Equal Justice Works Welcomes New Chief of Staff

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 30, 2023—Equal Justice Works, the nation’s largest facilitator of opportunities in public interest law, today announced that former member of the Virginia House of Delegates Michael Futrell has joined the organization as its chief of staff.

“We are pleased to welcome Michael to our team,” said Verna Williams, Equal Justice CEO. “Michael is a seasoned leader with public and private sector experience that will be an asset to reaching and engaging our diverse audiences. He will play a critical role in recognizing and shaping opportunities for continued growth and success in our work to ensure equal justice for all.”

Michael has dedicated much of his career to public service. A former member of the Virginia House of Delegates, Michael represented Virginia’s second district from 2014 to 2016 and was the first African American to represent Stafford County, Virginia. During his time in office, Michael introduced and co-sponsored a host of bills that were signed into law in areas including the state infrastructure fund, education, criminal justice reform, health care, and veterans’ rights. He also secured $150 million dollar funding for transportation projects in Northern Virginia after funding was cut, and he created quarterly Veteran Resource fairs that provided thousands of veterans with job opportunities, mental health screenings, and legal assistance.

Most recently, Michael was the senior advisor to the CEO of Millennium Enterprise Corporation and interim chief of staff to 41st Lieutenant Governor of Virginia Justin Fairfax. Michael is also the founder of Make the Future, a nonprofit organization that provides high-quality educational and mentoring programs to under-resourced youth in Prince William County, Virginia. He began his career as an educator, working as a middle school teacher in Dayton, Ohio.

“I am honored and proud to join Equal Justice Works—an organization with a mission close to my heart, striving to see equal justice for all and making a generational impact on lives worldwide,” said Michael Futrell, Equal Justice Works Chief of Staff. “Now is the time to develop and support more equity and justice-focused lawyers who will show up in communities and across the nation to drive change. For me, it is the perfect time to join as a team; we are coming together behind the vision of our CEO Verna Williams and growing our reach and influence to even greater heights.”

As the chief of staff, Michael will serve as a thought partner to the Equal Justice Works CEO and leadership team to drive forward organizational decisions, promote community, and encourage organization-wide team engagement. He will be responsible for advising on the organization’s strategic direction, evaluating new ideas and business opportunities, and conducting analysis and research to support key decisions.

Visit here to learn more about Michael and to see the full list of Equal Justice Works staff members.

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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 a lifelong commitment to public service and equal justice.

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