Equal Justice Works Will Continue with a Virtual Format for the 2023 Career Fair

Each fall, Equal Justice Works hosts its annual Career Fair, the largest national public interest legal career fair that brings together hundreds of law students, recent graduates, public interest employers, law school faculty and staff, and public interest practitioners from across the United States and its territories for three days of prescheduled interviews and informal “table talk” discussions.

This year, Equal Justice Works will host the event virtually for the fourth time, ensuring continued accessibility and inclusivity for our attendees.

While the career fair will largely function as it has for the past few years, the organization will not host the conference component of the event this year. This decision was made after careful consideration, and in consultation with our member law schools and public interest employers.

Equal Justice Works will instead introduce a new opportunity for law students this spring, designed to help them prepare for summer internships. This Public Interest Summer Internship Primer will take place virtually from May 31–June 2, 2023, and will consist of eight interactive sessions on topics ranging from trauma-informed lawyering to issue spotting and case management. Attendees will receive a participation certificate for completing at least six of the eight sessions.

The 2023 Career Fair will take place October 12–14, 2023 via the legal hiring platform, Flo Recruit. Early bird employer registration will open on June 8 and law student registration will open on August 3. Equal Justice Works will offer informational webinars and other trainings over the summer to help attendees prepare for the event.

Visit here for more information about the 2023 Career Fair. You can also reach out to [email protected] with any questions.

These eight law students were selected by the Equal Justice Works National Advisory Committee for providing outstanding service through law clinics, volunteer work, internships, extracurricular projects, and other initiatives. These award winners will receive a commemorative plaque and a monetary reward.

Below is the list of this year’s Regional Public Interest Award recipients:

Equal Justice Works offers many opportunities for law students to serve the public interest law community on their campuses and nationwide. Visit here for more information.

By Laura Roach, program manager for the Housing Justice Program at Equal Justice Works.

Equal Justice Works is currently conducting a legal needs assessment to understand the capacity of community-based organizations to meet the legal needs of low-income communities affected by evictions and involuntary displacement. The information collected through this assessment will help to inform strategic expansion of our Housing Justice Program, which places attorneys and community organizers at nonprofits to provide eviction prevention and advocacy services. If you belong to a legal aid organization interested in hosting a Housing Justice Program Fellow, please consider completing this needs assessment by Friday, May 26.

Housing is a fundamental human need and the basis for stability and security for families and individuals. Without adequate housing, other necessities of life—such as doing homework, holding down a job, cooking, or washing—can quickly become difficult. Home is the foundation around which we build our lives, and yet housing is portrayed as an investment vehicle for building wealth in the United States. Those who own houses are motivated to ensure the value of their properties rise while the “have-nots” must navigate the rental market where landlords are often bolstered not only by wealth, but by the law.

The Equal Justice Works Housing Justice Program seeks to even the playing field between landlords and renters by providing legal and community organizing support to low-income communities where landlords have the upper hand. First launched in Richmond, Virginia, in 2019, the Housing Justice Program (HJP) mobilizes lawyers and organizers as Fellows to provide legal assistance to those facing eviction and to advocate for reforms to advance housing stability. Based on the incredible success of the first cohort of HJP Fellows, Equal Justice Works grew the program from eight Fellows hosted at three organizations in 2019 to 32 Fellows across 18 organizations in 2022. Serving across three states, these Fellows combine direct legal services, education, outreach, and impact litigation to advance renters’ rights and hold bad-actor landlords accountable.

In sheer numbers, the current cohort of HJP Fellows made a significant impact during the first year of their Fellowships. Since Summer 2022, the Fellows have provided housing-related direct legal services to 1,989 households comprising more than 4,900 low-income individuals. Most cases were failure-to-pay-rent eviction cases brought by private landlords. When Fellows provided extended representation, they prevailed in 77% of cases, often preventing or delaying evictions to provide time for the affected households to find alternative housing. Fellows also secured over $1,580,000 in recovered and avoided monetary benefits for households at risk of displacement.

