Renewed Commitments to the Promise of Equal Justice 2008 Annual Report
The mission of Equal Justice Works is to create a just society by mobilizing the next generation of lawyers committed to equal justice. For more than 20 years, Equal Justice Works has collaborated with the nation’s leading law schools, law firms, corporate legal departments, bar foundations and nonprofit organizations to provide the training and opportunities that enable attorneys to provide effective representation to vulnerable populations. We help law schools establish and strengthen public interest programs. We provide public service work experience, professional development and training for students and lawyers. We build strong support in the legal profession for public service through pro bono work and financial support.
On the cover:
Contents
Michelle Mendez Equal Justice Works Fellow CASA of Maryland, Inc. Baltimore, Maryland
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Commitments to the Promise
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Financial Position and Activities
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Sponsors and Fellows
Michelle Mendez provides direct representation to immigrant families, partners with law firms to bring impact litigation cases and collaborates with stakeholders from all sectors to improve a broken immigration system. In 2007, when Immigration Customs
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Institutional Supporters
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Individual Supporters
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Board of Directors and National Advisory Committee
take place across the country in cities and towns where immigrants may not know their
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Staff
rights or have anyone to defend them. Michelle’s work on this case has allowed three
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Equal Justice Works Across America
Enforcement (ICE) officers detained 24 men during a controversial raid in Baltimore, Michelle stepped up in their defense. Since people cannot be detained without reasonable suspicion, Michelle successfully challenged the agency’s seemingly random sweep for illegal immigrants, a violation of ICE’s stated procedures. Events like this
of the raid victims to file damage claims against the Department of Homeland Security and educated the public about the injustices sometimes involved in immigration raids.
Photos by John Harrington
Dear Friend of Equal Justice Works,
Our organization has a history of innovation and optimism during difficult and uncertain times – even during disasters. Take, for example, our Katrina Initiative that sent 19 lawyers to the Gulf Region just weeks after the hurricanes in 2005. In the current economy, every nonprofit faces challenges – increased demand for services and fewer resources to meet those needs. Because of strong commitments from our sponsors and donors, and a culture of stewardship in our use of resources, Equal Justice Works is in a far better situation than most nonprofit organizations. For that we are very thankful and more resolved than ever to enable the next generation of lawyers to work for justice in underserved communities. In looking at the achievements of 2008 described in this report as well as the challenges of the coming year, we have balanced reduced support in one area with growth in another. Due to the troubled economy, we will be able to support 48 new privately funded fellowships in 2009, down from 54 in 2008. But as private sponsorships plateau or even decline, federally funded national service is on the rise. Our goal is to grow our AmeriCorps Fellowship Program from 35 Fellows to more than 60. If successful, we will have more than 150 lawyers in the field in 2009 and beyond. Our challenge is to manage existing programs with limited resources while positioning ourselves to launch new initiatives. Some projects in development include an indigent defense fellowship program modeled after Teach for America, student debt relief outreach to keep up with overwhelming demand for more and better information on reducing barriers to public service, and a placement effort to make successful matches between deferred associates and public interest organizations. As you can see, the difficult economic climate has not limited our aspirations, and the need for legal services has never been greater. The foreclosure crisis, job losses and cuts in state funding have placed unprecedented pressures on already underserved communities. Thank you for joining us in the work to ensure that all Americans have access to quality legal representation. Now more than ever, the promise of equal justice under law matters.
Anastasia D. Kelly
David Stern
Chair of the Board of Directors
Chief Executive Officer
January 2009
Commitments to the Promise By the summer of 2008, it seemed certain that the economic downturn would have a substantial impact on legal services and the legal business in general. By the fall, despite the excitement and hope of the general election, what we initially hoped would be a short-lived crisis had evolved into a fundamental shift in the structure of the global economy. By the end of the year, law firms had laid off 2,000 attorneys and staff, and warned more layoffs would be coming. Even the most stable legal services organizations began to re-evaluate their goals due to dramatic declines in resources. At Equal Justice Works, the last year was full of unexpected challenges but also record accomplishments in several program areas. With the launch of a West Coast office and the implementation of legislation that provides public service loan forgiveness, we achieved two longstanding strategic goals. Here are program highlights and other achievements for the year. Creating Opportunities to Serve We created the Equal Justice Works Fellowship Program 17 years ago to address the shortage of attorneys working on behalf of underserved populations and causes. In the fall of 2008, 54 new Equal Justice Works Fellows joined an additional 54 already in the field. These 108 entrepreneurial public interest lawyers work in 20 states at 98 nonprofit organizations. The ongoing success of our fellowship program – the largest postgraduate legal fellowship program in the nation – is the result of many factors. Every year, hundreds of public interest-minded law students and recent graduates design two-year programs with nonprofits that have an intimate knowledge of the most critical needs of the community they serve. This innovative, community-based model for developing programs ensures they address the most timely, critical issues in our communities including foreclosures, homelessness, community economic development, immigration, civil rights, juvenile justice, employment rights, access to health care, consumer fraud and domestic violence.
