Shavar Jeffries

Shavar D. Jeffries
Newark Public Schools Advisory Board President
In office
April 2010 – April 2011
Special Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General Attorney General of New Jersey
In office
January 2008 – January 2010
Personal details
Born 1974 (age 41–42)
Newark, New Jersey
Political party Democratic
Residence Newark
Website http://www.shavarjeffries.com

Shavar Jeffries is a civil rights attorney who in September 2015 became the president of Democrats for Education Reform which promotes more charter schools, school funding and stricter teacher evaluations to revamp public education.[1][2][3] A former assistant state Attorney General, he was a candidate in the 2014 election for Mayor of Newark, New Jersey.[4] after which he became a partner at Lowenstein Sandler in August 2014.[5][6]

Background

Jeffries grew up in the South Ward of Newark. He lost his mother to violence was raised by his grandmother, a public school teacher.[7] He first attended Newark Public Schools and later received a scholarship to attend Seton Hall Preparatory School in West Orange.[8] Jeffries obtained his bachelor's degree from Duke University in 1996.[9] After graduating he attended Columbia Law School where he served as managing editor of the Columbia Human Rights Law Review[9] and clerked for the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund. He received his Juris Doctor in 1999. Jeffries lives in the South Ward with his wife and their two children.

Career

After law school, Jeffries clerked for Judge Nathaniel R. Jones of the U.S. Court of Appeals.[9] He then worked as an associate with Wilmer Cutler & Pickering. Since 2001, Shavar has been counsel at Gibbons P.C., a firm based at the Gateway Center in Newark.

Jeffries has been an associate professor at the Center for Social Justice at Seton Hall Law School since 2004. In 2008-2010, he took a leave of absence to serve as Assistant Attorney General and Counsel to New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram and led several departments, including the Juvenile Justice Commission and the Civil Rights Division.[10]

In April 2010, Jeffries was elected to the Newark Public Schools Advisory Board.[11] He became a partner at Lowenstein Sandler in August 2014.[5][6] In September 2015 he became the president of Democrats for Education Reform which promotes more charter schools, school funding and stricter teacher evaluations to revamp public education.[1][2] [12]

Mayoral candidacy

Jeffries announced his election bid on May 20, 2013.[13][14] Jeffries was relatively known in Newark,[4][15] where typically one runs first for council and then for mayor.[4] Jeffries introduced a public safety plan in October 2013[16][17] As of January 2014, Jeffries had raised the most campaign financing of the candidates.[18]

The election took place May 13, 2014 and Jeffries was defeated by Municipal Council of Newark Council Member Ras Baraka.[13] Other potential candidates, Council Members Anibal Ramos, Jr. and Darrin S. Sharif,[19][20] [21] had earlier dropped out of the race.[22]

Jeffries' eight-member council slate includes incumbents East Ward Councilman Augusto Amador, North Ward Councilman Anibal Ramos, Jr. and At-large Councilman Carlos Gonzalez and candidates Brian Logan (South Ward). Kevin Waters (West Ward) and Andre Speight (Central Ward). Lynda Lloyd (At-large), and former Assemblyman Wilfredo Caraballo (At-large).[23]

In February he received an endorsement of William D. Payne[24] and March from Donald Payne, Jr.,[25] both of whom who are part a long time Newark political dynasty. He has also been endorsed by the Teamsters,[26] State Senator Teresa Ruiz and Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor-Marin.[27] Jeffries received the endorsements of Board of Chosen Freeholders President Blonnie Watson, Freeholder Vice-President Patricia Sebold and Freeholder D. Bilal Beasley. Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing New York's 8th congressional district in Brooklyn and Queens with roots in Newark, has also endorsed Jeffries. In May he received the endorsement of Eva Longoria.[28] Jeffries was endorsed by the The Star-Ledger.[29]

Jeffries conceded the race to Baraka at the Golden Dome Athletic Center on election night.[30]

Scholarship

In 2015 Jeffries has established the Donna Johnson Memorial Scholarship to support the educational development of a young person who has experienced the loss of a parent, guardian, or loved one because of domestic violence, or whose life has otherwise been touched by violence against women.[31]

