia Glover Harris is a second-year law student at the University of Houston Law Center and currently serves as the Student Bar Association President for the 2010-2011 school year. Tamecia is also the Vice President of Corporate and Taxation Law Society, Treasurer of Black Law Students Association, a UHLC Student Ambassador, a UHLC Peer Mentor and a KaplanPMBR Student Representative.  She gained legal experience by interning at the Harris County Attorney Office’s Compliance Division during the summer after her first year of law school.  Tamecia is a member of the Law Student Divisions of the American Bar Association, Texas Bar Association and Houston Lawyers Association as well as a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. 

Prior to law school Tamecia attended undergraduate school at University of Houston where she studied Accounting and Political Science.  She worked as a Licensed Investment Representative at Banc One Securities and most recently as a Staff Accountant for Hines Real Estate Investment Trust. 

Tamecia plans to receive her Juris Doctorate from University of Houston Law Center and a Master of Business Administration from University of Houston Bauer College of Business in May of 2012. Tamecia plans to pursue a career in Corporate, Tax or Securities Law. 

Ronda L. Harrison, Esq.

Ronda L. Harrison, Esq. most recently served as a regional director for Kaplan.  Prior to this position, she served as associate director of academic assistance and student counseling at South Texas College of Law in Houston, Texas.  She primarily works with at-risk law students, law students with disabilities, and minority students.  Ms. Harrison also conducts programs relating to substance abuse, depression, and stress management.  She works on pipeline programs with high school and college students in an effort to increase the number of minority students in higher education institutions. She was the recent convention chairperson for the National Bar Association Young Lawyers Division.  Attorney Harrison is a member of the American Bar Association, Houston Lawyers Association, Texas Young Lawyers Association, and Houston Young Lawyers Association.  She is also a certified mediator.   

Michele Hayes, J.D., LL.M.

Michele Hayes, J.D., LL.M. currently serves as the Director of Student Recruiting in the Office of Admissions at the University of Maryland School of Law where she has worked since December of 2006. Before joining the staff at Maryland, Ms. Hayes served as a senior recruiter in the Office of Recruitment, Retention, Work/Life & Disability Programs at the US Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, DC.  Among other duties, she helped manage the recruitment process and planned educational programming for the SEC Business Associates Program for MBA graduates, and The SEC Summer Honors Business and Legal Internship programs for business and law school students.   Ms. Hayes began her career in law school student services at the George Washington University School of Law in Washington DC in 2002, where she served as Assistant Director of Career Development primarily advising students pursuing government employment opportunities and serving as minority student liaison.

Ms. Hayes’ professional activities include service on the planning committee of an Annual Meeting of Law School Diversity Professionals.  In addition, she has served as a featured speaker on panels during the annual conferences of the National Association for Law Placement, the ABA Young Lawyers Division, and the Northeast Association of Pre-Law Advisors and participates regularly in pre-law panel programs at local colleges and universities.

Ms. Hayes is admitted to practice law in the state of Maryland.   She received an LL.M. in Litigation and Dispute Resolution from the George Washington University School of Law and a JD from the Washington College of Law at American University, both in Washington DC.  She earned her BA in English from Spelman College in Atlanta, GA.

Cassandra L. Hill, Esq.

Cassandra Louise Hill, Esq. is the Director of Legal Writing and an Assistant Professor of Law at Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law (TMSL).  Professor Hill brings over ten years of law school teaching and law practice experience to TMSL’s legal writing program.  As the Director of Legal Writing, she has developed an innovative legal writing curriculum for first-year students focusing on practice-oriented legal research, analysis, and writing and other clinical skills.  In addition to instituting a new legal writing program, Professor Hill teaches legal analysis and writing, advocacy, and statutory interpretation to first-year students as part of the Lawyering Process course. 

Prior to joining TMSL’s faculty, Professor Hill taught Lawyering Skills at UCLA School of Law from 2004 to 2008.  At UCLA, she taught legal research, writing, and advocacy to first-year students.  Before her law school teaching career, Professor Hill was an associate with Baker Botts L.L.P. in Houston, Texas from 1999-2004.  At Baker Botts, Professor Hill practiced in the area of Tax/ERISA/Employee Benefits.  Professor Hill also served as a federal law clerk for the Honorable Vanessa D. Gilmore, United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, from 1997 to 1999. 

Professor Hill’s research interests include legal analysis and writing, law school pedagogy, education theory, and employment law matters.  Her new book (co-authored with Katherine Vukadin), Legal Analysis: 100 Exercises for Mastery, will be released next spring 2012 with Mathew Bender Publishing (LexisNexis).  Her recent article, Peer Editing: A Comprehensive Pedagogical Approach to Maximize Assessment Opportunities, Integrate Collaborative Learning, and Achieve Desired Outcomes, will be published in the Nevada Law Journal this spring.   Also her article (co-authored with Katherine Vukadin), Now I See: Redefining the Post-Grade Conference as Process and Substance Assessment, was the lead article in volume 45 of the Howard Law Journal.  During TSU’s Research Week, Professors Hill and Vukadin won first place for their oral presentation on improving post-grade conferences. 

Professor Hill also has written several essays on law school pedagogy.  Her recent essay, Collaboration Training with an Eye Toward Outcomes and Assessment, appeared in the recent fall 2010 issue of the Legal Writing Institute’s Second Draft.  She also shared her ideas on how to improve law students’ basic writing skills in All Hands on Deck: Maximizing Existing Resources to Improve Students’ Basic Writing Skills, which was included in the AALS Newsletter for the Section of Teaching Methods.   In addition, she authored an essay on the pedagogical significance of hope entitled The Psychology of Hope: Legal Educators Must Strengthen Students’ “Waypower” to Succeed, which will be published in the Learning Curve (AALS Newsletter for the Section on Academic Support) this spring 2011.

Professor Hill, a native Texan, received a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics and Spanish from the Universityof Virginia.  She is also a recipient of the Phi Beta Kappa Key.  Professor Hill graduated first in her law school class from Howard University School of Law.  While at Howard University School of Law, she served as an Articles Editor for the Howard Law Journal and was a member of Phi Alpha Delta and the National Moot Court Team.  Professor Hill also received six American Jurisprudence Awards in Legal Writing, Federal Taxation, Evidence, Torts, Securities Regulation and Family Law.

Professor Hill is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the District of Columbia Bar, and the New York State Bar.  She is also a member of the Legal Writing Institute (LWI) and the Association of Legal Writing Directors.  In addition, Professor Hill serves on the Editorial Board for the LWI Monograph Series.  Professor Hill also works with a number of charitable organizations and serves on the Board of Directors for the Houston Texans YMCA.  She is a past member of the Board of Directors of the WesleyCommunity Center and the City of Houston READ Commission.  She is a member of the United Methodist Church and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.  Professor Hill also owns Prep For Law, a pre-law school education and legal career services consulting company.

