Mary Sessom, J.D.
Paralegal Program Director

Coordinator for the Business & Professional Studies Department

Paralegal Studies 

Contact Information:
e-mail:	mary.sessom@gcccd.net
Phone:	(619) 660-4362
Fax:	(619) 660-4399
Office:	E-111a

Education:

B.A. California State University
J.D. Thomas Jefferson School of Law
A.S. Cuyamaca College
M.S. in Political Science

Professor Sessom has taught the following courses:

Introduction to Paralegal Studies
Business Law
Computer Assisted Legal Research
Family Law
Legal Research & Writing
Legal Aspects of Real Estate

Professor Sessom resides in Lemon Grove. Prior to being elected to the Lemon Grove City Council in 1994, she was active in her community serving as PTA president at San Miguel Elementary School and Vice President of the Lemon Grove Education Foundation.

Outside of the city, and based on her 20 years as a lawyer, Mary served as a Judge Pro Tem of the Superior Court (1990-1991), Past President of the Foothills Bar Association (1995) and was appointed by San Diego County Supervisor Dianne Jacob as Trustee to the Board of Trustees for the San Diego County Law Library (1995-1996).

Mary has served as Mayor of Lemon Grove since 1996 to the present time. She was most recently re-elected in 2002. Not only is she the city's first directly-elected mayor, but also its first female mayor.

When not working at City Hall she teaches at Cuyamaca College. Mary is Director of the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG).

Mary has been a Soroptimist since 1993. For recreation, she studies Tai Chi and holds a red belt and an honorary black belt in Tae Kwon Do.