News Archive

Joe Lawson, J.D. ’07, joined IU McKinney as associate director of the Ruth Lilly Law Library in June 2025. He will also serve as senior lecturer in law with a leadership role in shaping legal research curriculum. 

“I am thrilled to return to my alma mater with the experiences I have gained working in government and academia to help train the next generation of Hoosier lawyers,” Lawson said.

Lawson holds a B.A. ‘04 from Indiana University in Bloomington; a J.D., magna cum laude, from Indiana University McKinney School of Law; and an M.S.L.I.S. ‘12 from the University of North Texas. Previously, he served as assistant director of public services and adjunct lecturer in law at the University of Michigan Law Library, and as director of the Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library in Houston.

In addition to his extensive leadership experience in law libraries, Lawson is also active in the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL). He was recently elected to the AALL Executive Board and will begin his term in July 2025.

Lawson will focus his research on access to justice, legal research technology, improving legal research access for solo and small firm practitioners, and first-generation law student and lawyer success.