Charles Holmes, Esq.

Charles Holmes, Esq. earned a bachelor of science in social science from Jackson College, a master of arts in political science from Atlanta University, and a juris doctorate from North Carolina Central University School of Law.  He is a retired associate professor in the political science department and pre-law advisor at Tougaloo College in Tougaloo, Mississippi.  Prior to serving in those positions, he was an instructor and associate professor at Jackson State University.  He serves on the board of trustees at Mt. Helm Baptist Church and on the advisory boards of the Mississippi Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Mississippi Common Cause.  He is a member of the American Bar Association, National Bar Association, Magnolia Bar Association, NAACP, American Political Science Association, and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.

Elizabeth Humphrey

Elizabeth Humphrey was born and raised in Houston, Texas. She graduated with honors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.A. in Political Science and Anthropology. While at Carolina, Ms. Humphrey was exceptionally active in Student Government. During her time in Student Congress, she served as Vice-Chair of the Finance Committee and as a member of the Student Affairs and Ethics Committees. As a result of three years of service, MS. Humphrey was awarded the Albert & Gladys Hall Coates Award, which is given to the member of Student Congress whose service is judged outstanding on the criteria of statesmanship, commitment and constructive involvement in issues affecting the quality of the University community. Ms. Humphrey also served on the Student Fee Audit Committee and as an executive committee member of Carolina United, a diversity initiative at the University. As a result of her service and enthusiasm for student involvement, Ms. Humphrey was given the opportunity to speak before the Chancellor’s Search Committee during her junior year.

Ms. Humphrey is currently a 3L at The University of Texas School of Law. She is a staff editor for the Texas Journal of Oil, Gas and Energy Law, member of Thurgood Marshall Legal Society and Bible Study Leader for Christian Legal Society. Ms. Humphrey has been an extremely active NBLSA member, serving at all levels of the organization. Ms. Humphrey has served as a Social Action and Convention Committee member, Director of Communications for the Rocky Mountain Region and on the Financial Appropriations Committee of the University of Texas’ Thurgood Marshall Legal Society.

The summer following her first year, Ms. Humphrey worked in the Family Law Department of Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid. After Ms. Humphrey’s second year of law school, she worked as a judicial intern for the Honorable Justice Terry Jennings at the First Court of Appeals and the Honorable Justice Cheryl Johnson at the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.

Tracie J. Jackson, Esq.

Tracie J. Jackson, Esq. earned a bachelor of business administration, a master of arts in labor relations from the University of Cincinnati, and a juris doctor from the University of Toledo.  She has practiced law in the field of labor and employment for the past 13 years.  A former field attorney with the National Labor Relations Board, Attorney Jackson argued before the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and provided arbitration services for the United States Postal Service.  Ms. Jackson is licensed to practice law in the states of Texas, Louisiana, and Ohio.

Shirley A. Jefferson, Esq.

Shirley A. Jefferson, Esq. earned her bachelor of science in public administration from Southeastern University, and a juris doctor from Vermont Law School.  She is the associate dean for student affairs and diversity at Vermont Law School.   She is also an adjunct professor and teaches Race and the Law and Non-Profit Organizations. Dean Jefferson previously served as the director of alumni relations and admissions counselor at the law school.  After graduating from law school, she worked as a legislative assistant to Washington, D.C. Council Member Wilhelmina J. Rolark, became an associate in Mrs. Rolark’s law office, and then was associate counsel and then general counsel to the United Black Fund, Inc.

Irene O. Joe, Esq.

Irene Oritseweyinmi Joe, Esq. graduated from Stanford University School of Law in May of 2006 with pro bono honors.  Immediately after graduation, Irene completed a capital post-conviction fellowship with the Equal Justice Initiative of Alabama in Montgomery, Alabama.  She was also a law clerk for the Honorable Napoleon A. Jones, Jr. of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California in San Diego, California.  She currently serves as the assistant special litigation counsel for the Orleans Public Defenders in New Orleans, Louisiana.  She previously served as a public defender. 

Attorney Joe was born in Sapele, Nigeria, and moved to the United States when she was three-years-old.   Ms. Joe completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Texas at Austin with honors in 2003, and won the William Jennings Bryan Award for Undergraduate Honors Theses for her thesis entitled “Was There a Place for Anger?  An Analysis of African American Militancy in American Politics Since the Gary Convention.”

Eartha Jean Johnson, Esq.

Eartha Jean Johnson, Esq. is president and chief executive officer of LegalWATCH, a risk mitigation training company she formed in 1997 after practicing law for a Fortune 100 company, and working for the United States Department of Justice, and an international law firm. In addition to her juris doctorate degree, she holds a master’s degree in energy, environmental and natural resource law, a bachelor of science degree in business administration, and an associate’s degree in criminal justice.  Jean is certified in training and development and holds a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) designation.  Ms. Johnson currently serves on the boards of Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) and NISH National Institute for the Severely Disabled (NISH).  Attorney Johnson just completed an unprecedented eight-year term as chair and vice chair of the Women’s Lawyers Division of the National Bar Association.   She also served on the National Women’s Business Council, the Forum of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, and is a member of the Women Business Enterprise Alliance of Texas and Houston Minority Business Council.  Ms. Johnson is a past president of the Houston Lawyers Association and past chair of the African American Lawyers Section of the State Bar of  Texas.

LaToya Jones-Burrell, Esq.

LaToya Jones-Burrell, Esq. currently serves as an Academic Counselor through the Office of Academic Support Programs and as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Southern University Law Center.  Attorney Burrell received her J.D. from Southern University Law Center, cum laude and her B.S. from Northwestern State University, cum laude.

In her position as an Academic Counselor she focuses on helping students adjust to rigors of a legal education in the areas of academics.  Primarily, Attorney Burrell assists law students in their development of effective and efficient study methods and improved writing and test taking techniques for law school exams.  Attorney Burrell also conducts various seminars and workshops on the following topics:  Exam Techniques, Study and Analytical Skills, Time Management, and Academic Enhancement Writing.  Burrell also works directly with the Four Week Intensive Summer Pre-Law Program at Southern University Law Center, specifically serving as an Instructor for the Analytical Skills Course.

During her law school matriculation, Burrell clerked for a Federal Judge and three law firms.  Burrell was a member of the Moot Court Board and was the recipient of the Best Brief Award during the intra-school Moot Court competition.   Burrell was also a Civil and Administrative Law Clinical education student attorney, the Managing Editor for the Journal of Race, Gender & Poverty, and was actively involved with the Student Bar Association and ATLA mock trial team.  Burrell is an Inns of Court pupil and was selected as a junior honorary member for the Louisiana Law Institute.

