spotlighting L 16 an unExPECtED


turn Jason l. Brown BY PATRiCk FOlliARD


Jason Brown never anticipated one of the stops along his legal career would include leading a nonprofit trade asso- ciation. During his teenage years, the Twin Cities native imagined himself securing a spot on the United States Supreme Court. His goal was to become the next Thurgood Marshall. “it began with a civics assignment in high school. i became thoroughly obsessed with all things Marshall,” he recalls.


JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 DIVERSITY & THE BAR®


ast October, Brown was named executive director of the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF). Even though his new posi- tion isn’t on the Supreme Court, he could not be happier.


Established in 2001, NAMWOLF’s purpose is to


encourage major corporations and public entities to utilize the services of minority- and women-owned law firms. Launched with only a handful of member firms from across the country, today NAMWOLF boasts ninety-five member firms and 150 corporate and public entity partners who agree to spend at least five percent of their outside legal budget on participating firms. Brown is passionate about his work, and while he has


never been part of a minority- or women-owned firm himself, he brings a wealth of pertinent experience to his new position. Previously, he was the director of legal affairs at PepsiAmericas, Inc., and he includes litigation, risk management, government relations, as well as corporate compliance and fraud, among his areas of expertise. Seven plus years with the international company equipped Brown with a keen understanding of what is expected from outside counsel as well as a firm grasp on how to build the type of relationships corporate legal departments are seeking. “I’m acutely aware of how to go about making the


argument for our firms and to persuade different corpora- tions about why they should be a part of the NAMWOLF mission,” he says. Having worked as corporate litigator at Winthrop & Weinstine in Minneapolis, and Ungaretti & Harris in Chicago, Brown also is well acquainted with billable hours and the struggles firms face in getting on the radar screens of major corporations. “Te opportunity to head an organization whose


goal is diversity in the legal profession seems uniquely tailored to me,” he says. “It’s an excellent fit.” A NAMWOLF board member since 2007, Brown


came to his new position with an understanding of the organization. NAMWOLF members are vetted for refer- ences and respectability within the profession. In addition, each firm must employ at least three, full-time employees; possess a Martindale Hubble AV rating; and demonstrate a history of doing the work that the association’s partners demand, preferably with Fortune 1000 companies. Given the opportunity, Brown says, NAMWOLF’s members prove themselves to be on par with majority-owned firms. Many corporations and public employers express inter-


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