welcoming new faculty

LeslieDiana Jones joins Wayne Law from Harvard Law School as Director of the Law School’s Arthur Neef Law Library. She is a two-time alum of Wayne State University, having her JD from the Law School and her Masters in Library Science from the School of Information Science. Professor Jones most recently served as Assistant Director of Public Service at Harvard University Law School Library; before that, she was Head of Document Services at the George Washington University Law School. She is the President of the Freedom to Read Foundation, an organization that participates in litigation for freedom of speech and the press, and is heavily involved in advocacy work related to libraries and intellectual freedom.

Gabriella “Gabby” Mickel’s scholarship and practice focus on environmental law and policy. Before joining Wayne Law, Professor Mickel worked at the Center for Applied Environmental Law and Policy, where she developed tools and strategies to defend environmental regulations in the post-Loper Bright world. She also served as a Fellow with the Environmental Law Program at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University and the Yale Center on Climate Change and Health. Professor Mickel holds several leadership roles with the American Bar Association’s Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, and sits on the Amicus Committee of the American Planning Association. She is a frequent conference organizer and speaker, having led or moderated panels on greenwashing, climate risk, sustainable health care systems, anti-displacement land use policies, and climate-resilient planning, among others. She will focus on Legal Research & Writing and Environmental Law at the Law School.

Jaelle Richardson brings a unique blend of legal expertise and social work experience to her role as Wayne Law’s inaugural Director of Pro Bono and Public Interest. A graduate of the University of Michigan Law School and Michigan State University, where she earned both her Master of Social Work and dual Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Criminal Justice, Richardson is deeply committed to advancing justice and equity on the ground. Before joining Wayne Law, she served as a Mitigation Specialist with the Federal Community Defender of the Eastern District of Michigan, advocating for clients facing federal criminal charges and supervising law and social work students in holistic defense internships. Her career also includes roles in child welfare, civil litigation, and mental health services, reflecting her longstanding dedication to public interest work and interdisciplinary collaboration.