The Prez
Michael D. Jones to Serve as Co-Chair of Lawyers’
Committee for Civil Rights Under Law’s Board of Directors
WASHINGTON,
D.C., October 5, 2012, 2012 – Michael D. Jones, partner in the D.C. office of
Kirkland & Ellis LLP, was officially installed as co-chair of the Lawyers’
Committee for Civil Rights Under Law’s board of directors on September 10th. As co-chair with Jane C. Sherburne, senior
executive vice president of BNY Mellon and the company's general counsel and
corporate secretary, he will lead an influential board of over 200
members. His term officially began on
September 1st and a welcome reception was held his honor on September
18th.
“Mr.
Jones brings a wealth of experience, leadership skills and compassion to our
board,” said Lawyers’ Committee President and Executive Director Barbara
Arnwine. “His invaluable insight will
help to further distinguish us as a leading civil rights organization as we
continue our quest to move America toward justice. Since joining the Lawyers’ Committee’s board
of trustees in July 2003 and being elected to the board of directors in June
2009, he continues to be a creative and dynamic force.”
Jones
and his colleagues have served as co-counsel with the Lawyers’ Committee on
several key cases. His numerous
outstanding accolades include being noted as one of the top 10 trial attorneys
in the nation by The National Law Journal in their feature, Winning: Successful
Strategies From 10 of the Nation’s Leading Litigators. Most recently, he served with Lawyers’
Committee Chief Counsel Jon Greenbaum in litigation work in the Maryland Historically
Black Colleges and Universities case (Coalition for Equity and Excellence in
Maryland Higher Education, Inc., v. Maryland Higher Education Commission, et
al.) in a six-week trial was held from January 3rd through February 9th in
which equality in funding and programming for the state’s minority higher
education institutions was sought. This
case spawned considerable media attention to stark inequities in funding of
historically black colleges and universities in Maryland and became a rallying
cause in the African American Community.
“As the
Lawyers’ Committee approaches its 50th anniversary in June 2013, I am honored
to serve with Jane Sherburne as co-chair in fulfilling the vision of President
John F. Kennedy of marshaling the bro bono services of the private bar to
address racial discrimination, said Jones.
“I also look forward to continuing to work with board members, staff,
volunteers and clients as we endeavor to fight the ongoing scourge of racism and
inequality in this nation.”
Jones
has a national trial practice that has ranged from New York to Hawaii. He is a
fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers and has been recognized by the
Legal Times as a “Champion of Justice” and Georgetown University with the
outstanding alumni award.
Jones
graduated cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center in 1985 where he also
received the Thurgood Marshall Award. He
received his B.A. from Dillard University, in New Orleans, La, graduating summa
cum laude. He is an adjunct professor
of Trial Advocacy at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. He also serves as a board member with Dillard
University in New Orleans, D.C. Council for Court Excellence and Equal Justice
Works
About
the Lawyers’ Committee
The
Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (“LCCRUL”), a nonpartisan,
nonprofit organization, was formed in 1963 at the request of President John F.
Kennedy to involve the private bar in providing legal services to address
racial discrimination. We are celebrating our 50th anniversary in 2013 as we
continue our quest of “Moving America Toward Justice.” The principal mission of
the Lawyers' Committee is to secure, through the rule of law, equal justice
under law, particularly in the areas of fair housing and fair lending;
community development; employment; voting; education and environmental
justice. For more information about the
LCCRUL, visit www.lawyerscommittee.org.
