Sharon-based attorney Joann M. Jofery has announced her candidacy for Mercer County Common Pleas judge.

"I hope I can serve the needs and best interests of all Mercer County citizens as a judge. After working as a social worker, I became an attorney because it allowed me to put my clients' needs first. I would like the opportunity to respond not only to clients but to the community and to the judicial system," Ms. Jofery said.

A Democrat, Ms. Jofery will seek both the Republican and Democratic nominations in the primary.

In addition to both court-appointed and private criminal defense work, Ms. Jofery has represented clients in all aspects of family law litigation, including divorce, custody, support and adoption. She has worked in real estate, probate, personal injury, landlord-tenant, juvenile delinquency and dependency, and administrative law such as unemployment hearings.

She has argued appellate cases and has appeared in federal courts.

A solo practitioner since late 1995, Ms. Jofery first practiced with Ruthanne Beighley.

After graduating from Kennedy Christian High School, Ms. Jofery attended Gannon University in Erie, where she graduated with honors. While at Gannon, she was elected to both the Pi Gamma Mu and Cardinal Key honor societies.

While employed as a social worker for Mercer County Children and Youth Services, Ms. Jofery earned a master's in counseling from Westminster College, where she was also elected to Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society.

She earned her law degree from the University of Akron Law School, where she was a member of the law review, received awards for the highest grade in her commercial law class and graduated with honors.

Ms. Jofery belongs to the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the American, Pennsylvania and Mercer County bar associations and has served as secretary of the Mercer County Bar since 1994.

The Pennsylvania Bar appointed her as Zone 10 delegate and executive board member to the Commission on Women in the Profession. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court appointed her to the Task Force on Gender and Racial Fairness.

The lifelong county resident also leads the local bar association in service hours in its pro bono program.

Locally she has served on the Shenango Valley Intergovernmental Study Commission and the boards of Prince of Peace, UPMC's WomenCare Center, Family Planning Services, Villa Maria Residential Services, Mercer County Drug and Alcohol Commission and Mercer County Adult Literacy Council.

She is the recipient of Kennedy Christian's prestigious Pellerite Award. While employed as a social worker, Ms. Jofery was a member of the Pennsylvania Social Services Union. In addition to teaching the law course for social workers at the University of Akron, she taught the seminar on family law for Mercer County police departments.

She has lectured on law-related topics at many of the local high schools and at Pennsylvania State University.