She is an active member of the Louisiana State Bar Association.  She currently serves as Of Counsel to Murray & Murray Law Firm, where her practice area is bankruptcy law.  Specifically, she serves as Attorney for the Chapter 7 Trustee and Bankruptcy Estate.  Her research interest includes disability and civil rights law, specifically relating to the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Rachel Kelly

Rachel Kelly is a third-year law student at Thurgood Marshall School of Law. She is originally from Birmingham, Alabama, and received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism with a minor in Political Science from the University of Alabama. She has previously interned with both state and federal government agencies, plaintiff and defense firms, and served as a judicial intern to Justice Nathan L. Hecht of the Texas Supreme Court.  When she is not jump-starting her legal career, Rachel enjoys reading, writing, cooking, and cheering for the University of Alabama football team.

Keith Lampkin

Keith Lampkin is a native of Bentonia, Mississippi.  Lampkin earned his bachelor of science in political science, with a human rights minor from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2008. He is currently a second-year law student at Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University. Keith has been involved with the National Association of Future Black law Students since 2005. He served as the second president of the first undergraduate chapter at USM and National Director of New Chapter Development along with serving on the volunteer committee for the National Black Pre-Law Conference during its first few years.  Keith is dedicated to continuing with the mission of populating America’s law schools with a diverse and prepared group of individuals.

Chanler Langham, Esq.

Chanler Langham, Esq., a native of Fort Worth, TX, received his Juris Doctorate as a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar at Columbia Law School in May 2004. Mr. Langham graduated magna cum laude from the George Washington University Honors Program in May 2000, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs and Japanese Language and Literature. Mr. Langham speaks fluent Japanese and has worked at the Embassy of Japan; Takusu Board of Education in Gifu, Japan; Baker & McKenzie, Tokyo; and Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton in New York and Washington, DC. As a student, Mr. Langham served as a Sub-Regional Director in the Northeast Black Law Students Association, Teaching Assistant for Constitutional Law, and Articles Editor for the Journal of Asian Law.

Currently, Mr. Langham is an associate at Susman Godfrey LLP.  Prior to this, he worked as a law clerk to the Honorable Vanessa D. Gilmore in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas.  As an associate at Susman Godfrey, Mr. Langham litigates and manages complex commercial matters for plaintiffs and defendants involving intellectual property, products liability, toxic torts, executive compensation, oil and gas, and breach of contract.  Mr. Langham has written, won, and defeated countless motions for summary judgment and motions to dismiss, recently won an appeal before the Texas Court of Appeals First District, has successfully settled several multi-million dollar matters, and taken or defended over 100 depositions.  H Texas Magazine selected Mr. Langham as a Professional on the Fast Track in 2009, 2010, and 2011.  Mr. Langham is a member of the New York State Bar, Texas State Bar, and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Nu Beta Chapter.

Shaundra Kellam Lewis, Esq.

Shaundra Kellam Lewis is an Assistant Professor of Legal Writing at Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University.  Before assuming her current position, she served as an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Houston Law Center.  Her legal experience includes practicing as an Appellate Litigation Attorney for the Federal Public Defender’s Office for the Central District of Illinois, a Staff Attorney for the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and an Assistant Public Defender for the Miami-Dade County Public Defender’s Office.

She graduated fromStetsonUniversitywith a Bachelor of Arts degree in English.  At Stetson, she earned membership in Omicron Delta Kappa and was selected asStetsonUniversity’s Greek Woman of the Year (Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.)  She went on to St. Thomas University School of Law, where she earned her Juris Doctor in the top 5% of her class.  Among the honors and awards Professor Lewis has received, she earned American Jurisprudence Awards for Achieving the Highest Scores in Constitutional Law, Wills and Trusts, Appellate Litigation I, and Employment Discrimination.  She also earned the Outstanding Trial Litigation Skills Award.

Attorney Lewis is a member of the State Bar of Georgia, State Bar of Florida, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois.

Bianca D. Mack, Esq.

Bianca D. Mack, Esq. joined the George Mason University School of Law as Director of Diversity Services in July 2008.  She helps coordinate the law school’s efforts to recruit, support, and place diverse students.  In addition, Ms. Mack works with the Dean, the Admissions Office, the Career, Academic, and Alumni Services office, the Dean’s Minority Recruitment Council, and diversity-based student organizations to initiate, promote, and sustain the school’s diversity initiatives.  Ms. Mack graduated from George Mason University School of Law in May 2008. She earned a BA from Duke University and an MBA from Devry University.  Ms. Mack is licensed to practice law in the State of North Carolina and the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Reginald McGahee, Esq.

Reginald McGahee, Esq. is the assistant dean and dean of admissions at Howard University School of Law.  He earned dual bachelor’s degrees in English and political science at South Carolina State University, and then his juris doctor degree from Howard University School of Law.  While a law student, he served on the Board of Trustees, the Huver I. Brown Trial Advocacy Moot Court Team, and as an executive officer of the Student Bar Association.  Prior to joining the admissions office at Howard, Dean McGahee worked in the Business and Legal Affairs Division of GM and for the District of Columbia Council. He was named as Young Lawyer of the Year by the National Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division in 2008.

BarbaraKaye Miller, Esq.

BarbaraKaye Miller, Esq. is the dean of admissions at Phoenix School of Law. She is a graduate of the University of Iowa College of Law, where she was an associate editor of the Iowa Law Review. She was an associate with Fuller & Henry in Toledo, Ohio, and became the first African American assistant prosecutor in Lucas County, Ohio.  She went on to clerk for the Honorable John W. Potter of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.  She has also been a partner at Wise People Management, and Ryan, Wise, Miller & Dorner, LLC.  Prior to joining the admissions office at Phoenix Law, she was vice president of LegalWATCH, Inc., a preventive law training company headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Rodney R. Miller, Esq.

Rodney Miller is an associate in the Litigation Department in the Houston office of Weil, Gotshal & Manges. He practices in the area of patent litigation.

In 2005, Mr. Miller received his B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He received his J.D. from the University of Houston in 2009. Mr. Miller served as a judicial intern for the Hon. Vanessa D. Gilmore in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.

Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Miller was commercial building automation sales engineer for Carrier Corporation.

Mr. Miller is a member of the State Bar of Texas and is admitted to practice before the Southern District of Texas and the United State Patent and Trademark Office.

Virgie Lemond Mouton, Esq.

Virgie Lemond Mouton, J.D. became the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs at Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law in 1990 and is presently serving as Assistant Dean for Student Development.  In 1998, she was appointed as Instructor, teaching Advanced Legal Analysis and coordinating all Independent Research classes.  Dean Mouton has written and published law review articles and has delivered several legal presentations at law school symposiums, public and private schools, and the community. She is currently writing two articles to submit for publication, and writing several forthcoming presentations for the 2010-2011 Academic Year.

