Cliff Jarrett Named Assistant Dean for Career Planning at W&L Law
Washington and Lee School of Law Dean Nora Demleitner has announced the appointment of Cliff Jarrett as the next head of the School’s career planning office, following a national search. Jarrett joins W&L from the legal recruiting and placement firm Major, Lindsey & Africa (MLA), where he is a partner and office leader of the Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham office.
Jarrett will lead an office at W&L Law that includes five career planning professionals and support staff. His appointment takes effect Feb. 24.
“Cliff brings deep experience in both law practice and placement at a most critical time for the law school,” said Demleitner. “His many strong relationships with lawyers throughout the country and understanding of their hiring needs will lead to great opportunities for our students.”
Jarrett, who is a 1991 honors graduate of W&L Law, has focused at MLA on the placement of partners, practice groups, and associates with law firms. He has successfully worked with lawyers at international, regional, and local firms and in-house legal departments throughout the southeast and nationally.
Jarrett was selected following a national search. The search committee was chaired by Prof. Sally Wiant and Law Advancement Director Elizabeth Branner. Search committee members included Prof. Mary Natkin, Prof. David Millon, Prof. Margaret Hu, George “Mac” Mackie ’15L, and Law Council Vice-President William Toles ’92 ’95L.
Prior to opening MLA’s North Carolina office, Jarrett was a partner in the Charlotte office of Kennedy Covington Lobdell & Hickman (now K&L Gates), where he practiced for nearly 16 years in commercial and intellectual property litigation.
“I am excited to join the team at W&L Law and am looking forward to working with our faculty, alumni and employers to broaden the immediate and long term career opportunities for our students,” said Jarrett. “As an alumnus of the law school, I know W&L is a special place with exceptional students, and I look forward to using my experience and relationships to make that even more evident to the legal market.”
Jarrett graduated cum laude from W&L Law, where he was a member of Editorial Board of the Washington and Lee Law Review. He received an A.B in economics with high honors from Guilford College and was a member of the varsity soccer team.
Jarrett returns to Lexington with his wife, who is a teacher, and his two children. He is an avid runner, and a soccer enthusiast and looks forward to returning to his native Southwestern Virginia.
