Pamela Meanes To Be Keynote At NJCU's Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Luncheon On Jan. 21

JERSEY CITY, N.J., Jan. 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Pamela Meanes, the first African American to be elevated from associate to partner at St. Louis' largest law firm, Thompson Coburn LLP, and president of the National Bar Association, the oldest and largest association of predominately African-American lawyers, judges, and law professors and students in chapters throughout the world, will deliver the keynote address at New Jersey City University's Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Luncheon on Wednesday, January 21.

Based on the theme, "Non-Violence in the Era of Ferguson," the program to benefit NJCU's Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship will be held 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room of the Michael Gilligan Student Union, 2039 Kennedy Boulevard in Jersey City.  Tickets are $30.00.

For tickets or further information call NJCU's Lee Hagan Africana Studies Center at (201)200-3524.  To donate to NJCU's Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship, contact Lori Summers, NJCU assistant vice president for development and alumni relations, at (201)200-3489 or [email protected].

Pamela Meanes
Pamela Meanes is the first African American to be elevated from associate to partner at St. Louis' largest law firm, Thompson Coburn LLP, and president of the National Bar Association (NBA), the oldest and largest association of predominately African-American lawyers, judges, and law professors and students throughout the world.

Ms. Meanes joined Thompson Coburn as a summer associate in 1995, became an associate the following year, and was named partner in 2005.  Ms. Meanes, who practices in the firm's litigation area, has represented corporations, public agencies, and financial institutions in many high-profile trials and commercial disputes.

She has defended financial institutions on liability matters; managed and negotiated over 200 complex land acquisitions; supervised a team of attorneys, paralegals, and support staff in a multi-million dollar breach of contract case; tried or second-chaired bench and jury trials on civil matters; and defended senior executives and a nonprofit organization on matters related to race and sexual harassment.

Ms. Meanes served as president-elect of the NBA for one year before being sworn in as the organization's 72^nd president last July.  Under her leadership, the NBA has risen to a new level of influence and spotlight, calling for the investigation of police tactics against minorities in cities across the United States. 

Ms. Meanes is an ordained minister and active in The New Freedom Church, where she serves as president of the Women's Ministry and choir director and was instrumental in launching a youth rap session group and a mentorship program.

Raised by a single parent, Ms. Meanes intended to become a teacher before studying at Monmouth College and recognizing the shortage of African-American professors.  After earning a B.A. in English, Ms. Meanes focused on becoming a professor of literature and earned an M.A. from Clark Atlanta University.  While at Clark, Ms. Means decided that becoming a lawyer would be the best way to effect real change in her community; she earned a J.D. from the University of Iowa in 1996.

Contact:
Kelly Resch
Director of Communications
(201)200-3461
[email protected]

SOURCE New Jersey City University

Related Links

http://www.njcu.edu