Jailah Emerson, attorney at the law firm Varnum with offices throughout Michigan, has accepted an invitation to serve as a barrister for the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law Inn of Court. Her term of service runs through May 2025.
Emerson also has been appointed director of programming for the Wayne Region Women Lawyers Association of Michigan.
Inns of Court are designed to help law students learn the ideals of professionalism, ethics, and civility through programming and mentoring. Membership is made up of three categories — masters of the bench, barristers, and pupils. Students are put on teams with the judge and attorney members and each team presents on a particular aspect of litigation and the ethical issues surrounding the topic.
Emerson is an associate attorney on Varnum’s litigation and trial practice team, focused on complex commercial, family law, tax, and insolvency litigation. She also assists clients with a variety of commercial litigation issues, ranging from standard breach of contract claims to complex real estate disputes.
The Inns of Court dates to an English tradition from the 13th century. Detroit Mercy Law is one of only two law schools in Michigan to offer an Inn of Court.
WLAM was founded in 1919 to advance the interest of women members of the legal profession. Its mission is to secure the full and equal participation of women in the legal profession in furtherance of a just society.
Prior to her employment at Varnum, Emerson served as a legal intern at the U.S. Department of Justice and in the general counsel office of DTE. She also served as a legal extern to the Honorable Victoria A. Roberts of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
She graduated from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and received her undergraduate degree from Michigan State University.