The Housing Justice Program is unique among Equal Justice Works Fellowships because attorney Fellows work in concert with organizer Fellows who build community relationships. As reported by host organization Virginia Poverty Law Center, “[the Fellow] has established relationships of trust with tenants in communities in Richmond and Henrico. Because of these relationships, tenants have been more willing to contact legal aid attorneys, attend tenant meetings and, most importantly, appear in court.” In fact, organizer Fellows referred 383 households to attorney Fellows for legal support. The referral relationship between organizer Fellows and attorney Fellows is reciprocal: attorneys frequently refer clients to organizers for resident services like rent and utility relief. To date, organizer Fellows provided resident services to 950 households, primarily led by Latina women with children, and comprised of more than 2,100 total individuals.

Through direct services, systemic injustices are clarified and HJP Fellows work together to advance tenant protections and advocacy efforts. To make housing more affordable, Fellows helped tenants secure rent stabilization in Prince George’s County, Maryland. The city of Mount Rainier passed a permanent Rent Stabilization bill capping rent increases at 60% of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) annually, making it the first municipality in Prince George’s County to pass such a measure. This bill will ensure that rent is more affordable and consistent for working families. In South Carolina, Fellows helped secure an Order from the Supreme Court, allowing counties across the state to establish Housing Courts that will help tenants access representation in eviction cases. In the Charleston Pilot Housing Court, 75–100% of tenants represented had their evictions dismissed or delayed.

As a collective force to be reckoned with, Housing Justice Program Fellows continue to advocate for the rights of families and individuals to live in stable and healthy homes. Fellows support local and state initiatives to establish permanent rental assistance, improve the accessibility of legal materials, and promote a right to counsel in eviction cases.

Building on the momentum of the Fellows, Equal Justice Works is currently conducting a legal needs assessment to understand the capacity of community-based organizations to meet the legal needs of low–income communities affected by evictions and involuntary displacement. The information collected through this needs assessment will help to inform strategic expansion of our Housing Justice Program, which places attorneys and community organizers at nonprofits to provide eviction prevention and advocacy services. If you belong to a legal aid organization interested in hosting a Housing Justice Program Fellow please consider completing this needs assessment by Friday, May 26.

Visit here to read more stories about the work of our Housing Justice Program Fellows and how they are advocating for policies and practices that protect the rights of all tenants.

The Housing Justice Program includes Fellows hosted across Maryland, South Carolina, and Virginia. The Housing Justice Program is made possible thanks to the generosity of The JPB Foundation, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Abell Foundation, Maryland Legal Services Corporation, and Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina.

Equal Justice Works invites eligible organizations to submit proposals to participate as Host Organizations in the 2023 Crime Victims Advocacy Program.

The Equal Justice Works’ Crime Victims Advocacy Program (CVAP) is mobilizing a cohort of 21 attorney Fellows to increase access to legal aid for survivors of crime, especially in underserved black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) communities.

CVAP Fellows will work at legal services and community organizations across the country to provide civil legal services for victims of crime. Fellows will work collaboratively to provide legal advice, referrals, and full representation for crime survivors on various civil legal issues arising from their victimization. Fellows will also help enforce their clients’ rights in criminal proceedings, engage in outreach and education activities, and build community partnerships for holistic services.

The two-year Fellowship will begin in the summer of 2023.

Please see links to the full Request for Proposals and accompanying appendices below. Proposals must be submitted by Wednesday, March 8, 2023, 11:59 p.m. ET via email to [email protected].

Resources

Before applying, please review the following materials:

• Equal Justice Works Crime Victims Advocacy Program RFP No. CVAP-20A01
• Frequently Asked Questions for Host Organizations

Templates & Forms

The following materials are required for submission:

1. Applicant Information Form
2. Budget Template
3. Preaward Survey
4. Risk Assessment Tool
5. Policy Certification
6. Certification for Data Privacy
7. Equal Justice Works Standard Grant Provisions for Federal Award
8. Subaward Conditions from Office for Victims of Crime
9. Sample Fellow Position Description, Attorney Fellow

For any questions, email [email protected].

This program is supported by an award under 15POVC-22-GK-01116-NONF, awarded by the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this document are those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Each fall, Equal Justice Works hosts a series of events for our community—Fellows, alumni, law students, sponsors, and law school professionals—to build their skills, enhance their understanding of our mission, and expand their networks. This year we hosted the Conference and Career Fair for law students, law school professionals, and public interest employers; the Scales of Justice, our annual fundraiser; and our multi-day Leadership Development Training for our Fellows.

