By Kevin Aldridge
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The U.S. House of Representatives was poised to pass legislation Thursday that would name the new federal building and courthouse in Youngstown after retired federal Judge Nathaniel R. Jones.

The language naming the federal building after Jones has been inserted into the Fiscal Year 2003 Appropriations Bill, which is expected to be voted into law within a week. Rep. Rob Portman, R-Cincinnati, sponsored the legislation.

Jones, a Cincinnati attorney and former general counsel for the NAACP, was born and raised in Youngstown.

Judge Jones, who retired this year from the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, practices out of the Cincinnati, Washington and New York City offices of Philadelphia-based Blank Rome as a senior partner.

He specializes in dispute resolution for the firm of about 400 lawyers.

He is on the board of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and the Cincinnati Youth Collaborative.

Reporter Susan Vela contributed.