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“Pro bono work among lawyers in South Dakota is rare so engaging law students is vital to sustaining legal services organizations. My project has increased law student involvement to 51 percent and helped provide legal assistance to thousands of residents.” Carrie Henrichsen AmeriCorps Legal Fellow Access to Justice Vermillion, South Dakota
The collaborative nature of funding and supporting the Fellows is another strength for the program, especially in difficult economic times. We bring together host organizations, public interest lawyers, law firms and corporate sponsors and other donors to provide Fellows with the resources they need and give underrepresented populations access to the justice system. Most Fellows remain in close contact with their sponsors throughout their terms, and many identify pro bono opportunities for sponsors within their projects. Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Legal Fellowships improve access to justice by increasing the availability of pro bono legal services nationwide to low-income clients. It is one of the most productive and highly regarded national service programs.
Calling in the Recruits For people in extreme poverty, legal representation can mean the difference between homelessness
Supported by an AmeriCorps grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service, the program is a postgraduate opportunity to address gaps in legal services through pro bono management and direct legal services. During 11-month fellowships, Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Legal Fellows recruit volunteer law students and lawyers and work to narrow the justice gap in health care, public benefits, affordable housing, lost wages, protection orders, education and other areas.
or shelter, between abuse and dignity, and
The program makes a lasting impact on the communities it serves by facilitating pro bono opportunities and expanding the legal resources in low-income and underserved communities.
equal access to justice often means access to
During the 2007–2008 term of service, the 35 Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Legal Fellows worked at 20 legal services agencies around the country. They represented more than 17,000 clients on pressing legal matters and partnered with 400 organizations to build community infrastructure. They enlisted more than 1,600 pro bono lawyers and recruited more than 2,300 law students to assist in providing legal services to low-income communities.
support their families despite their economic
between education and hopelessness. As an Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Legal Fellow, Carrie Henrichsen engages law students and attorneys by creating pro bono opportunities in South Dakota. Carrie recently coordinated a Family Law Clinic for low-income clients whose cases had been deemed “non-urgent” and, therefore, not eligible for legal assistance. Knowing that quality legal help, a team of attorneys and law students worked together to help clients escape domestic violence, protect their children and challenges. In a state where a relatively small percentage of lawyers participate in pro bono work, Carrie is having a transformational impact on legal services in South Dakota. Pictured above are AmeriCorps Legal Fellows Sam Senft, Carrie Henrichsen, Bethany Hamilton, Jorge Tormes and Marisol Haro.
2008 ANNUAL REPORT
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“As a seventh-generation native of New Orleans, I care deeply about the future of my community. Most of my work is devoted to enforcing the Fair Housing Act, reminding developers that the devastation of the Gulf after the hurricanes didn’t mean that they could ignore the needs of the poor and the disabled.” Morgan Williams Equal Justice Works Fellow Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center New Orleans, Louisiana
The Other Housing Crisis Even before natural disasters devastated the Gulf Coast, the lack of affordable housing was an acute problem for tens of thousands of residents in New Orleans. From negotiating new terms with lenders to ensuring safe living conditions for tenants, Morgan Williams is helping to stabilize neighborhoods in the areas hardest hit by the hurricanes and the recession, and offering hope to clients. He works to make sure that people with disabilities have places to live in post-Katrina New Orleans. This was especially vital for “Tracy,” a single mother of a four-year-old disabled girl. Tracy was unable to work because she had to care for her daughter and was then denied housing because she didn’t have a job. Morgan brought an enforcement action that secured a place for Tracy and her daughter to live. Each day, the work of Morgan and other Fellows helps disadvantaged clients find and retain shelter for themselves and their families. Pictured above are Fellows Remy De La Peza, Julia Martin, Morgan Williams and Andrew Sta. Ana.
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Providing public interest opportunities to law students practically guarantees career-long commitments to public service. The Equal Justice Works Summer Corps program engages law students around the country who are working to expand the delivery of legal services to those who need it most. Summer Corps is another AmeriCorps-funded program that, in 2008, provided over 330 law students with the opportunity to dedicate their summers to public service at qualifying nonprofit and public interest legal organizations. Members worked at hundreds of nonprofit public service organizations in 37 states and the District of Columbia. They directly assisted over 18,000 individuals and families in need of legal services, and represented more than 100 Equal Justice Works member law schools.
