Melissa L. Jones received her MBA with a specialization in Human Resources from the New York Institute of Technology in 2009. In 2013, Melissa received her JD from the University of Mississippi School of Law and is admitted to the Mississippi Bar. Melissa spent time in private practice as well as in the corporate arena as In-House Counsel and Director of Compliance for multiple commercial construction firms. She joined the Trent Lott Leadership Institute in 2017 and is the Associate Director. Melissa teaches classes in legal research, writing and analysis, criminal justice, hospitality law, and leadership perspectives as well as provides pro bono legal services for various Mississippi clinics. To complete her formal educational career, Melissa completed her EdD in higher education focusing on first-generation student research in 2021. Prior to practicing law, Melissa worked in the self-insured insurance arena and in corporate finance for a multi-hospital health system.