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Disaster Resilience Program

Disasters devastate lower-income communities, creating new poverty and further entrenching inequality. In the wake of any disaster, families often need the assistance of a lawyer to overcome barriers to recovery.

The Disaster Resilience Program (DRP) mobilizes lawyers (Attorney Fellows) and law students (Student Fellows) to provide free civil legal aid in disaster-prone areas to ensure vital legal services are accessible, comprehensive, and responsive to the unique needs of individuals, families, and communities so lives can be stabilized and communities rebuilt to be more resilient.

Program Overview & Benefits

  • Attorney Fellows earn a salary over the course of their two-year Fellowship term
  • Student Fellows receive a $7,000 stipend upon completion of 300 hours of service (eight to ten-week term)
  • Engage in outreach and education, help provide direct legal services to disaster survivors, and foster important relationships within the community
  • Build capacity at legal services organizations in disaster-prone areas
  • During the summer, Student Fellows help support the work of the Attorney Fellow(s) at their host organization
  • Receive trainings, technical assistance, and mentorship throughout the program

Applications now open!

Apply now

Apply today to become a Fellow in the Disaster Resilience Program!

Resources

DRP Impact Through 2025

  • 6,686 individuals provided with legal services
  • 879 policy meetings attended by Fellows
  • Being in the [DRP] allowed me to become a trusted stakeholder and partner within both the disaster networks and disability organizations. Stephanie Duke
    2020 DRP Fellow
  • $7.6m in combined economic benefits realized for clients

Still have questions? Email us at
[email protected]

1 Determine your program eligibility

The Disaster Resilience Program includes both attorneys and law students

  • Attorney Fellows are public interest lawyers working on-the-ground providing free civil legal aid to low-income, disaster-prone communities
  • Student Fellows are current law students working alongside them to provide support and build legal skills outside the classroom
Photo of Equal Justice Works staff with Disaster Resilience Program Fellows at the 2025 Disaster Resilience Symposium welcome reception. The group of 15 stands together outside on a pier.

2 Fellows in Action

2022 Fellow Adrieanna Hutson on Communities Affected by Extreme Heat

2022 Equal Justice Works Fellow Adrieanna Hutson discusses her work providing legal aid to communities affected by natural disaster, particularly extreme heat, in Arkansas. Adrieanna is hosted by Center for Arkansas Legal Services, and her work is made possible through the support of the Disaster Resilience Program. Watch the video to see what a Fellowship in the Disaster Resilience Program could look like!

Watch Now

Photo of Adrieanna Hutson and client (Yolanda Muldrow) discussing their case

3 Meet our Attorney Fellows

The first cohort of the Disaster Resilience Program mobilized six Attorney Fellows (public interest lawyers) who served from June 2020 to October 2021 in Texas and Florida. In the summer of 2021, they were joined by six Student Fellows (law students) who worked alongside them to provide support and build their legal skills outside of the classroom. In 2022, the program expanded to serve disaster-prone communities in California, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, New Mexico, and Tennessee.

Read more about what Fellows are up to on our blog

Disaster Resilience Program Fellows

View all

Jessica Arreola
Photo of Jessica Arreola

Immigrant Populations

Jessica Arreola

Hosted by
New Mexico Immigrant Law Center

Sponsored by
Disaster Resilience Program

Devon Haia

Indigenous Peoples' Rights

Devon Haia

Hosted by
Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation

Jazmin Irazoqui-Ruiz
Photo of Jazmin Irazoqui-Ruiz

Disaster Recovery

Jazmin Irazoqui-Ruiz

Hosted by
New Mexico Immigrant Law Center

Sponsored by
Disaster Resilience Program

Free Resources on Disaster Law and Resilience

Disaster Resilience Awareness Month Resource Roundup

Explore resources including a Disaster Law 101 explainer, the National Disaster Attorney Guidebook, preparedness tools, webinars, and more. Check back regularly as new resources are added throughout the month!

Visit our resource hub

The Disaster Resilience Program is currently funded by the American Red Cross, Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative, the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, the Danaher Foundation, and Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies.

Interested in hosting a Disaster Resilience Program Fellow?

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Get Help Managing Your Student Debt

For many law school graduates, student debt is the single largest barrier to pursuing a career in public interest law. View our Student Debt Resources to learn more about managing your debt load.

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