WVU BLACK LAW ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
ALUMNI STUDENT MENTORING PROGRAM
Black Law Alumni Association Mentoring Program
The BLAA is dedicated to the success of the WVU Chapter of the Black Law Student Association (BLSA). In order to insure these BLSA students succes throughout their legal education, the BLAA and BLSA leadership have developed a mentoring program. In this program, entering first year BLSA law students will be paired with one current student and one alumni to close the learning gap between student and practicing mentalities.
The following is a list of minimum expectations of mentors participating in the BLAA Mentoring Program:
- Mentors should make initial contact with their assigned mentee during Orientation week by phone (but preferably in person). NOTE: Orientation 2006 will be held August 16, 17, and 18th.
- Mentors should meet with their mentee in person (not by telephone) at least once during the academic year but preferably once per semester.
- Mentors should initiate dialogue with their mentee regarding what they should expect during their first year of law school. Mentors should keep the conversation positive while being honest and realistic about issues related to the challenge of time management and the possible decline of self esteem and/or self confidence.
- Mentors should share strategies with their mentee on balancing their academic life with their social life. Although we encourage mentors to share their own experiences, we ask that you also recognize that there is a wide diversity of experiences among Black law students.
- Mentors should assist their mentee with problem solving.
- Mentors should get to know their mentee. Who are they? What challenges do they have socially, financially, and/or academically that may interfere with their success in law school?
- Mentors should inform the Coordinators of the Mentorship Program of any special needs or challenges that you believe your mentees are facing.
- Mentors should make contact with their mentee’s 2L or 3L student mentor by email or telephone at least once per semester to see if there are any issues that the student mentor has identified that you may be able to assist your mentee with.
Yvonne Barnes-Montgomery –
James Boggs –
Judge Irene Berger – Judge Berger is a 1979 graduate of the College of Law. She practiced three years with the Legal Aid Society of Charleston, twelve years as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney and briefly as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. In June 1994, she was appointed to the bench of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit in Kanawha County.
Keith Cox – A 2005 graduate of West Virginia University College of Law, practicing law in Fairmont, WV as a solo practioner.
Katherine “Kitty” Dooley –
Muhammad Hamidullah – A 2005 graduate of West Virginia University College of Law and past BLSA member. A former basketball star, he graduated from West Virginia Weslyn in 2002 with a Bachelor of History and Political Science and a minor in Philosphy. After graduating from WVU College of Law, Muhhamad worked as a clerk in the Butler County Prosecutor’s Office in Ohio for 6 months. After taking and passing the Bar Exam in February 2006, he became an associate at a law firm in Hamilton, OH covering practice areas including family law, personal injury and criminal defense.
Elliot Hicks – Mr. Hicks attended Washington and Lee University, then graduated from West Virginia University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science in 1978. He graduated from West Virginia University College of Law with a Juris Doctorate degree and was admitted to practice law in West Virginia in May 1981. He concentrates his practice in litigation, and has demonstrated his versatility in the areas of products liability, premises liability, corporate and commercial litigation, insurance defense, and medical malpractice defense. Mr. Hicks has taken well over eighty jury trials to verdict in the state circuit courts and the federal district courts, as well as numerous bench trials in the circuit courts and magistrate courts. He has also become in demand as a mediator in all parts of West Virginia, and in Eastern Virginia. He has presented lectures on insurance law, trial tactics, legal ethics and office technology throughout West Virginia, and in several seminars with a national audience.
Michael Johnson – A 2003 graduate of the College of Law and former BLSA member. Michael is currently the Assistant Dean and Director of Admissions at Western New England College School of Law in Springfield, Massachusetts. Before entering law school as a non-traditional student in 2000, Michael worked for USAirways for 13 years as a flight attendant. Michael began his law school admissions experience as the Graduate Assistant for Minority Recruitment at the law school. Michael serves on the West Virginia University’s Black Law Alumni Association Board and as a member of the Law School Admissions Council’s Finance and Legal Affairs Committee. Michael is originally from North Carolina.
Shameika Johnson – Shameika graduated from WVU College of Law in 2003, after obtaining a Business Administration degree from Kentucky State. Currently, she is working as a public defender for Kanahwa County and has been there for a year. In two weeks, she will begin a position as the new city attorney for South Charleston. Shameika is really looking forward to expanding her experience in different aspects of government law.
Stephanie Lee-Camp – Stephanie graduated from the College of Law in 2005. She grew up in California, but has family all over the country. Although West Virginia is currently her home, she is working as a contract attorney in Washington, DC. Her legal interests include immigration law and animal law. She welcomes the new students to the law school and looks forward to meeting them soon.
Amy Lewis –
J. Franklin Long – A 1977 graduate of the WVU School of Law, he has been in private practice in Bluefield since graduation. He limits my practice to personal injury work, primarily concentrating in mass torts, vehicle accidents, product liability, medical malpractice and general torts. J. Franklin Long sole practitioner with a staff of four people which includes an office manager, two legal assistants and a secretary. He is a past president of the Mountain State Bar Assiociation and a past president of the West Virginia Trial Lawyers Assiociation. He is also a past governor, past member of the Executive Committee, and the West Virginia Minority Caucus Delegate for the Assiociation of Trial Lawyers of America.
Berri Belle Manjong –
Maegan Padgett – A 2004 graduate from the College of Law and former BLSA member. Maegan received her Bachelor of English in 2000 and her Masters of English Education in 2001 from Hampton Univeristy. She transfered to the College of Law from Louisiana State University. After graduation from the College of Law she clerked with a state court judge and she now works for the federal government at the Department of Transportation in an Attorney Honors Program in Washington, DC.