 Dean Mouton’s present duties as Assistant Dean include organizing Fall Orientation for first year law students; coordinating accommodations for students, faculty, and staff who qualify under the ADA and 504 provisions; updating the Student Rules and Regulations, and updating the Student Accommodations Handbook.  Dean Mouton also supervises all Student Development personnel including the Registrar, Records Coordinator, Administrative Assistant, and Archivist.  She provides academic and personal counseling for law students, making referrals as needed.  At the end of the academic year, Dean Mouton organizes the Annual Academic Awards Ceremony and the Hooding/Graduation activities.

Prior to joining the administration at Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Dean Mouton worked at the First Court of Appeals of Texas.   There she worked as a Briefing Attorney for the Honorable Henry E. Doyle, Associate Justice and first graduate of Texas Southern University Law School.  She then worked as a Research Attorney for all nine justices at the First Court of Appeals.  Later, she was  a sole practitioner specializing in appellate litigation. In 1988, she became an Assistant Harris County Attorney for Harris County, Texas. There she prosecuted delinquent property tax cases and later became Chief of the Tax Litigation Section.

Dean Mouton received her B.S.Ed. degree in 1971 and her M.S. Ed degree in 1974 from the University of Houston. She received her Doctor of Jurisprudence degree in 1982 from Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law.

Dean Mouton is married to her husband of 39 years, Stephen Mouton.  They have four children—Matthew, Brian, Christopher, and Marissa.  They reside in Sugar Land, Texas and are active members of Saint Laurence Catholic Church.  Dean Mouton is also a member of the State Bar of Texas, Houston Bar Association, American Bar Association, and several service organizations.

Michael T. Murphy, Esq.

Michael T. Murphy is an associate at Vinson & Elkins, LLP where is principal practice area is litigation.  He is a graduate ofHarvardLawSchool.  He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science cum laude fromDukeUniversity.

His legal experience includes serving as a judicial intern to The Honorable Vanessa Gilmore, U.S. District Court Judge for the Southern District of Texas.  Michael is a member of the Houston Bar Association, the Houston Young Lawyer’s Association, the American Bar Association, and the Defense Research Institute.

Jimmi Nicholson, M.S.

Jimmi Nicholson, M.S., a native of New Orleans, LA, received her bachelor of arts from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside and earned her master of science in education from Illinois State University. Ms. Nicholson has served over 10 years in Higher Education and Student Affairs in various roles such as Residence Hall Director, Diversity Service Coordinator for University Housing and Coordinator for Multicultural Center-African American Student Services.  She has served in her capacity as the Assistant Director for Admissions & Minority Affairs at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law since 2006. Additionally, Ms. Nicholson has served on various committees and boards such as the Annual Meeting of Law School Diversity Professionals, ACPA Standing Committee for Multicultural Affairs, Diversity Committee for the Great Lakes Association of College and University Housing Officers and the Central Ohio Diabetes Association Multicultural Library Board to name a few.  Ms. Nicholson is also a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Chinedum Okparaeke

Chinedum U. Okparaeke is currently a third-year law student at Thurgood Marshall School of Law in Houston, TX and serves as President of the Barbara C. Jordan Chapter of the National Black Law Students Association. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration with an Accounting Concentration from Morehouse College. In addition to participating in  the National Black Law Students Association, Chinedum is also a member of the James M. Douglas Board of Advocates, Thurgood Marshall Law Review and African Law Students Association. Prior to law school, Chinedum worked as a Financial Analyst for AIG Investments in New York, NY, and is looking forward to a rewarding career in Securities or Government Law after graduation.

Chris Oliver

BIO FORTHCOMING.

Lawrencina Oramalu, Esq.

Throughout her career, Lawrencina Mason Oramalu has committed herself to promoting equal access to educational, employment and contracting opportunities and to creating diverse, respectful and inclusive academic and work environments.  Currently, Lawrencina serves as the Assistant Dean and Director of Multicultural Affairs at William Mitchell  College of Law, where she is responsible for helping the school fulfill its multiculturalism vision to create a diverse and vibrant learning community and an inclusive profession where all individuals feel welcomed and respected.

As Assistant Dean and Director of Multicultural Affairs, Lawrencina assists in recruiting a diverse pool of students; coordinates pipeline initiatives designed to encourage high school students to consider a legal career; provides advice and mentoring to Mitchell’s multicultural students; oversees the multicultural student organizations; develops diversity-related programming; and collaborates with educational, government, legal and business organizations that address issues of diversity, inclusion and social justice.

In 2011, Lawrencina conducted a needs assessment of the multicultural students and established STAND (Students Advancing the Need for Diversity and Dialogue), a new student organization which is based on the premise that 1) the work of advancing diversity, inclusion and social justice is a shared responsibility and 2) being able to engage in critical dialogue about these issues is critical to the successful development of all attorneys.

Before coming to Mitchell, Lawrencina worked as the Associate to the Director of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action (EOAA) at the University of Minnesota, where she investigated discrimination and harassment complaints; counseled University administrators, faculty and staff on equity and diversity issues as well as developed and delivered a variety of University-wide trainings.   Before working in the EOAA, Lawrencina worked as the Associate Director at the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs’ Roy Wilkins Center for Human Relations and Social Justice, where she managed several research projects that examined racial and ethnic inequality. While at the Wilkins Center, Lawrencina mentored and supervised several research assistants, co-taught a freshman seminar on Law & Public Policy and served as a co-facilitator for SisterFriends.

Lawrencina is a certified Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) trainer, skilled facilitator, engaging speaker and thoughtful teacher.  She has spoken at local and national conferences including serving on the panel Less than the Best:  The Shocking Truth about Diversity in the Transportation Industry, at the 2008 Congressional Black Caucus Legislative Conference; delivering a training on Moving Beyond a Debate of Race and Gender to a Dialogue about People, Perceptions, Power & Privilege at the 2010 Community Action of Minnesota Conference, and moderating a panel Leveraging the Playing Field: Effective Strategies for DBE Goal Setting, at the 2011 National Forum for Black Public Administrators.

Lawrencina earned a B.A. in Political Science and Policy Studies from Rice University in Houston, Texas; a M.A. in Public Policy from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs; and a J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law, where she clerked for Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis – Housing Discrimination Law Project and the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office’s Civil Division.  Lawrencina is the proud mother of three children – Bobbie Ngozi (8 years old), Obinna Chukwuka (5 years old) and Frank Ikechukwu (1 year old).

Kourtney James Perry, Esq.

Kourtney James Perry was born and raised in Houston, Texas.  She graduated magna cum laude fromHarvardUniversity in 2002, with a bachelor’s of arts in History of Science.  Upon graduation, she attended Stanford University Law School and obtained her juris doctorate in 2005.  Once she completed her legal studies, Ms. James Perry moved back toHouston to start her legal career as an energy transactions associate with Vinson & Elkins, LLP.  After spending almost six years at the law firm, Ms. James Perry decided to pursue her entrepreneurial dreams and start several businesses with her husband.  She is now the business manager for their cinematography business, Perry Evan Films, and the founder and principal editor for the wedding design blog, 7 Centerpieces.  

