Equal Justice Works Names 84 Fellows in 2024 Class

84 public interest lawyers will spend the next two years advancing access to justice for underserved communities across the United States. 

84 law firms, corporations, private foundations, and individual donors sponsored the 2024 class of Equal Justice Works Fellows. 

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 22, 2024—Equal Justice Works, the nation’s largest facilitator of opportunities in public interest law, today named its 2024 class of Fellows. Each of the 84 law school graduates, in collaboration with a nonprofit organization, has designed a two-year Equal Justice Works Fellowship project to address unmet legal needs of the community they will serve. 

“I am so honored to welcome these public service leaders to our Equal Justice Works community. These new Fellows advance our longstanding work of building a movement of public interest leaders who are transforming communities across the nation,” said Verna Williams, CEO of Equal Justice Works. “Millions of people in the United States lack access to legal assistance to avoid eviction, maintain custody of their children, or escape an abusive partner, which makes growing the public interest sector vital. We are proud of our Fellows working to increase access to justice for communities throughout our nation.” 

Each year, Equal Justice Works selects a class of passionate public interest leaders who have designed unique projects in partnership with nonprofit organizations. These projects are funded by law firms, corporations, foundations, and individual supporters. 

The 2024 class of Equal Justice Works Fellows includes graduates from 42 law schools who will work at 79 legal services organizations across 22 states and Washington, D.C. Among this year’s 84 sponsors are 33 leading law firms recognized in the Am Law 200 and 25 Fortune 500 corporations.  

“Bloomberg is proud to be a longstanding supporter of Equal Justice Works and its Fellowship program, which inspires recent law school graduates to address unmet legal needs in our communities,” said David Levine, Chief Legal Officer at Bloomberg L.P. and a member of Equal Justice Works’ Board of Directors since 2023. “In partnership with Proskauer Rose LLP, Bloomberg has co-sponsored four Equal Justice Works Fellows who have contributed to the fight against injustice through their work with nonprofits such as the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project and the New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project. In addition to sponsoring a Fellow with Proskauer this year, we’re also excited to expand our support of a sole Bloomberg Fellow, who will be working with the Center for Reproductive Rights to protect and expand access to reproductive health care across the United States.” 

The 2024 class of Fellows will take on projects that address a range of access-to-justice issues. Some of these projects include: 

• Clayton Pierce will work at the ACLU Voting Rights Project to protect voting rights for people with disabilities by challenging state laws that limit and criminalize voter assistance. Bloomberg and Proskauer are sponsoring Clayton’s Fellowship. 
• David Cremins will work with California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. to enforce worker health and safety laws regulating heat exposure and other environmental stressors amongst agricultural workers in California’s Central Valley. The Vertex Foundation is sponsoring David’s project. 
• Samantha Nagler will work with Gender Justice to improve access to reproductive healthcare in Minnesota by challenging crisis pregnancy centers’ harmful practices. An anonymous donor is sponsoring Samantha. 
• Frances Tyler will provide legal services and educational resources to nonprofits that serve survivors of domestic violence. Frances is hosted by Lawyers Alliance for New York and sponsored by Verizon & DLA Piper. 
• Alizeh Sheikh will work at the Georgia Asylum and Immigration Network, where she will advocate on behalf of immigrants are facing language access issues and due process issues in the immigration process. UPS and Greenberg Traurig are sponsoring Alizeh’s project. 
• Adrienne Phạm will work at Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California, where she will seek post-conviction relief for southeast Asian refugees navigating the immigration process and ensure that culturally sensitive legal representation is accessible. Microsoft Corporation and Reed Smith LLP are sponsoring Adrienne. 

Over the past three decades, Equal Justice Works has awarded more than 2,700 postgraduate fellowships to public service leaders committed to ensuring equal access to justice for underserved communities. 

Equal Justice Works Fellowship programs are designed to effect change in communities throughout our country by mobilizing Fellows to work on key issue areas such as disaster resilience; voting rights; safe, fair, and affordable housing; and crime victims’ rights. Equal Justice Works Fellowships also expand the ability of nonprofit organizations to design and implement unique projects responding to emerging needs. On average, 85% of Equal Justice Works Fellows remain in public service positions, continuing to help fulfill our nation’s promise of equal justice for all. 

Click here for a full list of the 2024 Equal Justice Works Fellows, host organizations, and sponsors. 

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About Equal Justice Works 

Equal Justice Works is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that creates opportunities for lawyers to transform their passion for equal justice into a lifelong commitment to public service. As the nation’s largest facilitator of opportunities in public interest law, Equal Justice Works brings together an extensive network of law students, lawyers, nonprofit legal aid organizations, and supporters to promote public service and inspire a lifelong commitment to equal justice. 

Contact 

Emily Singer 

Senior Manager of Marketing and Communications 

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