Promoting the Public Service Ethic Many students enter law school with a desire to do some form of public service but have those aspirations dampened by a climate of competition among students, the scarcity of public interest employers in on-campus recruiting and a curriculum that generally has little to do with contemporary injustices. Some public interestminded students complain after their first year of law school that they feel isolated and disillusioned. To counter these influences, we partner with law schools to find ways to make public service a part of every law student’s education. In 2008, 196 law schools – including nearly all of the ABA accredited schools – were members of our organization. In recent years, many of these schools have made great strides in encouraging public service among students, and leaders in the legal education field have helped to shape the priorities of our industry. This year, the annual Equal Justice Works Conference and Career Fair set a record for attendance with 1,200 law students and lawyers exploring career options with leading nonprofit organizations as well as select government agencies.
Working with Harris Interactive, we re-engineered the survey for the Equal Justice Works Guide to Law Schools, a free interactive online resource that describes public service opportunities, curricula and financial programs at law schools in the United States. The result of a unique collaboration between Equal Justice Works and participating schools, the guide fills a void in existing commercial law school rankings. A third edition of the guide will be launched in fall 2009.
Building National Reach In March, we achieved a longstanding organizational goal when we launched Equal Justice Works/West in California, our first office outside of Washington, DC. Already, our commitment to narrowing the justice gap in the state has resulted in supporting 130 Equal Justice Works Fellows and 85 AmeriCorps Legal Fellows. These lawyers joined nonprofit organizations throughout the state to assist underserved communities, causes and individuals, ranging from direct services groups to children’s rights organizations to the American Civil Liberties Union. In the fall of 2008, 31 Equal Justice Works Lawyers were working in legal services and advocacy organizations in California. An additional 58 law students served in the Equal Justice Works Summer Corps program in California, accounting for over 17 percent of the slots in the annual program. Equal Justice Works/West is part of a strategy to strengthen existing programs and expand the reach of the organization’s efforts on the West Coast. The office is still less than a year old but has seen great progress in supporting Equal Justice Works lawyers in California through training and coordination; providing programming for alumni, sponsors, law schools and host organizations; and overseeing the fellowship selection process for candidates on the West Coast.
Keeping Lawyers in the Movement Surveys of Equal Justice Works Fellows tell us that more than three out of four remain in public service following their fellowships. Many of them find new streams of funding so that projects continue beyond the two-year duration of their fellowships, and others assume leadership roles in nonprofit organizations. The capacity to ensure a sustainable pipeline of talented and trained lawyers involved in public service is central to our mission of mobilizing the next generation of public interest law leaders.
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“Do we believe as a people that all children deserve quality health care? I think so, and I work with immigrant families to ensure that they can access the care they need. When parents know their rights they can protect their children: adults’ understandable fear of deportation need not impact children’s health.” Cristina Dacchille Equal Justice Works Fellow Medical-Legal Partnership | Boston Boston, Massachusetts
Matters of Life and Health Unequal access to basic care condemns low-
To maintain the momentum, in the last year we began to re-engage program alumni in the ongoing work of the organization and initiated ongoing communications with more than 900 former program participants around the nation. Some alumni report that their fellowships were the single most important influence in their professional development – more significant than even their law school experience – because it helped to launch their careers. In 2008, we began to enlist the support of alumni for the benefit of current Fellows by engaging more alumni in training and resource development.
income people to unfair and unhealthy living conditions, health disparities, and in some cases,
Reducing the Barriers to Public Service
death. Cristina Dacchille works to bring about
Equal Justice Works has been a leading advocate for the creation and expansion of loan repayment assistance programs on law school campuses. In the past year, we took a leadership role in educating students and their advisors on the provisions of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act.
systemic change in Massachusetts while helping individual clients overcome medical and legal challenges. One client, “Lara Gomez,” was born with disabilities that required the use of a catheter to empty her bladder. A misinformed advocate told Lara’s parents that the family would be deported if they sought health insurance, a common misconception among immigrant populations. As a result, Lara’s parents worked two jobs each to pay for their daughter’s treatment, even resorting to reusing catheters. Cristina provided the Gomez family with accurate legal information about their rights and their child’s right to health insurance. Their fears assuaged, the Gomezes then authorized Cristina to help Lara access the Children’s Medical Security Plan to receive the medical supplies that her condition required and that she deserved. Pictured above are Equal Justice Works Fellows Cristina Dacchille, Neerav Kingsland, Leah Jensen, Katherine DeBriere and Gregory Pleasants.