Brandice Burton Pierre, J.D.

Brandice Burton Pierre is a native Philadelphian who relocated to Houston, Texas after earning a Juris Doctor from the James Beasley School of Law at Temple University.  She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Wellesley College.

Brandice is a result-driven, motivated professional whose experience encompasses a range of job titles including education, corporate, and legal industries.  Currently, she is the Associate Director of a corporate-work study program through which economically disadvantaged youth earn money for their high school tuition by working at blue-chip companies around Houston

Brandice is also involved in the community.  She volunteers at The Beacon, a day center for the homeless and at the Junior League of Houston. Brandice’s professional affiliations include the Houston Young Lawyers Association, the Houston Black Professionals, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated. 

Donald D. Pritchett, Jr., J.D.

Donald Pritchett is presently the Director of Recruitment/Associate Director of Admissions for the Penn State University Dickinson School of Law which houses campuses in Carlisle and University Park, Pennsylvania, respectively.  He has also taught undergraduate courses in Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Constitutional Law and Criminology.  Donald earned his BA from the University of Virginia, MS from Florida State University, and JD from the University of Florida.  Previously, he served as the Assistant Director of Admissions for the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law, and is the former Pre-Law Coordinator for the Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO).

Chloe T. Reid, J.D.

Chloe T. Reid is the Associate Dean and Dean of Admissions at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law.  She serves as the chief enrollment officer for the law school, which includes oversight for admissions and scholarships.

Prior to joining the law school in 2006, Dean Reid served as director of admissions and associate dean for student affairs at WhittierLawSchooland as assistant director-council affairs for the Law School Admission Council.  Most recently she served as executive dean (chief operating officer) at Antioch University Southern California, where she was appointed interim president for a year and a half.

Born and raised in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains in east Tennessee, Dean Reid holds a B.A in political science and a J.D. from the University ofTennessee. She is a member of the Goddard College Board of Trustees, serving on the Finance Committee and Chair of the Academic and Student Affairs Committee. She is active in the community, including volunteering with the Girl Scout of Los Angeles as a Scout Leader. She has served on numerous panels and led many workshops on the law school admissions process over the past 20 years.

Dean Reid is married and has one daughter.

Edward W. Renè, Ph.D.

Edward W. Renè, Ph.D. is the Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University.  In this capacity, he serves as the chief enrollment officer overseeing admissions, financial aid, recruitment, and retention.  Dr. Renè earned his bachelor’s degree in English Journalism from the Universityof Louisianaat Lafayette, the Master’s of Education in Administration/Supervision from McNeeseStateUniversity, and the Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Higher Education from JacksonStateUniversity.  He has more than 22 years of experience in the field of education.  He began his tenure in education in 1989 as an 8^th grade English teacher.  He then went on to teach Developmental English at theUniversity ofLouisiana atLafayette in Fall 1997.  In 1999, he joined the Thurgood Marshall School of Law as the Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid.  Dr. Renè also teaches graduate courses to doctoral students in theCollege ofEducation at Texas Southern University.  He is currently the chairman and board member of Poetry With a Purpose.  He is also a former board member of JR’s Automotive Group.

Troy Riddle, Esq.

Troy A. Riddle is Multicultural Affairs Officer at Widener University School of Law in Wilmington, Delaware.  As Multicultural Affairs Officer, he is charged with duties in the office of Student Affairs to provide academic and personal support to the diverse student population, as well as administrative oversight to all Student Bar Association organizations and activities; And in the Admissions office, he executes diversity-related programming in addition to recruiting and making admissions decisions.  He also serves as an adjunct professor at Widener Law.   He recently designed the course “Law Practice in the 21^st Century,” which explores virtual law practice and the use of the Internet and technology to offer competitively priced legal services in the global marketplace.  Prior to joining Widener Law, he served as Assistant Director for Diversity Initiatives with the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) where he was responsible for DiscoverLaw.org content, programming and Campus Coordinator activities. Troy was also instrumental in launching LSAC’s Diversity Matters Award, which encourages and recognizes the diversity efforts of LSAC’s ABA-approved member law schools. He holds both undergraduate and graduate degrees in Business Administration and a JD from Widener University School of Law. Troy is a member of the Bar of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the National Bar Association, and the Philadelphia Bar Association.

Dominique Ross

Dominique Ross was raised in Sugar Land, Texas, where she graduated from Clements High School. During her years there, she was President of the Black Heritage Organization, and was a part of the Stars Dance Team, Varsity Choir, Color Guard, and volunteered over 120 community service hours.

Dominique Ross began her secondary education at the prestigious H.B.C.U. of Prairie View A&M University in 2006. In December 2009, at the age of 21, she graduated in 3.5 years as a magna cum laude honor student with a 3.74 g.p.a. While at Prairie View, Dominique lead such organizations as being President of the Phi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honor Society, Blackstone Pre-Law Society, Vice President, historian, and public relations officer of the Fellowship of Christian Collegiate Students, and Secretary of the Model United Nations Club. Ms. Ross has also spent her collegiate time volunteering for Panthers At Work, Big Brothers Big Sisters, The Cure, and Second Baptist Church.

Upon graduation in 2009, Dominique pursued her Masters at Prairie View A&M University in Juvenile Justice where she currently holds a 3.85 g.p.a. She expects her degree in May 2012. Dominique’ is currently enrolled at Thurgood Marshall School of Law (2013) where she is a member of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity (public relations chair 2011-2012), Christian Legal Society, Black Law Students Association ( Director- College Student Division, Social Chair 2011-2012) and competes with the Board of Legal Advocates Client Counseling Competition, the Frederick Douglass Moot Court Team, and is a Kaplan PMBR Student Representative.

She currently interns for the Harris County Criminal District Court Judge Krocker. Dominique plans to pursue either Corporate or Entertainment Law once she graduates in 2013. Dominique currently volunteers in the church nursery, photography department, and is a member of the praise dance team. Her future goals include becoming a judge and being able to give back to the youth of Houston.

The Honorable Njeri Mathis Rutledge

Professor Njeri Mathis Rutledge joined the faculty of South Texas College of Law in 2005 where she teaches in the area of Legal Research and Writing. She graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in English from Spelman College and earned her law degree from Harvard Law School where she served as technical editor of the Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review. After graduating from Harvard she clerked for the Hon. John T. Nixon, Chief District Judge for the Middle District of Tennessee. Professor Rutledge served as an associate for Baker Botts, L.L.P. where she represented clients in the areas of labor and employment, toxic tort and complex civil litigation for four years. Following Baker Botts, Professor Rutledge entered the public sector as a prosecutor for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. During her years as a prosecutor, Professor Rutledge served in the Family Criminal Law Division, Juvenile Division, Misdemeanor and Felony divisions. After leaving the District Attorney’s Office Professor Rutledge spent the 2004-2005 academic year as a visiting professor at South Texas College of Law. Professor Rutledge frequently speaks and writes in the area of domestic violence based on her extensive work with domestic violence victims in the District Attorney’s Office.

