Equal Justice Works on Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson Confirmation

Today, the United States Senate voted to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as the nation’s 116th Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Judge Jackson is the first Black woman to serve on the high court’s bench, and she is the first former federal public defender.

As the nation’s largest facilitator of opportunities in public interest law, we believe in passionate leaders who share our commitment to equal justice and public service. Judge Jackson’s expansive career, including her work as a public defender, has enriched her understanding of people’s experiences with the justice system. Her diverse professional background will also provide a unique perspective to the Court’s work that is currently missing, yet essential to achieving our nation’s promise of equal justice for all.

During Judge Jackson’s Supreme Court confirmation hearing, she described the important role public defenders play in protecting our core constitutional values. “Federal public defenders don’t get to pick their clients. They have to represent whoever comes in, and it’s a service. You are standing up for the constitutional value of representation.”

We had the honor of hosting Judge Jackson at our Conference and Career Fair in 2015, where she shared words of encouragement and insight with hundreds of law students in attendance. Her historic confirmation further serves as an inspiration to the public interest law community and to all future passionate public service leaders. We hope this decision will foster greater diversity in the federal courts with more appointments who come from civil rights and public defender backgrounds.

Hundreds of friends and leaders from all corners of the legal community tuned in on October 12, 2021, for the Scales of Justice—a virtual event to support our mission, celebrate the work of our Fellows, and honor Brian Ellis, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Danaher Corporation, with the Scales of Justice Award.

Thanks to generous event sponsors and donors, we raised more than $3.3 million to support our efforts to mobilize a community of lawyers committed to public service and equal justice!

During the program, we highlighted Equal Justice Works Fellow Charlie J. Isaacs and the incredible work he is doing to protect tenants from landlord abuse and discrimination. We also heard from Fellow alumni Antonia Fasanelli, Diego Cartagena, Keegan Warren-Clem, Michael Pope, and Tirien Steinbach, who shared how their Fellowships launched their careers as public service leaders and how they are continuing to make an impact in our communities, our justice system, and our country.

We also heard from our 2021 Text-to-Give Fellow Fernanda Herrera Spieler, who spoke about how her parents’ experience as undocumented workers inspired her to fight for the rights of immigrants and ensure that all workers are equally protected by our justice system. In response, attendees texted in donations totaling more than $85,000 to fund one more 2022 Fellow who will pursue their passion to help people in need. 

A memorable moment in the program occurred when former board member Judge Ann Claire Williams (Ret.) popped in to celebrate two major milestones for Equal Justice Works—executive director David Stern’s 30 years of service, and the organization’s 35th anniversary.

During the program, attendees had the opportunity to watch 2021 Scales of Justice honoree Brian Ellis in conversation with Judge Williams. Brian reflected on his family values; discussed his commitment to pro bono work and diversity, equity, and inclusion; and offered the following advice to Fellows:

“Just keep doing what you’re doing. Keep pushing because without you making a difference, we would be in a difficult place in many spaces. Keep knocking it out of the park. We’re here to support you.”

The program was rounded out with special appearances from Danaher Corporation president and CEO Rainer M. Blair; Equal Justice Works board member and co-president of Greenberg Traurig, LLP, Ernest LaMont Greer; and 2021 Steering Committee member Gregg F. LoCascio, partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

Huge thanks to everyone who made this program possible: Champion of Justice sponsors Danaher Corporation, Greenberg Traurig, LLP, Kirkland & Ellis, Williams & Connolly LLP, and our other incredible event sponsors; the 2021 Steering Committee; and all who attended and supported The Scales of Justice!

Check out the full program here. 

The generosity and dedication of our community is helping to bring us closer to fulfilling our nation’s promise of equal justice for all.

The following letter was sent from David Stern, Equal Justice Works Executive Director, to the Equal Justice Community in response to the Department of Education’s recent announcement to overhaul the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. 

Dear Equal Justice Works Community,  

Yesterday was a historic day for our public service professionals, including public interest lawyers, relying on educational debt relief through Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). Educational debt is an obstacle that prevents many graduates from taking relatively low-paying public service jobs and staying in them, and Equal Justice Works has been working to address this issue since this organization was founded 35 years ago. The promise of PSLF is that a borrower can earn forgiveness following 10 years of full-time public service and on time loan payments. PSLF ensures that our nation can attract and retain qualified and passionate professionals in public health, public education, and public safety jobs that are critical to the wellbeing of our communities and country.