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The new law has changed the landscape around loan repayment assistance programs and represents a major breakthrough in coping with student debt. The result will be an increase in the number of students who can make public service a viable career option. We have dramatically increased our outreach work in this area and last fall began an outreach campaign to increase awareness of the income-based repayment and public service loan forgiveness provisions of the bill among law students and their advisors as well as public interest lawyers who may benefit from the full implementation of the law in 2009. ++
Financial Position and Activities Year ended June 30, 2008
Assets
2008
2007
Current Assets Cash and Cash Equivalents Grants and Pledges Receivable Accrued Interest Receivable Prepaid Expenses Other Current Assets Total Current Assets
$1,165,589 3,138,358 33,486 150,971 4,991 $4,493,395
$1,207,688 2,724,356 30,203 99,133 – $4,061,380
Investments
8,142,242
8,500,411
Property and Equipment, Net
182,727
224,460
Deposits
30,250
42,855
Total Assets
$12,848,614
$12,829,106
Current Liabilities Accounts Payable & Accrued Expenses Accrued Salaries and Benefits Refundable Advances and Sponsorships Other Liabilities Total Liabilities
$222,894 211,687 1,007,500 182,238 $1,624,319
$367,727 188,931 845,847 204,709 $1,607,214
Net Assets Unrestricted: Undesignated Designated Total Unrestricted
$5,364,385 1,593,223 6,957,608
$4,790,862 2,559,177 7,350,039
Temporarily Restricted Permanently Restricted Total Net Assets
3,801,780 464,907 11,224,295
3,406,946 464,907 11,221,892
Total Liabilities and Net Assets
$12,848,614
$12,829,106
Law Firms Bar Associations Foundations Corporations Other Grants Federal Grants Annual Dinner and Events Investment Income Membership and Dues Individuals & Other Income
$2,682,907 397,500 1,170,000 276,000 1,686,633 1,215,677 1,837,083 (315,954) 269,500 300,928
$2,304,594 331,500 1,038,879 268,045 1,500,000 1,125,017 1,695,405 1,162,791 276,500 242,756
Total Revenues
$9,520,274
$9,945,487
Fellowships Program AmeriCorps Program Katrina Project Law School Fundraising Communications Management and General
$4,881,421 1,125,036 495,026 884,969 850,280 366,488 914,651
$4,657,885 1,379,766 635,901 864,178 947,554 251,197 889,735
Total Expenses
$9,517,871
$9,626,216
Addition to Net Assets
$2,403
$319,271
Liabilities and Net Assets
Revenue
Expenses
2008 ANNUAL REPORT
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Sponsors and Fellows
Each year, leading law firms, corporations and private foundations generously sponsor Equal Justice Works Fellows working across the country on the frontlines of public interest law in the areas of domestic violence, homelessness, community economic development, immigration, civil rights, juvenile justice, employment rights, access to health care, consumer fraud, environmental justice and other critical issues. Sponsors of Fellows working in the field in 2008 included:
The Chicago Bar Foundation Jarrett Knox Legal Aid Bureau of Metropolitan Family Services Nora Phillips Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago Rachel Shapiro Equip for Equality CIGNA Foundation Jessa Barnard Law Foundation of Silicon Valley Contra Costa County Bar Association Samantha Sepehr John F. Kennedy University Elder Law Clinic Crowell & Moring Foundation Kaitlin Dunne ACLU of the National Capital Area Kathleen Laskey-Donovan D.C. Employment Justice Center Davis Polk & Wardwell Heidi Altman Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem
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Sponsor Fellow Host Organization *Katrina Legal Fellow, supported with a generous matching grant from the JEHT Foundation.