This year, the Conference and Career Fair was split into two separate events, allowing participants to take full advantage of the opportunities for networking, learning, and interviewing. From September 21–23, the Equal Justice Works Conference kicked off our 2022 event season with a series of 13 virtual panel discussions. Over three days, we welcomed more than 3,800 attendees to the Conference, and facilitated over 4,200 virtual interviews and 800 table talk meetings, which included issue-specific seminars and information sessions on our programs.

On October 11, we welcomed over 600 attendees, including Fellows, supporters, and law professionals, to Washington, D.C., for the Scales of Justice, our first in-person event since 2019. This annual fundraiser allowed our community to come together and hear from a series of speakers as we recognized this year’s honoree, Teresa Wynn Roseborough of The Home Depot, with the Scales of Justice award.

Emcees Michel and Billy Martin hosted the show, setting the stage for speakers such as the new CEO of Equal Justice Works, Verna Williams. Our speakers included Ivan Fong, chair of the Equal Justice Works Board of Directors and executive vice president, general counsel, and secretary of Medtronic; Ernest LaMont Greer, Equal Justice Works board member and managing partner of Greenberg Traurig, LLP; and Mark Wasserman, member of the Equal Justice Works Board of Counselors and managing partner and co-chief executive officer of Eversheds Sutherland.

The program featured 2022 Text-to-Give Fellow Alexandra Zaretsky, 2021 Fellow Joey Carrillo, and a fireside chat-style video featuring 2012 Fellow Hillary Schneller and 2021 Fellow Ndome Essoka, discussing the intersection of reproductive rights and maternal health.

From October 17–19, Equal Justice Works hosted our virtual Leadership Development Training for Fellows to network and grow their skills through a series of sessions led by Fellow alumni and other legal professionals. Verna Williams, the new CEO of Equal Justice Works, kicked things off by sharing her ideas and vision for the organization moving forward.

Throughout the event, Fellows heard from a number of distinguished professionals, such as Mónica Ramírez Almadani, President and CEO of Public Counsel; and Marc Morial, CEO and President of the National Urban League and Equal Justice Works board member. Fellows also had the chance to attend affinity group sessions based on their interests and project backgrounds, where they could learn about their issue area and discuss intersecting problems with like-minded colleagues.

Closing out the 2022 event season was the Equal Justice Works Career Fair, held virtually from October 20-22. Thanks to the broad accessibility of the virtual format, a record 3,000+ attendees logged on to the event this year! Students met with 243 employers from across the country, offering over 400 available jobs.

Equal Justice Works is incredibly grateful to have such a dedicated and wonderful community that is passionate about our mission and expanding access to justice. We want to thank all participants and attendees for your time and support that made this year’s fall events successful for our organization.

See you in 2023!

Equal Justice Works is excited to announce that we are accepting nominations from our Alumni and Fellow community to fill an open position for a recent alum to serve on our Board of Directors beginning in 2023 for a three-year term.

We recruit new board members to strengthen our organization’s effectiveness and secure the resources we need to fund our very ambitious agenda to create opportunities for lawyers to transform their passion for equal justice into a lifelong commitment to public service.  

Our Board consists of national leaders from every corner of the profession: judges, corporate counsel, law firm partners, law students, alumni, academics, and public interest advocates. We recognize and appreciate that this diversity on our board is one of the organization’s strengths, and we appreciate that board members bring a variety of skills and capacities.    

We welcome and encourage our Alumni and Fellow community to participate in the nomination process for a recent alum—defined as an alum who has successfully completed an Equal Justice Works Fellowship within the past five years. For the current position eligibility, the nominee will have successfully completed their Fellowship in the period 2017 – 2021.  This board member will have full and equitable membership on the Board entailing the same rights, obligations, responsibilities, and expectations of every board member, including service for a three-year term. Self-nominations are accepted. 

We recognize and appreciate that diversity on our board is one of the organization’s strengths, and we appreciate that board members bring a variety of skills and capacities. In deciding whom to invite to join our board, we need to balance these skills and capacities with the organization’s needs. 

