U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige today announced that Brian W. Jones has been formally sworn in as general counsel for the U.S. Department of Education.

Before joining the Education Department Jones was an attorney with the law firm of Curiale, Dellaverson, Hirschfeld, Kelly and Kraemer in San Francisco. He previously served as deputy legal affairs secretary to California Gov. Pete Wilson and counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary in 1997-98. From 1995-97 Jones was president of the Center for New Black Leadership.

Jones received a bachelor of arts degree from Georgetown University and a juris doctor from the University of California, Los Angles.

He was nominated by President Bush on April 3 and confirmed by the Senate on September 14.

In welcoming Jones to the department, Paige said, "He is a talented and thoughtful attorney whose experience and counsel will be of great value to all of us at the department. President Bush has made leaving no child behind his first priority, and I will look to Brian to help me fulfill that promise."