References

  1. 1 2 Los Angeles Times (3 September 2015). "Democrats for Education Reform's Shavar Jeffries on how to fix his own movement". latimes.com. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Ex-Newark mayoral candidate Jeffries to head education lobbying group, reports say". NJ.com. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  3. ↑ http://www.wsj.com/articles/ex-newark-mayor-candidate-shavar-jeffries-to-lead-education-group-1441252538
  4. 1 2 3 Giambusso, David (June 2, 2013). "With three major candidates declared, Newark braces for mayoral race". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2013-12-02. “We intend to show people that when I become mayor we all become mayor,” he said. Jeffries, a former assistant state Attorney General, has a strong narrative. He grew up in the South Ward and lost his mother to violence. He graduated from Duke University and Columbia Law School and came back to Newark to raise his family. He has strong connections to charter schools, as well as Duke and Columbia alumni, which gives him an edge in fundraising. But Jeffries is relatively unknown in Newark, where typically one runs for council before shooting for mayor.
  5. 1 2 "Former Newark mayoral candidate Jeffries joins national law firm". NJ.com. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  6. 1 2 "Shavar D. Jeffries - Our Professionals - Lowenstein Sandler LLP". lowenstein.com. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  7. ↑ W, R (August 14, 2013). "When Cory's gone". Democracy in America. The Economist. Retrieved 2013-12-05.
  8. ↑ "About Shavar Jeffries". For Newark Mayor 2014. www.shavarjeffries.com. Retrieved 2013-12-05.
  9. 1 2 3 "Shavar D. Jeffries". Gibbons. Retrieved 2013-12-05.
  10. ↑ "Shavar D. Jeffries". Seton Hall Law. Retrieved 2013-12-05.
  11. ↑ "Tom Moran: Public support is integral to Newark schools reform". NJ.com. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  12. ↑ "DFER Announces New National President: Shavar Jeffries". Democrats for Education Reform. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  13. 1 2 "Shavar Jeffries". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2013-12-06.
  14. ↑ Giambusso, David (May 21, 2013). "Shavar Jeffries officially jumps into the ring for Newark mayoral contest". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2013-12-05.
  15. ↑ Glover, Vivian (October 15, 2013). "Who will run Newark without Cory Booker?". The Grio. Retrieved 2013-12-05.
  16. ↑ "The Jeffreis Plan" (PDF). The Star-Ledger. October 23, 2013. Retrieved 2013-12-31.
  17. ↑ Giambusso, David (October 23, 2013). "Newark mayor's race: Shavar Jeffries lays out public safety plan". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2013-12-22.
  18. ↑ Giambusso/, David (January 30, 2014). "Newark mayor's race: Shavar Jeffries outpaces candidates in fundraising". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2014-01-30.
  19. ↑ Giambusso, David (August 16, 2013). "Darrin Sharif announces run for mayor of Newark". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2013-11-26.
  20. ↑ Glover, Vivian (October 15, 2013). "Who will run Newark without Cory Booker?". The Grio. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  21. ↑ Giambusso, David (June 2, 2013). "With three major candidates declared, Newark braces for mayoral race". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2013-12-02.
  22. ↑ Queally, James (February 12, 2014). "Newark mayoral race narrows to 2 as another candidate drops out". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2014-02-12.
  23. ↑ Giambusso, David (February 26, 2014). "Newark mayor's race: Jeffries rolls out council slate and senior plan". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2014-02-26.
  24. ↑ Frasier, Craig D. (February 27, 2014). "Jeffries gaining ground in Newark mayoral race". Amstedam News. Retrieved 2014-02-28.
  25. ↑ Mark Bonamo. "Newark mayor's race: Payne endorsement boosts Jeffries' local legitimacy, while Baraka-Payne feud fueled". New Jersey News, Politics, Opinion, and Analysis. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  26. ↑ "Shavar Jeffries gets first union endorsement". amsterdamnews.com. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  27. ↑ Bonamo, Mark (March 22, 2014). "Shavar Jeffries Newark mayor's race: At North Ward endorsement rally, Jeffries campaign shows resurgence, defiance". NJ Politicker. Retrieved 2014-03-22.
  28. ↑ http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/cf4a30c031c94d6aa53056a42f3bc0d2/NJ--Newark-Mayoral-Race-Longoria
  29. ↑ Editorial (May 8, 2014). "Shavar Jeffries for Newark mayor: Editorial". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2014-05-08.
  30. ↑ Wright-Piersanti, Tom (May 14, 2014). "Shavar Jeffries concedes Newark mayoral race". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2014-05-14.
  31. ↑ "Scholarship - Shavar Jeffries". Shavar Jeffries. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
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