AIG Lexie Kuznick Urban Justice Center Nicole Prenoveau Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch American Gateways Theodore Roethke Asian Law Caucus Carolyn Seugling National Center for Refugee and Immigrant Children Jessa Wilcox The Legal Aid Society Arnold & Porter LLP Talia Inlender Public Counsel Natalie Nanasi Tahirih Justice Center Carmen Maria Rey Sanctuary for Families Association of Corporate Counsel Neerav Kingsland New Schools for New Orleans Reilly Morse* Mississippi Center for Justice Baker & McKenzie Jackie Bliss Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights Coalition Sam Tepperman-Gelfant Public Advocates, Inc. Bill Brockett Public Interest Fellowship Tracye Walker Legal Aid of Arkansas Kristin M. Wenstrom Innocence Project New Orleans Bingham McCutchen LLP Sharon Balmer Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles Linnea Forsythe Bay Area Legal Aid Eunice C. Lee ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project Anjali Waikar ACLU of Massachusetts
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Debevoise & Plimpton LLP Sarah McMorris Marcello* Southeast Louisiana Legal Services DLA Piper Michelle Mendez CASA of Maryland, Inc. Lea Weems Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago Family of Hyman Edelman Emily Teplin Minnesota Disability Law Center Bruce J. Ennis Foundation Jeffrey Pearlman Public Knowledge Fannie Mae Marie Bedford Legal Aid and Defender Association, Inc. Andrew Canter Mississippi Center for Justice Bethany Yue-Ping Li Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund Morgan Williams Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center Fenwick & West LLP Greta Hansen ACLU of Northern California FJC, A Foundation of Donor Advised Funds Edward De Barbieri Urban Justice Center Gowri Krishna Urban Justice Center The Florida Bar Champagne Girten Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc. Leisa Morrill-Wintz Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida Ariel Patterson Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Inc. The Florida Bar Foundation Mariam Ahmedani Gulfcoast Legal Services, Inc. Cristina Casabianca Legal Aid Service of Broward County, Inc. Sharon Caserta Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Inc. Laura Chilcutt Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center Kelleen Corrigan Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center Katy DeBriere Florida Institutional Legal Services Champagne Girten Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc. Virginia Hamner Florida Institutional Legal Services Steckley L. Lee Florida Institutional Legal Services Leisa Morrill-Wintz Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida Ariel Patterson Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Inc. Kira Romero-Craft Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association, Inc.
Ford & Harrison LLP Aisha C. Saeed Georgia State University College of Law
Greg Landis & Ann LoGerfo Chorisia Folkman TeamChild
Greenberg Traurig, LLP Mariam Ahmedani Gulfcoast Legal Services, Inc. Marissa Band Community Legal Aid Society, Inc. Heidi Boas Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington Sarah Bookbinder Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Rebecca Brink Health Law Advocates Sharon Caserta Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Inc. Dalia Castillo-Granados Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston Laura Chilcutt Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center Jami Cornish Community Legal Services Kelleen Corrigan Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center Remy De La Peza Public Counsel Marissa Dodson Georgia Justice Project Anya Emerson New York Legal Assistance Group Glinnesa Gailliard Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York, Inc. Rachel Garland Community Legal Services of Philadelphia Champagne Girten Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc. Adam M. Gordon Fair Share Housing Center, Inc. Crisanne Hazen Legal Advocates for Children and Youth Dennis Hsieh Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County Veena Iyer Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago Ingrid Jean-Baptiste Support Center for Child Advocates Jennifer Luczkowiak Law Foundation of Silicon Valley Amy Mulzer The Legal Aid Society Ambika Panday Greater Boston Legal Services Olga Porven University of Miami School of Law Amy Reichbach ACLU of Massachusetts Amy Roehl MFY Legal Services, Inc. Kira Romero-Craft Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association, Inc. Andrea Saenz Political Asylum/Immigration Representation Project (PAIR) Candice Sirmon* Advocacy Center Madison Sloan* Texas Appleseed Margaret Wakelin Equip for Equality
Latham & Watkins LLP Elizabeth Fischer Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem Silvana Naguib Equip for Equality Summer Stech Legal Aid Society of San Diego, Inc. Ranie Thompson* Southeast Louisiana Legal Services
Incisive Media Maria Hernandez South Jersey Legal Services, Inc. Tara Leaman Our Place, DC Erin Shea McCann Columbia Legal Services Jenner & Block LLP Jessa Barnard Law Foundation of Silicon Valley Kaye Scholer LLP Elizabeth Tossell The Children’s Law Center John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Laura Chilcutt Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center Dennis Hsieh Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County Leah Rachel Jensen Community Legal Aid Services Laura Sminchak Ohio State Legal Services Association
Leonard, Street and Deinard Emily Teplin Minnesota Disability Law Center McDermott Will & Emery Randi Levine Advocates for Children of New York Lia Monahon Children’s Law Center of Massachusetts, Inc. Lori Turner Roger Baldwin Foundation of ACLU, Inc. Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo P.C. Frances Yeatts* Mississippi Center for Legal Services Morgan Miller Blair Cassandra Lopez Centro Legal de la Raza Noah Zinner Bay Area Legal Aid Morgan Stanley David Palmer New York Lawyers for the Public Interest The Morrison & Foerster Foundation Emily Berger Alliance for Children’s Rights Courtney Bolin Nash Legal Aid Society of San Diego, Inc. Laura Daly Lawyers for Children Kristin Link Legal Services of Northern California Alexis A. McLeod Public Law Center Jennifer Podkul Ayuda, Inc. Fiza Quraishi National Center for Youth Law Claire Ramsey Child Care Law Center Alice Rosenthal Advocates for Children of New York Hayley Upshaw Legal Services for Children Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP Rachel Kleinberg Public Counsel Sara Pezeshkpour Kunkel Housing Rights Center Meliah Schultzman National Housing Law Project Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation Tomar Brown Legal Aid Society of Cleveland Maureen Foley Community Legal Aid Services Elizabeth Grieser Ohio State Legal Services Association Kristen Henry Equal Justice Foundation Leah Rachel Jensen Community Legal Aid Services Eugenio Mollo Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc. Andrew Neuhauser Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc. Abigail Pound Pro Seniors, Inc. Katherine Rogers The Legal Aid Society of Columbus Ashley Saltzman The Legal Aid Society of Columbus Tracy Simmons The Legal Aid Society of Columbus Laura Sminchak Ohio State Legal Services Association Elizabeth Tull Legal Aid Society of Southwest Ohio Melissa Will Ohio State Legal Services Association Caitlin Williams Community Refugee & Immigration Services, Inc.
Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP Edward De Barbieri Urban Justice Center Gowri Krishna Urban Justice Center
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Sponsors and Fellows continued
Ohio State Bar Foundation Hurricane Katrina Legal Relief Fund Maria Luisa Mercado* Lone Star Legal Aid Pfizer Inc Nicholas Carlisle Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program Cristina Dacchille Medical-Legal Partnership | Boston Erica Pun Legal Aid of San Mateo County Laura Redman National Center for Law and Economic Justice Rosanna Roizin The Center for Family Representation Kendra Thomas Advocacy, Inc. Jamie Xiong Central California Legal Services Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP Sienna Baskin Urban Justice Center Alexander Saingchin Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP Foundation Koert Wehberg New York Lawyers for the Public Interest Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. Atlee Reilly Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services Seattle University School of Law Erin Shea McCann Columbia Legal Services
Anonymous Monica Ashiku South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project Cary Brege Legal Aid of North Carolina Ingrid Brostrom Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment Seok Choi Virginia Justice Center Allison Guttu National Advocates for Pregnant Women Sarah Leberstein National Employment Law Project Tiffany Mercado New Mexico Legal Aid Gregory Legare Pleasants Mental Health Advocacy Services, Inc. Catherine Sakimura National Center for Lesbian Rights Andrew Sta. Ana Sanctuary for Families Anne Tamar-Mattis Institute for Intersex Children and the Law Phoebe Taubman A Better Balance: The Work and Family Legal Center
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Sponsor Fellow Host Organization *Katrina Legal Fellow, supported with a generous matching grant from the JEHT Foundation.
The Sher Family Foundation Margaret Kwoka Public Citizen Litigation Group Sony Electronics Inc. Kriste Draper Children’s Advocacy Institute Steptoe & Johnson LLP Lynsay Gott World Organization for Human Rights USA Friends & Family of Philip M. Stern Elizabeth Cumming Capital Appeals Project Derek Teaney Appalachian Center for the Economy and the Environment Sullivan & Cromwell LLP Lexie Kuznick Urban Justice Center Vivian Lehrer Urban Justice Center Nicole Prenoveau Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A Sutherland Rebeca Ellen Salmon Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, Inc. Texas Access to Justice Foundation Jessica Alas Montgomery County Women’s Center Helena Coronado-Salazar Equal Justice Center, Inc. Ramey Ko Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, Inc. Jennifer Landau Diocesan Migrant and Refugee Services, Inc. Dustin Rynders Advocacy, Inc. David Sadegh Lone Star Legal Aid Corinna Spencer-Scheurich Texas Civil Rights Project Amber VanSchuyver Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, Inc. Jacob Wedemeyer Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, Inc. Colleen Wisdom Advocacy, Inc. The Westchester County Bar Foundation, Inc. Karen Tenenbaum Legal Services of the Hudson Valley
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Open Society Institute In 1997, with the support of a substantial matching grant from the Open Society Institute, the Fellowship Program was expanded to encourage partnerships between law firms, corporations and public interest organizations. As a result, in 1998 Equal Justice Works Fellowships became the nation’s largest postgraduate legal fellowship program with 86 fellows. At the end of 2008, 108 Equal Justice Works Fellows were providing essential legal services to underserved individuals and communities.