The Honorable Oswald J. Scott, Jr., Esq.

Oswald J. Scott, Jr., a man of vision and purpose, believes all of us possess the potential for greatness and he delivers his message of hope and encouragement through writing and speaking engagements. Having raised above his inner-city beginnings to become a judge, successful attorney, motivational speaker and business owner, he shares with his readers and audiences the secrets of success learned from his own personal journey.

Oswald’s business and legal experience expands over 20 years. His career accomplishments include becoming a judge, working as a financial consultant, lecturing to professional and civic organizations on such topics as wills & probate, writing articles on financial and business matters, and publishing a legal newspaper. In addition, he also speaks to youth groups and churches on the topics of success and achievement.

Oswald serves as the CEO and founder, a self-development firm specializing in products to inform, inspire, and motivate individuals seeking personal fulfillment and professional success, and is the CEO and founder of Street Corner Books, a publishing company established to publish his works and to inspire young black men to discover the power of reading and writing. Recently Oswald decided to put his thoughts into two books: The Promise: A Black Man’s Guide to Money, Power & Respect, and Big Momma’s Ten Commandments for Abundant Living. His third book, How You Living? An African American Guide to Wealth, Success & Happiness, promises to reveal proven strategies for African Americans to live the American dream.

Oswald works tirelessly in his community as a board member of a highly successful pre-school for inner city kids and as a member of a community based chamber of commerce developing business education and business development in the Black community. He also performs free workshops to young men on the principles of success and achievement.

Licensed to practice law by the Texas and Louisiana State Bars, he received a Bachelor of Science degree from Louisiana State University, and a Juris Doctorate degree from Southern University Law Center. As a Dale Carnegie Training graduate he received the Highest Award for Achievement. Oswald currently lives in Houston with his wife, Jennifer, and has three children Guy, Sydney, and Drew.

Jennifer Sims, Esq., M.B.A.

Jennifer Sims, J.D., M.B.A. is the assistant dean for admissions at Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, and advisor to its Black Law Students Association chapter.  She earned her doctorate of jurisprudence from Cumberland School of Law before joining the Admissions Office in 2004.  Prior to attending Cumberland, she graduated with undergraduate degrees in environmental design and philosophy from Texas A&M University at College Station.

Tobin A. Sparling, Esq.

Professor Sparlinghas taught legal research and writing at South Texas College of Law since 1997.  A second-career lawyer, Professor Sparling attended Columbia Law School after having worked in the rare books and print departments at theYale Center for British Art and the New York Public Library.  He holds graduate degrees in library science and art history.  Following law school graduation, Professor Sparling was a litigation associate at Schule Roth & Zabel in New York City and a reference librarian at the Fred Parks Law Library at South Texas College of Law.  He writes in the areas of sexual orientation law and judicial ethics.

Ty Stimpson, a native ofArlington,TX, attendedBaylorUniversity where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and Finance.  While in college, Mr. Stimpson was a Dean’s List student while playing on the Baylor Football team where he was recognized as a Big XII Commissioner’s Honor Roll recipient.  Also while at Baylor he served as his chapter President of his Fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.

Mr. Stimpson became interested in law after a summer internship inNew York Citywith Liz Claiborne where he had a lot interaction with the in-house counsel and other prominent attorneys across the city.  Mr. Stimpson intends on pursuing a legal career in complex commercial litigation.  As an aspiring commercial litigator, he hopes to one day make national headlines as lead counsel in a major commercial lawsuit, of course on the winning side!  In pursuit of this interest, he moved toHouston,TXto attend Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Texas Southern University.

Mr. Stimspon is currently a 3L at Thurgood Marshall School of Law and the Vice-Chair and Job Fair Coordinator for the Rocky Mountain Region of NBLSA. Mr. Stimpson formerly served as 2L Class President before moving to his Regional position.  Mr. Stimpson has always been heavily involved in extracurricular activities on campus, from ABA School Representative to Board of Advocates; he enjoys being active and involved on campus.

The summer following his first year, Mr. Stimpson worked for Hewlett Packard Company in the Mergers and Acquisition area where he was able to be involved in the Palm acquisition and other transactions.  During his second year of law school, he worked as a law clerk for Latimer & Rhodes, PC, Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, and Daniel Williams & Associates were he still currently works. 

Christopher B. Suell, Esq.

 Christopher B. Suell, Esq. is a native of Memphis, Tennessee. He graduated from Whitehaven High School and went on to attend the University of Memphis. Christopher is a recent graduate of The Florida A&M University College of Law in Orlando, Florida. While there, he served as Social Chair for the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law Society and was a member of the Black Law Students Association and the Christian Legal Society.

During his first summer in law school, Christopher worked as an intern at the New York City District Attorney’s Office in Downtown Brooklyn. His duties included submitting motions of dismissals for cases to be dropped, and preparing motions for staff attorneys.  Christopher is currently the entertainment law intern to the former Vice-President and General Manager of Def Jam, Inc. in New York City. Christopher is also a member of the American Bar Association, where he serves on the 2012 ABA International Law Spring Meeting Planning Committee.

Duane Tobias, Esq.

Duane Tobias, Esq. is currently the Law School Academic Coordinator for The Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO)/Thurgood Marshall Legal Educational Opportunity Program.  Prior to this, Mr. Tobies was a securities litigation attorney at Woska & Hayes LLP in Houston, Texas, and has served as Special Prosecutor for Violence Agains Women and First Assistant to the Criminal District Attorney in Tyler County, Texas.  Mr. Tobias earned his B.A. in Political Science from Xavier University in New Orleans, Louisiana and received his J.D. from Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University.

Travis Alexander Torrence, Esq.

Travis Torrence, Esq. is a senior associate at Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P., where he represents creditors and debtors in bankruptcy and insolvency-related matters.  Travis is a member of the firm’s diversity advisory committee and serves as co-chair of the Houston office’s clerkship committee, which oversees the office’s summer program and recommends hiring decisions to the firm’s employment committee.  In 2010, Travis was honored by Texas SuperLawyers as a Rising Star in the area of Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights.  Prior to joining Fulbright, Travis served as a law clerk for the Honorable Edward C. Prado, Circuit Judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.  Travis graduated from Yale Law School in 2005.  While at Yale, Travis was a Director of the Yale Nonprofit Organizations Clinic and the Treasurer of the Black Law Students Association.  Additionally, Travis was an editor of the Yale Journal on Regulation.  Travis received his undergraduate degree, summa cum laude, in Communication and Political Science from Tulane University, where he was president of Zeta Psi Fraternity and Order of Omega.  He was also vice-president of Omicron Delta Kappa and a member of the Tulane College Honor Board.  Travis is on the board of directors of the Dominic Walsh Dance Theater and the advisory board of Bo’s Place.  Travis is also a member of the State Bar of Texas, Houston Bar Association, Houston Young Lawyers Association, American Bankruptcy Institute, and American Inns of Court.  Travis has also worked as an on-air personality for WEZB B-97 FM; New Orleans’ #1 Hit Music Station.

