As UCF’s Department of Legal Studies kicks off the 2024-25 academic year, it also welcomes a new department chair Lisa Nored — and the department is not alone in celebrating her arrival.
Personal injury firm Colling Gilbert Wright, one of the College of Community Innovation and Education’s community partners, took lead on welcoming Nored to the college and Central Florida community with a celebration and evening of networking at UCF Downtown on Wednesday, Aug. 2.
As one of the college’s academic units hosted at UCF Downtown, UCF’s Department of Legal Studies is primed to focus on building community partnerships and exposing its students to the legal system with its proximity to the Orange County Courthouse, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and many other job and internship opportunities.
Shareholder Ronald Gilbert of Colling Gilbert Wright, a member of the College of Community Innovation and Education’s Dean Advisory Council, shared his hope for this new chapter for the department and expressing the importance of student experiences in the legal field beyond the classroom.
“I'm going to challenge all the attorneys that are here — all of my friends in the legal field that are here — to have a UCF legal studies program student as an intern in your law firm to give them a real-life idea of what it might be like to work in a law firm later,” Gilbert says. “That is something that's near and dear to my heart, and I'm going to be working with our new chair on that to really get the legal community excited and motivated to work with UCF’s legal studies program.”
Part of the vision Nored has outlined for the department is to quickly become the educational destination for individuals who aspire to serve in the legal profession, whether their goal is to attend law school, become a paralegal or pursue the many other professional options which exist for legal studies majors.
“We intend to leverage our downtown location and faculty expertise to become the flagship legal studies program in Florida,” Nored says. “With incredible teaching facilities, including a state-of-the-art moot courtroom, our students receive a robust undergraduate legal studies education with a strong emphasis on professionalism and market-relevant skills. Our academic assets combined with convenient access to an array of legal settings allows us to bridge the gap between academia and the legal profession. This nexus gives graduates of our program a competitive advantage and a strong foundation to pursue their dreams.”
Nored says she was pleased to see the convergence of higher education and the legal community together in downtown Orlando.
“The legal studies faculty and staff extend our heartfelt gratitude to Ron Gilbert and the law firm of Colling Gilbert Wright for their generous support of UCF and the legal studies program,” Nored says. “The Orlando legal community is a valued partner with whom we share an authentic desire to educate and prepare the next generation of legal professionals. Engagement and collaboration with our community partners allows us to expand opportunities for our students, faculty and the greater Orlando community.”
Grant Hayes, dean of the college, also remarked on his excitement for Nored’s tenure.
“This semester marks not only a transition, but the beginning of a visionary journey that really will enhance our commitment to legal education and to legal research,” Hayes says. “Dr. Lisa Nored comes with an impressive background, and I could immediately see that her background perfectly aligned with the college and the department values and vision. I think that she will bring fresh new perspectives and innovative ideas that will continue to elevate our department to new heights. I have every confidence that under her leadership, along with an exceptional faculty and staff, they will continue to thrive and that they will be even more a part of the Orlando legal community.”
About Lisa Nored
Nored joins UCF having already held multiple leadership roles throughout her career, including her service as professor and director of the School of Criminal Justice, Forensic Science and Security at The University of Southern Mississippi, where she administered criminal justice and forensic science degree programs.
Nored also served as the inaugural pre-law pathways coordinator for the USM College of Arts and Sciences, where she coordinated university-wide prelaw advisement, programming and recruitment. Additionally, she served as director of the Mississippi Statistical Analysis Center, a research entity funded by the United States Department of Justice/Bureau of Justice Statistics and housed at The University of Southern Mississippi.
Nored holds a Ph.D. in public policy and administration from Mississippi State University and J.D. from Mississippi College School of Law. Before joining academia, Nored was a law clerk for the Mississippi Supreme Court and later engaged in the general practice of law focusing on criminal defense and domestic relations. She was selected as Lawyer of the Year in 2016 by Mississippi College School of Law for her service to the legal profession.