At last, we are seeing real and positive change from our advocacy and are thrilled that the Department of Education announced major changes to PSLF both to improve the program going forward and address the problems of the past.

The Department of Education announced that it will offer a time-limited waiver so that student borrowers can count payments from all federal loan programs or repayment plans toward forgiveness. This includes loan types and payment plans that were not previously eligible. The department promised to also pursue opportunities to automate PSLF eligibility, give borrowers a way to get errors corrected, and make it easier for members of the military to get credit toward forgiveness while they serve. These changes will be paired with an expanded communications campaign to ensure affected borrowers learn about these opportunities and encourage them to apply.

Up until this point, the Department of Education has rejected 98% of applicants for forgiveness.  Teachers, nurses, social workers, public service lawyers, doctors, and many others have relied on this program and then told that they did not have the right loans or the amounts paid were not exactly right (sometimes off by a penny), and many would have to start all over again. That is why this news is a huge victory for public service workers everywhere.

For those of you in the law school community, I urge you to share this news with your current law students, recent graduates, and alumni to ensure that those who might be eligible for this waiver enroll by October 31, 2022.

Read the Department of Education’s press release about the PSLF program overhaul here

The Disaster Resilience Program mobilizes Fellows (legal aid attorneys) and Student Fellows (law students) 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.

Twelve Fellows and twelve Student Fellows will join the second cohort of the Disaster Resilience Program and work full-time for two years at legal services organizations in New Mexico and Louisiana beginning October 2021. Fellows will help low-income families build economic security and disaster resilience in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Equal Justice Works will support the Fellows and Student Fellows, as well as the host organizations throughout the program duration.

The Disaster Resilience Program’s second cohort is funded by W.K. Kellogg Foundation, California Community Foundation, and supplemented by Equal Justice Works. 

Please see the full Request for Proposals (RFP) and accompanying appendices, Notice of Intent to apply (requested, not mandatory; response by September 6), and the host organization application (due October 8, 2021, new extended deadline) links below.  

Anyone unable to meet the deadline due to Hurricane Ida should reach out to us individually to ask for an extension at [email protected]. 

 *All 10 attachments/appendices for download also listed out on the application form* 

Resources

Before applying, please review the following materials:

• Host Organization Request for Proposals  
• Equal Justice Works Standard Grant Award Conditions for Non-Federal Grants (8)
• Sample Fellow Position Description (6)
• Disaster Resilience Program RFP Q&A

Templates & Forms

The following materials are required for submission:

• Applicant Information (1)
• Proposal Narrative (2)
• Budget Worksheet (3)
• Policy Certification (4)
• Certification for Data Privacy (5)
• Pre-award Survey (7)
• Risk Assessment Tool  (9)
• Financial Statements and IRS Form 

Application Forms

If you have any questions about the application process, please reach out to [email protected].  

David Stern to retire from Equal Justice Works, effective once a new executive director is in place

Kate Fritz, Vice Chair of the Equal Justice Works Board of Directors, to lead the Board of Directors’ Executive Director Search Committee

Equal Justice Works announced today that David Stern has decided to step down from his role as the organization’s executive director, effective upon the appointment and onboarding of his successor. Kate Fritz, Vice Chair of the Equal Justice Works Board of Directors, will chair the Board’s Executive Director Search Committee, which will conduct a national search for the next executive director of the organization.

“In his 30 years of service to this organization, David has had an immeasurable impact, enabling countless law students and lawyers to transform their passion for equal justice into a lifelong commitment to public service,” said Board Chair Ivan Fong. “His leadership has been truly transformative, and I am so grateful to have had the privilege of serving as Board Chair during David’s final years as Executive Director. Although I will be sad to see him depart the organization, David and the Board have long been committed to a successful transition plan, and we have full confidence in the strength of the Equal Justice Works Board of Directors, leadership team, staff, Fellows, and community.”

Under David’s leadership, Equal Justice Works’ budget grew from less than $2 million to more than $21 million, and from seven Fellows in 1993 to more than 200 Fellows in the field today. Significantly, 85% of the more than 2,500 Equal Justice Works alumni remain in public service.

