Law School's Assistant Dean Mina Jefferson Honored with President s Award for Legal Career Professionals

Mina Jones Jefferson, assistant dean and director, Center for Professional Development at the University of Cincinnati College of Law, was named a 2011-2012 President’s Award winner at the annual meeting of the National Association for Law Placement (NALP). This honor has the distinction of being one of the highest honors in the legal career professional field. Assistant Dean Jefferson was lauded for her work as chairperson of NALP’s Employment Outcomes Task Force and her efforts to lead the organization to improve the collection and reporting of employment data. Under her leadership the task force published a comprehensive Best Practices Guide that will assist all law schools in the data-collection process. Jefferson will again serve as chairperson of the task force during the 2012-2013 academic year.

One of the first African American women in the region elected to the partnership of a large firm, Jefferson practiced commercial litigation for nine years before joining the College of Law. A former hiring partner, she has the distinction of being one of the few law school career services professionals in the country who has been on “both sides of the table.” Dean Jefferson speaks on the topic of professionalism throughout the tri-state and is very involved in the community, including serving on the board of the Children’s Law Center and the Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati Board of Trustees. She is a graduate of Miami University and the University of Cincinnati College of Law.

What is NALP?
Founded in 1971 as the National Association for Law Placement, NALP — The Association for Legal Career Professionals — is a nonprofit educational association established to meet the needs of all participants in the legal employment process (career planning, recruitment and hiring, and professional development of law students and lawyers) for information, coordination and standards. NALP is dedicated to continuously improving career counseling and planning, recruitment and retention, and the professional development of law students, lawyers, and its members.