Darcell Walker, Esq.

Mr. Walker specializes in matters related to Intellectual Property (i.e., patents, trademarks, trade secrets, copyrights and product licensing). He has over 20 years of experience in the field of Intellectual Property law. Mr. Walker received his B. S. in Electrical Engineering from Prairie View A & M University, his Masters in Engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles, and his Law Degree from the University of Texas at Austin, School of Law. He is licensed in the State of Texas, and is also licensed to practice before the United Stated Patent and Trademark Office.

His practice includes the preparation and prosecution of patent applications and trademark applications, negotiation and preparation of technology licenses and other agreements related to technology development and preparing patent validity and infringement opinions.

Mr. Walker also counsels clients on intellectual property related matters and the steps involved in the product development and commercialization process. Prior to starting his own law practice, he worked as an in-house counsel for two Fortune 500 companies (Exxon and Schlumberger). Mr. Walker conducts an Intellectual Property workshop for the University of Houston Small Business Development Center titled “Protecting Your Ideas.

Mr. Walker’s clients include large corporations in addition to small businesses and individuals. His practice is a national practice and he works with clients from many different parts of the United States.

Diana Walker Esq.

Diana N. Walker, Esq., is a Senior Associate in the Tax Controversy Services Group at alliantgroup lp, a tax consulting firm, where she works in audit defense. Diana graduated summa cum laude in 2001 from Texas Tech University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. While a student at Texas Tech University, Diana was inducted into Golden Key National Honor Society and was a Chancellor’s Ambassador. She received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Houston Law Center in 2004. While a student at the University of Houston Law Center, Diana received the University of Houston Law Center Lex Award for Legal Research & Writing and was a semifinalist in the James H. Hippard Mock Trial Competition.  Diana also served as Vice-President of the Black Law Student Association and was Regional Director of the Rocky Mountain Region NBLSA Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition. Diana is a member of the Texas Bar Association as well as the Houston Area Urban League Young Professionals. She is also an Executive Board Member of the NAACP Houston Branch and serves as the Chair of the Young Adult Committee and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Diana also serves as the Trustee Chairperson of Disciples Tabernacle Church and is an a professor for DeVry University Online.

Brian Washington

Brian Washington is a second-year law student.  He graduated with honors from theUniversity ofHouston with Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance.  In addition, he worked two summers as an intern at United Healthcare in Finance and Operations and decided not to work fulltime to pursue a law degree at Thurgood Marshall.

He realized that attending law school was my destiny when he saw the constant misrepresentation by lawyers and the inequalities in the judicial system.  He knew that if given an opportunity, he could make a difference in the community by becoming an advocate to save “at-risk” teens and young adults before they get into the criminal justice system.   He is currently a member of the National Black Prosecutors Association.

Ivy Washington-Marshall, Esq.

Ivy Washington-Marshall, J.D. is the Assistant Director of Admissions and Student Affairs at The University of Akron School of Law.  Ms. Washington-Marshall graduated from The University of Akron School of Law in 2009.

In law school she served as the Vice-President of the Black Law Students Association; Admissions Ambassador; Treasurer of the International Law Society; National Trial Team Member (National Civil Trial Competition and Texas Young Lawyers National Trial Competition), Minority Student Mentor; Associate Editor for the Midwest BLSA Law Journal; and Associate Editor for the Akron Intellectual Property Law Journal.  In 2009, she was recognized as the 2009 Law Student of the Year by Akron’s Black Law Students Association and also received Akron Law’s Honorable Justice Arthur J. Goldberg Constitutional Law Award. In addition to her role in admissions at Akron Law, Ms. Washington-Marshall is also an adjunct professor at Bryant & Stratton College in Cleveland where she teaches Business Law, Legal Research and Introduction to Law for the paralegal and criminal justice programs.

She earned her bachelor of arts degree in Political Science, magna cum laude, from Cleveland State University in 2004.  While attending Cleveland State University, she was inducted into Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society and Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honor Society.  Ms. Washington-Marshall is the Founder of Leadership, Excellence, Achievement, Responsibility, Nurturing, and Support L.E.A.R.N.S., a minority youth tutoring program in Cleveland.  She is also a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority and the the Akron Bar Association.

Julie Wenah

Julie Wenah is currently a fourth year JD/MPA candidate with an emphasis in International Developmental Administration at Thurgood Marshall School of Law and the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs. She is originally from Houston, Texas, and attended Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, where she received a Bachelors of Science in Political Science with a minor in Chemistry. Prior to law school, Ms. Wenah worked for the Harris County Democratic Party, where she was responsible for organizing communities by their precincts to encourage voter turnout. Ms. Wenah is a legal fellow at the National Aeronautics Space Administration where she works on intellectual property and educating K-12 students in the STEM Fields. Ms. Wenah also currently serves impoverished and low-income housing communities in the realm of education, and plans to integrate this desire into her practice of law.

Donna Tomlinson Weyand, Esq.

Professor Donna Weyand joined the faculty at Texas Wesleyan School of Law in August 2011.  Prior to teaching, Professor Weyand practiced law at Tomlinson Weyand Law Group PLLC in Dallas and at Bracewell & Giuliani, LLP in Houston and Dallas, Texas. During her practice, Professor Weyand concentrated on international tax and corporate & securities with a focus on private equity groups in the areas of international tax planning, reorganizations, cross-border transactions and mergers and acquisitions.

Professor Weyand’s research examines the development of legal systems and individual rights in developing countries. Through an international and comparative lens, her work seeks to use the law as a tool for protecting and advancing the status of under-represented groups throughout the world.

Professor Weyand holds an LL.M. in Taxation from the University of Florida where she served as graduate editor for the Florida Tax Review. She earned her J.D. from South Texas College of Law, where she graduated cum laude and served as management information systems editor for the South Texas Law Review, was a competition winner on the moot court team and was awarded the Order of the Lytae. Professor Weyand earned her B.B.A. in marketing from Prairie View A&M University where she was a Benjamin Banneker Honors College scholar and graduated cum laude.

Marlen D. Whitley, Esq.

