Cumberland County’s JoEllyn L. Jones Sworn In as President of the Association of Black Women Lawyers of New Jersey
Photo by Albert Dawkins
BY CLYDE HUGHES | AC JosepH Media
FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP — Respected South Jersey attorney JoEllyn L. Jones was officially sworn in on Sept. 26 as president of the Association of Black Women Lawyers of New Jersey, surrounded by family, friends and supporters.
Jones’s mother Jo Ann Street said that Jones chose to hold her swearing?in ceremony, which included her executive board made up of attorneys around the state, at Fairfield Township School, in the very school where her educational journey began.
“It was the first time this event took place in Cumberland County,” Street said on social media. “JoEllyn explained why it was important that her installation was held in the community in which she was raised and at the elementary school where she began her education.
“She was supported by almost two hundred guests, local, State wide and many from across the country.”
Founded in 1975, ABWL?NJ was New Jersey’s first women’s bar association and a non?partisan, non?profit organization dedicated to advancing African American women in the legal profession. The organization was created to meet the needs of Black women lawyers and law students. Jones had the served the previous year as president-elect.
For the Fairfield Township native, the location was symbolic: a return to the community that shaped her and a commitment to lead with the same values instilled in her upbringing.
“I’m reminded that I would not be here without God and the incredible village He has placed around me,” Jones said in a Facebook post last week.
In her remarks, Jones reflected on the people who have supported her through life’s challenges and triumphs.
“Through all of life’s ups and downs, God and my village have continued to show up for me, encourage me, and pour into me—and for that, I am forever grateful,” she said.
She thanked her family, the Cumberland County community, her National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers colleagues, her sorority sisters, her Returning Citizens family, and all who came to celebrate her installation.
“Your love and support mean more than words can express.”
Jones said she is excited to lead ABWL?NJ into its next chapter as the organization continues “Building Legacy, Advancing Justice, and Strengthening Community.”
A Career Rooted in Justice, Restoration, and Community
Jones is the founding partner of The Law Office of JoEllyn L. Jones LLC and serves as a Practitioner in Residence with Seton Hall Law School’s Center for Social Justice. A former public defender, she has practiced law since 2010, including six years with the New Jersey Office of the Public Defender before co?founding Jones & Ortiz PA.
Her work centers on humanizing the legal system.
“Everyone who comes in contact with the legal system is a person,” Jones said. “They are not an abstract number assigned to them but a person who is part of the community.”
Jones earned her master’s degree in restorative justice from Vermont Law and Graduate School in 2023, her law degree from Widener University School of Law in 2010, and her bachelor’s degree in Law and Justice with a concentration in African American Studies from Rowan University.
Community Leaders Praise Jones’ Leadership and Resilience
Jennifer Webb?McRae, Cumberland County Prosecutor
“Congrats to JoEllyn Jones on her installment as President of the Association of Black Women Lawyers of NJ.”
Edwin Ortiz, the executive director, of Returning Citizens Support Group
Ortiz offered one of the most emotional tributes, highlighting Jones’ strength after the loss of her brother, RJ, to violence.
“JoEllyn has been a champion for so many people… She embodies the strength, resilience, compassion, and courage of a Black woman,” he said in a social media post. “Instead of allowing pain to consume her, she transformed it into purpose… We need more people like JoEllyn in this world.”
Piscataway attorney Yvette Brown, ABWL-NJ’s incoming vice president, added her praises.
“Hearing your story was such an inspiration,” Brown said. “I look forward to working with these amazing women to support Black women attorneys.”
About the Association of Black Women Lawyers of New Jersey
For more than four decades the ABWL has championed legal, educational, economic, and social empowerment for African American women and families, equal justice and community advocacy, including work on domestic violence, juvenile justice, mass incarceration, and public education.
As she steps into her new role, Jones says she is committed to carrying forward ABWL?NJ’s legacy while expanding its reach.
“I’m honored to serve and excited for what lies ahead.”
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