David joined Equal Justice Works, then known as the National Association for Public Interest Law (NAPIL), in 1992 to establish a postgraduate fellowship program; in 1995, he was promoted to executive director. Supported by David’s leadership, Equal Justice Works has evolved into the nation’s largest facilitator of opportunities in public interest law. David will continue to serve as Executive Director at Equal Justice Works until a new executive director has been identified and is in place.

“I am energized and inspired by the law students and Fellows who have served over the past 30 years, and I have watched with such pride and gratitude as they emerged as passionate public service leaders,” said David. “They give me incredible hope for the future and fuel my own passion for this organization and its mission. I have had the good fortune to work with a great staff and Board of Directors who helped Equal Justice Works become the amazing organization it is today, with so much potential for its future. The organization is well positioned to welcome a new executive director.”

See David Stern’s full bio here.

The following letter was recently sent from Deans Garry W. Jenkins and William M. Treanor as members of the Equal Justice Works Board of Directors, notifying law schools about an increase in annual membership dues.

Deans –

We are writing as members of the Equal Justice Works Board of Directors to share with you that in a little more than one year (the 2022-2023 academic year), the organization is increasing its annual membership dues from $2,000 to $3,000. This will be the first increase in more than 10 years. The value Equal Justice Works provides for law schools and public interest-minded students we believe is a worthwhile investment.

As Law School Deans, we are all committed to guiding and supporting the next generation of attorneys who will shape the future of justice in our nation. The mission of Equal Justice Works is to create opportunities for lawyers to transform their passion for equal justice into a lifelong commitment to public service.

Approximately 90% of ABA-accredited law schools are members of Equal Justice Works, which provides students with access to valuable public interest resources and programs, including:

• The largest annual national public interest law conference and career fair
• Eligibility to apply to our flagship postgraduate fellowship programs
• Summer job opportunities including paid student fellowship positions
• Student debt and Public Service Loan Forgiveness webinars, trainings, and resources
• Personalized virtual and in-person school presentations about how to pursue an Equal Justice Works Fellowship and public interest law career
• Eligibility for our Regional Public Interest Awards, our Student Representative Program, and to serve on our National Advisory Committee

Through the generous support of member law schools, Equal Justice Works is able to offer these unique member benefits. While law school membership is a vital revenue source, Equal Justice Works also independently raises millions of dollars for summer and postgraduate fellowships for your students and graduates as well as to preserve Public Service Loan Forgiveness. As law school deans, we believe membership dues, even at its increased level, is a very good deal with a high return on investment.

From conversations within our community, we recognize that providing notice of this increase as early as possible is important and why we are announcing this increase a year in advance. This decision was made with careful consideration for member law schools and the value that we wish to continue to offer to you.

The value of your support can be seen in just a few examples of our shared impact:

• At the 2020 Conference and Career Fair, more than 2,600 law students attended virtually, participating in over 3,700 prescheduled interviews with over 170 public interest employers.
• Last year, 450 law students designed a fellowship project in partnership with a legal services organization, resulting in the selection of 85 Equal Justice Works Fellows.
• In partnership with the Legal Services Corporation, the Rural Summer Legal Corps has been an incredible summer opportunity for law students to address the civil legal needs of rural communities. Over the last six years, 190 students spent their summer serving rural areas across our nation.

As fellow Deans, we know these are challenging times and we are faced with many tough choices about allocation of resources. We also know that the benefits to our students, to our communities, and to our justice system are well worth the contribution we make to support Equal Justice Works. We are grateful for your continued commitment to public service and hopeful for your continued support of this vital organization.

Sincerely,

Garry W. Jenkins
Dean and William S. Pattee Professor of Law
University of Minnesota Law School

William M. Treanor
Executive Vice President,
Dean of the Law Center, and Professor of Law
Georgetown University Law Center

By Kristen Uhler-Mckeown, vice president of Fellowships at Equal Justice Works  

Each year, Equal Justice Works mobilizes hundreds of passionate public service leaders to improve access to justice nationwide through our Fellowship programs. One of our programs provides law students with an opportunity to design a two-year project in partnership with a legal services organization that addresses a critical legal need of an underserved community. Through the generous support we receive from individuals, law firms, companies, and foundations, we are able to fund these one-of-a-kind Fellowships focused on a range of pressing civil legal issues. 