Corporation for National and Community Service
In addition to private and foundation sponsors, since 2003 Equal Justice Works has partnered with AmeriCorps to improve access to justice by increasing the availability of pro bono legal services. The Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Legal Fellows working in the field in 2008 included: Access to Justice Carrie Henrichsen Daniel Leon Advocates for Basic Legal Equality Anneliese Gryta Julia Martin Lindsey Ruschival Katina Werner Asian Pacific American Legal Center Lulu Amador Nam-Pho Nguyen Theresa Tran Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program Deyanira Silva Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles Gurdeep Dhaliwal Fernando Flores Legal Aid Society of Columbus Emily Smith Legal Assistance of Western New York Alissa Baader Tahira Bland Bethany Hamilton Kelly McGovern Natalie Pincus
Louisiana Bar Foundation Rebekah Caruthers Caroline Johnson Kathleen McNelis Amanda Rogers Medical Legal Partnership for Children Sam Senft Mississippi Center for Justice Chanda Roby Mississippi Center for Legal Services Carole Tingle Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project Shalanda Hudson Leigh Ann Tingle Montana Legal Services Association Lori Gradwell Joseph Hardgrave Tonya Herring Jonathan Morgan Chuck Munson Pro Bono Project – New Orleans Rebecca Aledort Julie Jochum
Public Interest Clearinghouse Salena Copeland Kelly Friscia O’Brien Phyra McCandless Yvette Saddik Public Law Center Rebeca Canales Leigh Ferrin Kristen Lara Neda Sargordan Southeast Louisiana Legal Services Amanda Furst Amanda Golob Three Rivers Legal Services Patricia Antonucci Deanna Coates Summer Griggs Carolyn Jones Debra Rosenbluth Jorge Tormes Whitney Untiedt Volunteer Legal Services Program Cormac Kilgallen Allison Stone Porcia Thurston
Public Counsel Banafsheh Amirzadeh Marisol Haro Christine Khalili-Borna Amrita Mallik Kris Peterson
Summer Corps In addition to the postgraduate legal fellowships, another partnership between Equal Justice Works and AmeriCorps is Summer Corps. Each year we engage 350 law students at nonprofit legal aid organizations where they spend a summer serving underrepresented individuals, communities and causes.
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Institutional Supporters Equal Justice Works acknowledges the generosity of the following institutions that made pledges or contributions totaling $2,500 or more during the period July 1, 2007, through December 31, 2008. $1,000,000 and above Corporation for National & Community Service JEHT Foundation Open Society Institute $500,000 – $999,999 Greenberg Traurig, LLP $250,000 – $499,999 Fannie Mae The Ford Foundation The Morrison & Foerster Foundation Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation Texas Access to Justice Foundation $100,000 – $249,999 AIG Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP Arnold & Porter Foundation Arnold & Porter LLP Bingham McCutchen LLP $50,000 – $99,999 Association of Corporate Counsel Baker & McKenzie Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP The Chicago Bar Foundation Covington & Burling LLP Davis Polk & Wardwell Debevoise & Plimpton LLP Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP Jenner & Block LLP $25,000 – $49,999 Bill Brockett Public Interest Fellowship Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP CIGNA Foundation Contra Costa County Bar Association Crowell & Moring Foundation Crowell & Moring LLP Danaher Corporation Duff & Phelps, LLC Bruce J. Ennis Foundation Fenwick & West LLP Fidelity Investments Fish & Richardson P.C. The Florida Bar
National Justice Partners National Justice Partners is a valuable network of donors that support Equal Justice Works events with a generous gift of at least $50,000 annually.
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DLA Piper The Florida Bar Foundation Incisive Media John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Latham & Watkins LLP
Microsoft Corporation Pfizer Inc Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
Kaye Scholer LLP KPMG LLP Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP McDermott Will & Emery Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP Foundation Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP Sutherland Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP Williams & Connolly LLP
Ford & Harrison LLP General Electric Company Heller Ehrman LLP K&L Gates Kirkland & Ellis LLP Mayer Brown LLP Morgan Miller Blair Ohio State Bar Foundation Hurricane Katrina Legal Relief Fund Quinn Emanuel Urquhart Oliver & Hedges, LLP Reed Smith LLP Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.
