Natasha Patel
Assistant Dean
Natasha Patel is assistant dean of the Career Center. She oversees the entire Career Center team, externship program, recruitment policies, and student professional development. She also advises students in their 3L year. She has more than 20 years of experience advising professionals and students. After working as an attorney at Morrison & Forester in Palo Alto, California, and Cravath, Swaine & Moore in New York, Patel transitioned to advising law students at Columbia Law School’s career development office, where she served as director and interim dean. She returned to her native Atlanta and joined Emory University School of Law in 2020. She holds a BA from the University of Georgia, JD from the University of California College of Law, San Francisco, and an MA in social-organizational psychology from Columbia University. She is licensed to practice in California, New York, and Georgia.
natasha.patel@emory.edu »
404.727.5502
Emily Bramer
Director
Emily Bramer advises 3L students and recent graduates and serves as the Bar Advisor for the students. Prior to returning to Emory Law as a staff member, she worked as an associate with Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP, where her practice focused on toxic tort litigation; and Fields Howell Athans & McLaughlin, LLP, where she handled coverage disputes and professional liability claims for insurers. She earned her JD, with honors, from Emory University School of Law and her BA in political science, summa cum laude, from the University of Kentucky. She is admitted to the State Bar of Georgia.
emily.r.bramer@emory.edu »
404.727.7960
Claudette Harris
Director
Claudette Harris oversees the 1L Career Strategy and Design course curriculum, advises 1L, 2L, LLM and transfer students. Prior to joining Emory Law, Claudette worked in various roles in higher education as an educator, program director and director of education. Before venturing into higher education, she served as an assistant attorney general for the District of Columbia, a law clerk in the District of Columbia Superior Court and a legislative analyst for an applied social science research firm. Harris earned her JD from Howard University School of Law and her BS and MS in Criminal Justice from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She is admitted to the Washington, DC, Bar.
claudette.harris@emory.edu »
404.727.1983
Lauren Jirak
Associate Director
Lauren Jirak advises 1L and 2L students, and she also serves as the office’s CPT coordinator. Prior to joining Emory Law, Jirak practiced tax and corporate transactional law. She began her career with Ernst & Young, LLP, as a member of the transaction advisory services group, and subsequently practiced for over ten years as a corporate and tax attorney with Parker, Hudson, Rainer & Dobbs, LLP. Lauren earned her JD from The University of Florida Levin College of Law and her BS in Finance from Auburn University. She is admitted to the State Bars of Georgia and Florida. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors and cheering on her children in various activities.
lauren.e.jirak@emory.edu »
404.712.2096
Leena Kiber
Assistant Director
Leena Kiber advises 1L and 2L law students and presents educational and professional development programming. Prior to rejoining Emory Law, Kiber worked in professional development and recruiting at Troutman Pepper and in nonprofit development, gift planning, and partnership management for organizations including Camp Twin Lakes and The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. She began her career as an associate attorney focused on a broad range of civil litigation, constitutional, and civil rights claims. Kiber earned her JD with honors from The University of Georgia School of Law and her BA in political science and women’s studies, summa cum laude, from The University of Georgia. She is admitted to the State Bar of Georgia.
Email: leena.kiber@emory.edu
404-727-8129
Meredith Barnes
Assistant Director
Meredith Barnes serves as the clerkship advisor to all students and alumni, and she advises 1L and 2L students in successfully navigating the job market across all legal employment sectors. Before joining Emory Law, Meredith practiced law in Atlanta for over fourteen years. She began her career in the Complex Commercial Litigation Group at Troutman Pepper, LLP. She went on to serve as in-house counsel for multiple international companies, where her practice covered a broad range of legal areas, including corporate transactions, franchise, real estate, employment, and intellectual property. Meredith earned her JD from Wake Forest University School of Law, where she was a member of the Wake Forest Law Review and multiple Moot Court competition teams. She earned her BA in English, cum laude, from Wittenberg University. Meredith is admitted to the State Bar of Georgia.
meredith.barnes@emory.edu »
404.727.6922
Nick Pedersen
Assistant Director
Nick Pedersen advises 1L and 2L law students on private and public sector employment opportunities. Before joining Emory Law, he worked as a legal recruiter, placing over 80 experienced attorneys specializing in commercial litigation, intellectual property, mergers and acquisitions, labor and employment, and other practice areas in law firms and in-house legal departments nationwide. He also assisted local municipalities and legal aid organizations with attorney hiring. Earlier in his career, he served as a Golieb Legal History Fellow at NYU Law School and practiced as a litigation associate at Alston & Bird LLP. Peredsen earned his JD from the Yale Law School, where he served as President of the Yale Animal Law Society, and his BA in English, summa cum laude, from Amherst College, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He is admitted to the State Bar of Georgia.
Email: nicholas.k.pedersen@emory.edu
404.727.1064
Diara Spelmon
Mock Interview and Alumni Advisor
Diara Spelmon serves as the mock interview for Emory Law students and advises alumni on career paths. She earned her JD from University of Southern California School of Law and her BA from Spelman College. Her experience spans the nonprofit and private areas, including working as an attorney at The Cochran Firm in Los Angeles. She is admitted to the State Bar of California.
dspelmo@emory.edu »
Carolyn Roan
Manager of Career Recruiting Programs
Carolyn Roan manages all legal recruitment programs for Emory Law students including the Early OCI, Fall, and Spring On-Campus Interview Programs as well as regional programs in New York, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, and Boston. She has the primary responsibility for managing Symplicity, Emory Law School’s Career Services Management System database and manages all communication to students and employers related to recruitment programs. Roan joins the Career Center staff with more than 19 years of experience within career development/experiential learning having previously worked for Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, Emory University School of Law, and St. Thomas University School of Law. She is a graduate of St. Thomas University and holds a Master’s in Management and a Bachelor’s in Human Services.
carolyn.roan@emory.edu »
Tonya Holmes
Extern Program Coordinator
Tonya Holmes serves as the Externship Coordinator at Emory University School of Law, where she plays a pivotal role in bridging the gap between legal education and practical experience. With a passion for experiential learning, she facilitates placements for students in various legal settings, including public interest organizations, government agencies, and corporation.
tonya.holmes@emory.edu »
404.727.6912