Janie Peyton –
Trent Redman –
Nelson Staples –
Ron Tucker –
Frank Walker – A 2003 graduate of the College of Law, he is currently working as an attorney with the Allegheny County Office of Conflict Counsel located in Pittsburgh, PA. Frank is originally from Institute, WV, and he and his wife currently resides in West Mifflin, PA with their daughter. When he is not busy battling district attorneys on fundamental notions of due process, justice and why that pesky little piece of paper call the constitution should trump their desire to pad their conviction percentage in pursuit of a political safe haven. He enjoys relaxing with his family, traveling and ripping “BUSH” bumper stickers off of luxury cars at stop lights.
Shani Walker –
Dedra Watkins – A 2005 graduate of the College of Law, she remained a proud alum of Ohio State University. Dedra is currently residing in Maryland where she is licensed to practice law. She is currently doing legal temporary work which includes Document Review for Anti-Trust Litigation. Dedra is an avid Ohio State University football fan “GO BUCKS!”
Monté Williams – Monte is a 2003 graduate of the College of Law and is a former West Virginia State Trooper. Hailing from Pemberton, NJ, he is a graduate of Pemberton High School. Monte completed his undergraduate degree at WVU in 1992 and thereafter completed his Masters in Political Science in 1996. He is currently a Litigation Associate Attorney with Steptoe & Johnson, PLLC, specializing in general litigation.
Jibril Brown –
Mary Bruen – Mary wants to work outside the United States, representing American businesses, speeches in time of war, settlements between countries, treaties, ect. She is very spontantious and loves adventures, whether it is just picking up and going on a road trip or heading to a theme park and riding the highest and fastest rides. Law school has been her aim for a long time and now that she is here, she wants to do her best. Before now, she has not cared too much for school and about grades.
Arthur Bryan II – Arthur is a middle child, with an older sister and a younger brother. He is from Round Rock, Texas, a suburb of Austin, TX. He attended St. Mary’s University where he received two BA’s, one in Political Science and the other in Speech Communications.
Anoa Changa – Anoa is a self proclaimed “big city baby,” living in both New York and Chicago during her childhood. She has a BA in Sociology and a Master of City and Regional Planning from the Ohio State University. She is the oldest of seven children. She is the proud mother of a two year old son and a five year old daughter.
Anthony Covington – Anthony is originally from Dayton, Ohio. The last six years he has lived in Roanoke, VA and worked for the City of Roanoke as a Recruiter and Administrator. Prior to that, he was a teacher and a counselor in Dayton and Cincinnati Ohio Public School Systems. He is a graduate of UNC – Greensboro with a degree in Political Science. He has a son, Christopher, who is a recent graduate of University of Central Florida. Last and not least, he is very happy to be in the Class of 2009 at the College of Law.
Akin Deen-Abudu – Akin is originally from Nigeria which is in West Africa, he moved to the United States in 2000 and pursued his undergraduate studies at the Univeristy of Houston. He graduated with a B.S. in Economics and Psychology in 2005.
Robert Dixon – Robert hails from Wilmington, Delaware. He is a graduate from West Virginia University with a B.A. in Sociology and Anthropology in 2000. He is the proud father of a six year old son and an eighteen month old daughter. Robert is also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.
Brandan Doneghy – Brendan is from Charleston, WV and a graduate of Capital High School. He received his Bachelors at Shepherd College and transfered to the College of Law from Miami.
Jennifer Finney – Jennifer is a native of Bluefield, WV and attended Bluefield High School. She has two brothers, two sisters and a cat named Bailey. She is having difficulty devising a plan for studying in law school.
Paul Gabriel – Paul is originally from Los Angeles, CA. He enjoys going to the beach and scuba diving. He has a large extended family including 23 cousins, most of whom live in Los Angeles. His family migrated from Egypt to Los Angeles, CA. He is the first generation in his family to attend school in the United States.
August Gardner – August was born and raised in Washington, D.C. She graduated from Bethany College in West Virginia, and recieved a B.S. in Psychology and Political Science. She was a member of the Bethany Bison Women’s Tennis Team for three years. Her goal is to graduate law school, and her dream is to become a public defender.
Alvin Hathaway, Jr. – Alvin received his Bachelors in Computer Engineering and Electrical Engineering. He ran on the WVU Track and Field team for two years during his undergraduate studies. He also co-founded a non-profit called the Institute for Human Dignity, Inc., www.truthrising.org. He began WVU’s MBA program in Spring 2006 and has completed 14 credits, and will be entering the JD/MBA Joint Program.
Vonda Kirby – Originally from St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands, Vonda has spent most of her life in Jersey City, NJ. She loves to write and read peotry and received her undergraduate degree in English. She is a very outgoing and positive individual, and she can usually get along with anyone (She’s a Libra!).
Susan Petties – Susan is a native West Virginian, hailing from Beckley. She is a graduate of Marshall University. She has a two year old daughter that occupies a lot of her time named Anisa.
Ashley Robertson – Ashley is originally from Wheeling, WV. In her undergraduate studies she majored in Political Science and minored in Multi-Cultural Studies.
Sherita Simpson – Sherita is down to earth, loves the little things in life and likes to have a good time.
Abdulaziz Yousuf – Aziz is a graduate of Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, VA, receiving his degree in political science and international affairs. He is Somalian by ethnicity but was born in Saudi Arabia, where he spent the first 10 years of his life. He is also highly interested in international and corporate law.