We seek a board member who exhibits the following characteristics:  

• Commitment to the mission and goals of Equal Justice Works 
• Willingness to give time and talent 
• Willingness to contribute a personally significant gift (i.e., one of their top three charitable contributions) 
• Willingness to ask others to contribute a gift 

We want the board overall to have members who bring/add: 

• Networks or linkages to individuals and organizations which can help advance Equal Justice 
• Works initiatives or fundraising goals 
• Demonstrated executive leadership quotient/recognized public stature 
• Strategic thinking skills 
• Diversity  
• Nonprofit Board expertise  
• Experience working with complex organizations 

Click here to submit a nomination.  The application will close on July 20, 2022, and nominees who are selected to move forward in the process will be notified in October 2022.   

For more information about the application process, please reach out to [email protected]. Visit here to learn more about the Equal Justice Works Board of Directors.  

Equal Justice Works, the nation’s largest facilitator of opportunities in public interest law, today announced the recipients of the 2022 Regional Public Interest Award, recognizing eight law students for their exemplary commitment to public interest law and pro bono work.

“We are thrilled to announce the winners of our Regional Public Interest Award,” said Aoife Delargy Lowe, vice president of law school engagement and advocacy at Equal Justice Works. “These exemplary law students share our commitment to increasing access to justice and it is an honor to recognize their leadership and service on their campuses and beyond.”

These eight law students were selected by the Equal Justice Works National Advisory Committee for providing outstanding service through law clinics, volunteer work, internships, extracurricular projects, and other initiatives. These award winners will receive a commemorative plaque and a monetary reward.

Below is the list of this year’s Regional Public Interest Award recipients:

Equal Justice Works offers many opportunities for law students to serve the public interest law community on their campuses and nationwide. Visit here for more information.

The following letter was sent to 2021 Fellows in response to feedback regarding host organization supporting payments. 

Dear Fellows,

Thank you for the feedback and conversation we have had to date. I acknowledge your dissatisfaction that we cannot accommodate your request to give each of you or your host organizations an additional $7,000.

As you know, Equal Justice Works is devoted to creating opportunities for lawyers to transform their passion for equal justice into a lifelong commitment to public service. We are always striving to do better. We don’t always get it right, but we are a learning organization that welcomes feedback and adapts when something can be improved, while also being thoughtful and deliberate about relationships, sustainability, fairness, and fiscal constraints in our community.

We are sympathetic to the very real challenges and concerns you have about public interest lawyer salaries. We appreciate your highlighting the significant disparity between the support we are providing to host organizations for first- and second- year Fellows beginning in September. You should know, however, that despite the $7,000 increase in supporting payments for the host organizations of the class of 2022, the median Fellow salary and distribution is very similar to what it was for the class of 2021.

Our biggest learning from our exchange is that five years is too long between adjusting host organization supporting payments, which they use to fund your salaries. Here is how we will move forward differently:

• Beginning with the class of 2022, we will adjust our supporting payment to host organizations with each Fellowship class year. We will seek the advice of host organizations, sponsors, and our Fellowship alumni as we determine that increase.
• We will continue to elevate public consciousness about the financial burdens and challenges public interest lawyers face and drive greater awareness of your contributions that clearly reflect the value of your work.

As always, we are grateful for your commitment to the work you do. We hope you will continue to make a positive impact for individuals, families, and communities across our country.

Thank you,
David Stern
Equal Justice Works Executive Director

Visit here for FAQS about host organization supporting payments.

Over the weekend, yet again we bore witness to the racist violence of our country. This horrific hate crime that resulted in the death of ten people is another painful reminder of just how much work is still needed to achieve racial justice in our country.

The actions we saw have brought new images of racism and injustice that Black communities continue to face. My thoughts are with the victims and their grieving families, as well as with our staff, Fellows, Alums, supporters, and host organizations in the Buffalo area.

As an organization committed to fulfilling our nation’s promise of equal justice for all, we have a strong obligation to stand up against racist violence. Black communities deserve better, they deserve justice. As always, I’m grateful to all our Fellows for fighting to enact meaningful change.

In solidarity,
David Stern
Equal Justice Works Executive Director