Marlen  D.  Whitley, Esq. is  an  attorney  in  the  Houston, Texas office of Thompson & Knight, LLP, an international law firm, where he practices in the firm’s Corporate & Securities Law Section.  Attorney Whitley  received  a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Texas at  Austin,  where  he  was named a Dean’s Distinguished Graduate of the College of Liberal Arts.  During his senior year, he was elected to serve as  the  student  body  president  of  the University of Texas (UT). He later received his doctorate of jurisprudence from the University of Texas Law School. While attending UT, Mr. Whitley served as a member of the Men’s Intercollegiate Athletics Council, a co-convener of the African American Male Summit, and as a member on the committee to construct the historical statue  of  Rev.  Dr. Martin  Luther King, Jr. on campus.  Attorney Whitley  has   served   on  the  boards  of  the  Chestnut  Neighborhood Revitalization  Corporation,  the Open Door Preschools, and the Morning Star  Rising Youth Empowerment Program.  He also served as a director of youth ministries for the David Chapel Missionary Baptist Church.  He currently serves as general counsel to the Houston Citizen’s Chamber of Commerce.

Kara Willis

Kara Willis is a second-year law student at South Texas College of Law. She graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture Economics fromPrairieViewA&MUniversity. She has previously interned with the United States Department of Agriculture in Washington D.C. and with the Honorable Judge Al Bennett of the 61st Civil District Court in Harris County. Ms. Willis is currently an intern at the Harris County Attorney’s Office in the trial division and is looking forward to a career in civil litigation. Kara is the current President of the Black Law Student’s Association at South Texas. Kara has a passion for public service and aspires to one day become an elected official to serve her community.

Advisors for the Law School Admissions and Preparation Help Clinic & Personal Statement, Diversity Statement, Resume and Addendum Practical Assistance Sessions

Jermaine Cruz, J.D., M.A.

Jermaine Cruz is the Assistant Director of Admissions at the Columbus School of Law of the The Catholic University of America inWashington, D.C., where he manages and directs the law school’s diversity initiatives. Prior to returning to his alma mater in this capacity, Mr. Cruz worked in private practice focusing primarily on complex commercial litigation and employment disputes.

While an evening division law student at CUA Law, Mr. Cruz worked atGeorgetownUniversityLawCenter, where he managed the administration and recruitment efforts of the law school’s clinical legal education program. He has also worked at Bread for the City, where he worked on domestic relations cases.   

Mr. Cruz worked in communications for several years prior to pursuing a law degree. He is an alumnus of the National Journalism Center in Washington, D.C. and has worked with Black Entertainment Television and for the New York State Senate. Jermaine was also part of the communications team at Bread for the World, Inc., where he focused on domestic and international anti-hunger campaigns with a strong focus on Africa andLatin America.

Mr. Cruz works closely with CLEO and with the Jackie Robinson Foundation.  In addition to his law degree, Mr. Cruz holds a BA in Journalism from Ithaca College and an MA in African & African-American Studies from the State University of New York at Albany. 

Shontrana Gates, J.D.

Ms. Shontrana Gates currently serves as an Admissions Counselor for Seattle University School of Law. She obtained her J.D. from Seattle University School of Law and B.A. Sociology/Anthropology from St. Mary’s College of California. As a law student, Ms. Gates served as a Research and Technical Editor on the Seattle Journal for Social Justice and held board positions on both the Women’s Law Caucus and the Student Bar Association. She worked in a variety of areas of law including labor law with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the financial institution compliance with the Washington Credit Union League (now the Northwest Credit Union Association), and intellectual property law with the Ronald A. Peterson Art Law Clinic.

Brenda L. Hernandez, Esq.

Brenda Hernandez is currently the Assistant Director of Admissions at Pace University School of Law. She is a 2009 graduate of Pace Law, where she was actively involved in issues of women’s rights and diversity in the legal profession. She received her BA from Mount Holyoke College. She continues to write in the areas of feminism and was a presenter at the 30th annual reproductive justice conference  From Abortion Rights to Social Justice: Building the Movement for Reproductive Freedom at Hampshire College. She continues to work towards diversifying the legal profession, most notably as an organizer for the annual Law Day with LatinoJustice/PRLDEF. In her free time, she is a mentor at the White Plains Youth Bureau.

Executive Planning Team

Executive Planning Team

Stephanie W. Mensah

Stephanie W. Mensah currently works in theTexas Medical Center, where she assists her institution with pioneering innovative business processes that have a direct and indirect impact on the continuity of patient care.  She has been in the Health Information Management field for 7 years.  Stephanie managed the institutional ICD-10 Assessment and initial implementation projects.  She has worked on the institutional Official Medical Records Policy and operational cost saving projects, as well.

Stephanie received her Bachelor of Science degree in Health information Management from Texas State University – San Marcos and also concentrated with a minor in Healthcare Administration.    Prior to accepting the her position in the Texas Medical Center, Stephanie assisted in streamlining document imaging and release of information processes at Austin Heart, PA in San Marcos, TX.  She is currently pursuing her Master of Business Administration at Texas Woman’s University.  After graduation she plans to pursue a legal education. 

Stephanie has been working with the National Black Pre-Law Conference since 2006.  She is a current member of the American Health Information Management Association, Houston Area Health Information Management Association, and Health Information and Management Systems Society.     

For her professional leadership and innovative thinking, Stephanie was awarded HIM Employee of the Year by her fellow peers for her determination and value that she gives to each customer, process, and project.

Kisten Rhodes

Ms. Kisten Rhodes is a native Arkansan but has been residing in Houston for a number of years. Since she has moved to Houston, she has been active in many community service agencies and organizations throughout the city and she has dedicated a lot of her time in leadership positions in many of these organizations. Not only does she see her commitment to community service as a chance to service the Houston public, but she also sees this as a great opportunity to enhance her business, communication and interpersonal abilitities, which she hopes will eventually lead to additional leaderhip prospects in organizations on a national level.

She possesses a passion for learning and the law. She believes that her interests and exposure to a broad range of subjects plus several personal and profound life experiences have allowed her to become a person of great character and fortitude. Ms. Rhodes has earned a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from Southern Arkansas University and is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Texas Woman’s University as a candidate for graduation in May 2012.  Upon the completion of her MBA, she plans on continuing her education in the field of law not only because it is where her passion lies; however, it is an area that is highly underrepresented by women and people of color. In order make an impact of great significance and to be of a greater service to our country; you must first know how the rules of our country are governed so that the process of change can be one of an informed and educated influence.

Ms. Rhodes is member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Business and Professional Women’s Foundation, Institute of Supply Chain Management, National Institute of Governmental Purchasing, Inc., Southeast Texas Association of Procurement Professionals, National Association of Educational Office Professionals, Masters of Business Administration Association, Houston Young Professional Endeavor, National Black MBA Association, College Office Professionals Association, Houston Area Urban League-Young Professionals, Sickle Cell Association of the Texas Gulf Coast,  and a multitude of other additional agencies and organizations.