Deputy Director and Lecturer on Law Dehlia Umunna wins Dean’s Award for Excellence

Team CJI L-R: Anna Pierce, Amy E. Soto, Ronald S. Sullivan, Jr., Dehlia Umunna, Kristin Muniz, Jennifer McKinnon, Lia Monahon

On September 30th, Criminal Justice Institute (CJI) Deputy Director and Lecturer on Law Dehlia Umunna won the 2014 Dean’s Award for Excellence. The award recognizes staff members who embody a spirit of excellence in collaboration, commitment, innovation, leadership and learning within the Harvard Law School community.

Dehlia Umunna joined CJI as clinical instructor in 2007 and became deputy director in 2013. She was nominated by the entire staff at CJI for her dedication to the students and clients and for her leadership of the staff and support for their professional development. In addition to her high-quality supervision and mentoring of students in their criminal defense work, she also coaches a mock trial team and teaches an extremely popular reading group The Effects of Mass Incarceration: Experiences of Prison and Parole.

Harvard Law School staff members are nominated by their peers for the award. An advisory committee made up of past Dean’s Award winners, human resources representatives, and additional selected staff members make recommendations to the Dean about who should receive the awards.