The work that our Fellows do and the value their service provides to communities is simply immeasurable. These lawyers uplift lives and communities, helping to build a better, brighter future for everyone. We are inspired by all that they do to bring real and lasting change, and we are grateful to our community for supporting this invaluable work.  

We are pleased to share that thanks to the support and partnership of our community, we will increase our annual support to host organizations from $50,000 to $57,000 to be applied toward Fellow salary for those in the Design-Your-Own Fellowship program starting with the 2022 class of Fellows. 

This increase will also be reflected in the amount for a Fellow sponsorship, which is the first adjustment to sponsorship levels in five years. This is an opportunity for us to better meet the needs of our host organizations and our Fellows and is only possible thanks to the generous support we receive from our supporters.  

We believe a public interest career is valuable, and we will continue to find new opportunities to expand access to the field for all those who want to pursue their passion for public service and equal justice. As always, we are grateful to our community for championing our shared values and for helping us to make this change possible.  

Equal Justice Works, the nation’s largest facilitator of opportunities in public interest law, today announced the recipients of the 2021 Regional Public Interest Award, recognizing eight law students for their exemplary commitment to public interest law and pro bono work.

“It’s always an honor and an exciting time of year for us when we 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. “We are proud to recognize these law students who have gone above and beyond to serve their law school campuses and improve access to justice in the communities where they live.”

Chosen from 75 applications, 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. The award winners will receive a commemorative plaque and a monetary reward.

“My experiences in various organizations both inside the law school and outside of the law school in the Lawrence community and greater legal institution have shaped my values, beliefs, and who I am today,” said Bria Nelson, a third-year law student at the University of Kansas School of Law. “…While the fight for equality may never be won, I believe elevating the voices of those who are often not heard or misunderstood will push us further toward our goal. I plan to do just that throughout my public interest career.”

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.

For more than 30 years, Equal Justice Works has been facilitating opportunities for law students and lawyers to engage in public service and bring lasting change to underserved communities across our country. Today, we have more than 2,000 Fellows in our alumni network who continue to challenge systems of injustice, advocate for reform, and drive innovation following their Fellowships.

Our alumni are a critical part of our community and we want to ensure that we are creating opportunities for them to connect with one another, share their expertise, celebrate their accomplishments, and work with them to realize our vision of achieving our nation’s promise of equal justice for all. That’s why we are launching our Alumni Engagement Program, an initiative designed to support and foster lifelong connections with Equal Justice Works Fellows.

“Every day we are inspired when we hear about the ongoing impact of our alumni.  When we created our Fellowship programs nearly 30 years ago, we could not have imagined 85% of our Fellows would stay in public interest and become public service leaders,” said David Stern, executive director at Equal Justice Works. “Our Alumni Engagement Program will provide meaningful ways to stay connected and support our Fellows throughout their remarkable careers.”

From April 14 to 16, we will host a series of virtual events to reconnect and celebrate with our alumni community. These will include several networking opportunities—a kick-off celebration where attendees can learn more about our Alumni Engagement Program, a speed networking event with current Fellows, a panel discussion where alumni will reflect on their Fellowship experience, a meet-and-greet with current Fellows, and an appreciation event for all alumni volunteers.

“So many incredible careers have started with Equal Justice Works, and have been life-changing for both those served and the attorneys serving,” said Meghan Kempf, associate director of policy at Texas Health and Human Services Commission and 2012 Equal Justice Works Fellow. “Now, more than ever, our alumni group has a unique capability to promote collaborative and meaningful legal support for ongoing change and progress. The Alumni Engagement Program will serve as an invaluable opportunity to connect and realize this potential!”

As part of the launch, we are offering the following professional development opportunities:

• Webinar on navigating social identity in the workplace with Fairuz Abdullah, director of employer relations at UC Hastings College of Law.
• Training session on how to build a powerful presence on LinkedIn with Sameena Kluck, strategic account executive at LawGeex.
• Special conversation with Peabody Award winner Professor Evan Mandery of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, about the death penalty case Gregg v. Georgia, in recognition of the case’s upcoming 45th Anniversary.

For more information about the Alumni Engagement Program, launch events, and how you can get involved, please visit here and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter using the hashtags #EJWAlum and #EJWProud.