Equal Justice Works

Become an Equal Justice Works Fellow! Applications are now open to design your own project and join the Class of 2025. 3Ls and recent graduates, visit our website to learn more about how you can apply for a two-year postgraduate Fellowship at a nonprofit organization of your choice. https://bit.ly/DYO2025

Thank you to the American Bar Association and the National Legal Aid & Defender Association for having our team this week at the Equal Justice Conference to share and learn about developments and innovations in providing legal services. We are grateful for this opportunity to continue to strengthen our partnerships among the civil legal community.

What explains the dearth of public interest attorneys? To answer that question, Equal Justice Works partnered with the Law School Survey of Student Engagement (LSSSE) to identify blind spots in supporting future public interest lawyers and quantify just how accessible information about pursuing public interest law is for law students. We found that only 44% of participating schools provide funding for public interest internships, and an even smaller percentage of schools, 38%, employ public interest career advisors. These results illustrate that our legal community has a crucial opportunity to build or strengthen support for new public interest lawyers -- from law school engagement and advocacy and beyond. As Equal Justice Works CEO Verna Williams writes, "When millions of people in the United States cannot access legal assistance to avoid eviction, maintain custody of their children, or escape an abusive partner, we need an all-hands-on deck solution. Every part of the legal profession must focus on this crisis." https://lnkd.in/eh2s7tZa

Are you a law student gearing up for an internship and looking to learn about pressing topics in the field? Don't miss our our second annual Public Interest Summer Internship Primer from May 29-May 31! There's still time to register for our eight virtual interactive sessions on topics ranging from tribal law and indigenous rights to navigating client interviews and interactions and community lawyering -- all led by practitioners and legal experts. Attendees who complete six sessions will receive a certificate of participation. This event is free to students at Equal Justice Works member law schools. https://lnkd.in/eA7x_2EA

Maryland is amid a devastating mental health crisis fueled by a dearth of affordable and culturally responsive community-based support. Communities of color are most impacted by these barriers to care, which contribute to unnecessary hospitalizations, and too often trigger a tragic spiral of job loss, homelessness, social isolation, and worsening mental health. Hosted by Disability Rights Maryland, 2023 Fellow Courtney Bergan is using trauma-informed lawyering to help individual clients challenge service denials barring access to community mental health support. In addition, Courtney will engage in systemic advocacy by using legislative advocacy to expand community-based alternatives to hospitalization. Learn more about their fellowship 👇 #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth https://lnkd.in/ecb7mfgF

Last week, Equal Justice Works staff convened in Washington, D.C. for two days of collaboration and community. We know that creating opportunities for lawyers to transform their passion for equal justice into a lifelong commitment to public service takes all of us -- from program and development staff to communications and operations support -- and we're grateful for this dedicated and inspiring team.

Asian Americans are the fastest-growing racial categorization in the United States. And yet, Asian Americans remain underrepresented in local governments and school boards holding only 2.4% of city-level elected offices. 2022 Fellow Ronak Patel is working with the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund to educate, advocate, and litigate around local redistricting issues, aiming to ensure Asian American communities retain long-term access to local government. That work includes supporting the filing of a lawsuit this past February against the Nassau County Legislature in New York over a new voting map. “This suit will correct the Legislature’s failure and ensure that communities of color, including the rapidly growing Asian American community of Greater New Hyde Park, have an equal opportunity to participate in the democratic process," Patel said. #AAPIHeritageMonth https://lnkd.in/eM6Kq99c

¿Listo para financiar su primer trabajo en derecho de interés público? Ready to fund your first public interest law job? Cada año, Equal Justice Works financia aproximadamente 80 becas de postgrado de interés público en todo el país, cada una por un período de dos años. Each year, Equal Justice Works funds approximately 80 post-graduate public interest Fellowships across the country, each for a two-year term. Este seminario, dirigido por el Coordinador del Programa Nikola Radovic, analiza los requisitos de elegibilidad, el proceso de solicitud y consejos para crear una solicitud competitiva. This webinar, led by Program Coordinator Nikola Radovic Fanta, discusses the eligibility requirements, application process, and insider tips for creating a competitive application. Esta va a ser una sesion en Español, May 9 @ 3 pm EST. Register now to join this session in Spanish on May 9 @ 3 pm EST. https://lnkd.in/eNhqUdGC

Law students, join us for a virtual three-day primer designed to help you prepare for your summer legal internships! From Wednesday, May 29 to Friday, May 31, the Public Interest Summer Internship Primer will bring together practitioners, legal experts, and law students for eight interactive sessions on topics ranging from trauma-informed lawyering to issue spotting and case management. This event is free and available to all law students attending an Equal Justice Works member law school. Learn more and register to attend on our website 👇 https://lnkd.in/eA7x_2EA