news release
FOR RELEASE:
September 30, 2008

CONTACT:
James Carroll
(202) 466-3686 ext. 102 		jcarroll@equaljusticeworks.org
www.equaljusticeworks.org
2008 EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS FELLOWS
BEGIN PUBLIC INTEREST PROJECTS
WASHINGTON, D.C. - This fall, 54 Equal Justice Works Fellows and 35 Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Fellows begin their projects at nonprofit organizations around the nation to work on behalf of underserved communities and causes. The Class of 2008 launched their two-year projects this month, joining the 54 Fellows in the Class of 2007 already in the field. Equal Justice Works Fellows focus on a wide variety of issues – from protecting immigrant children to protecting the environment, from helping communities rebuild torn neighborhoods to helping survivors of domestic violence rebuild their torn lives. As advocates for public service, the new AmeriCorps Fellows will dedicate their time to recruiting and supervising lawyers and law students in pro bono work while raising awareness of public interest issues at law schools.

“Each year we’re blown away by the caliber of our Equal Justice Works and AmeriCorps Fellows. Their projects are innovative and completely necessary to the communities they will be serving,” said Cait Clarke, Director of Public Interest Law Opportunities for Equal Justice Works.

More than 275 lawyers submitted Equal Justice Works fellowship applications for the Class of 2008. The new Fellows represent 36 Equal Justice Works member law schools and will be working at organizations in 15 states and the District of Columbia. The outgoing class of AmeriCorps Fellows provided essential legal services to over 15,600 people who would’ve otherwise been denied access. This year’s class hopes to positively affect even more people’s lives.

Equal Justice Works Fellows are sponsored by law firms or corporations whose interests may intersect with the proposed project. This allows sponsors to address pressing social problems and to expand their role in making the legal system more accessible and effective for a larger number of Americans. Since the program started, more than 200 law firms, corporations, bar foundations and private foundations have supported Fellows. The Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps program is a partnership with the Corporation for National and Community Service.

For more information about Equal Justice Works programs, visit http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/programs.

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Equal Justice Works, a nonprofit, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization, was founded in 1986 by law students dedicated to working for equal justice on behalf of underserved communities and causes. Today, Equal Justice Works is the national leader in creating summer and postgraduate public interest opportunities for law students and lawyers as well as in urging more public interest programming at law schools. For more information, visit www.equaljusticeworks.org.

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