Sara Lee Corporation Seattle University School of Law Sidley Austin LLP Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP Steptoe & Johnson LLP Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz The Walt Disney Company The Westchester County Bar Foundation, Inc. WilmerHale Winston & Strawn LLP
AIG Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP DLA Piper Greenberg Traurig, LLP Incisive Media KPMG
Pfizer Inc Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
$10,000 – $24,999 Alston & Bird LLP Altria Group, Inc. Amin, Turocy & Calvin, LLP Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP Cooley Godward Kronish LLP Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP Cuneo Gilbert & LaDuca, L.L.P. Davis Wright Tremaine LLP Deutsche Bank Americas Dickstein Shapiro LLP The Feinberg Group, LLP FJC, A Foundation of Donor Advised Funds Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP General Mills, Inc. Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP Gilbert Oshinsky LLP Hewlett-Packard Company HIRECounsel
Holland & Knight LLP Howrey LLP Intel Corporation International Paper Company Ivins, Phillips & Barker Jackson Lewis LLP Johnson & Johnson Kilpatrick Stockton LLP King & Spalding LLP Leonard, Street and Deinard LexisNexis® Martindale-Hubbell® Littler Mendelson, P.C. Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo P.C. Montgomery, McCracken, Walker & Rhoads, LLP Morgan Stanley Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP Navigant Consulting, Inc. Nixon Peabody LLP O’Melveny & Myers LLP Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP Proskauer Rose LLP Schering-Plough Corporation Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P. Southern Company Troutman Sanders LLP UPS Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman & Dicker LLP Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC Workman Nydegger
$5,000 – $9,999 Baker Botts L.L.P. Beveridge & Diamond, P.C. Blank Rome LLP Cabaniss, Johnson, Gardner, Dumas & O’Neal LLP CIGNA Corporation Cisco Systems Inc. Clifford Chance US LLP The Clorox Company
Freddie Mac Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP Goldman, Sachs & Co. Hogan & Hartson LLP The Home Depot Hunton & Williams LLP Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore LLC Mehri & Skalet, PLLC Mitratech Holdings, Inc.
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP PEPCO Public Welfare Foundation Ropes & Gray LLP The Sturdevant Law Firm Susman Godfrey LLP TIAA-CREF White & Case LLP
$2,500 – $4,999 Arent Fox PLLC Bondurant Mixson & Elmore, LLP Boston Trust & Investment Management Company The Coca-Cola Company Girardi & Keese
Jones Day Klarquist Sparkman, LLP Levick Strategic Communications Milberg LLP Perkins Coie LLP Riddell Williams PS
RK Auto Socha, Perczak, Setter & Anderson, P.C. Tucker Ellis & West Woodcock Washburn
Cy Pres Awards
Mark Chavez Chavez & Gertler LLP
We are grateful to the following individuals and firms that provided cy pres awards to Equal Justice Works in 2007 and 2008 to support our work in public interest.
Reed R. Kathrein Hagens Berman Sobol & Shapiro LLP formerly with Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins LLP Michael D. Mulvaney Maynard Cooper & Gale PC Keith F. Park Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins LLP
Equal Justice Works is grateful for every gift and fortunate to have a broad base of institutional supporters that are too numerous to list in the space available. We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our donor lists. Please bring any omissions or errors to our attention.
2008 ANNUAL REPORT
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Individual Supporters Equal Justice Works acknowledges the generosity of the following individuals who made pledges or contributions totaling $500 or more during the period July 1, 2007, through December 31, 2008. $100,000 and above Anonymous $50,000 – $99,999 Anonymous
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$25,000 – $49,999 Marc Gary James L. & Eleanor D. Henderson III Anastasia D. Kelly
Kim Koopersmith Estate of Robert H. Preiskel The Sher Family Foundation
Friends & Family of Philip M. Stern Allen P. Waxman
$10,000 – $24,999 Anonymous Mary Rose Alexander & Timothy J. Gilfoyle Cesar L. Alvarez Judith Areen David M. Brodsky John P. “Sean” Coffey
Eldon H. “Took” Crowell Family of Hyman Edelman The Honorable Sven Erik Holmes Irene McPhail Donn P. Pickett Allen and Linda Saeks Family Foundation
Amy W. Schulman David Stern & Tracey Hughes Helen B. Stern Beth A. Wilkinson & David Gregory
$5,000 – $9,999 Katherine Borsecnik & Gene Weil Mark Chandler Stephen A. Cozen
Pamela B. Gilbert & Charles R.E. Lewis III Eric S. Koenig & Amy Schwartz Carol Ann Petren
Marc M. Seltzer James C. Sturdevant
$2,500 – $4,999 David R. & Rozan M. Andrews Peter M. & Lucy Ascoli Benjamin G. Edelman Daniel B. & Toby S. Edelman Peter B. & Marian Wright Edelman
David & Resa Eppler Jamie S. Gorelick & Richard E. Waldhorn Thomas A. Gottschalk Susan J. Hackett & Richard E. Hagerty Benjamin W. Heineman Jr.
Greg Landis & Ann LoGerfo William H. Pratt Laura Stein
$1,000 – $2,499 Eugene Assaf Eleanor Banister Martha Bergmark & Elliott Andalman Allen D. Black John Boland & James Carroll Donald A. & Ann W. Brown Russell J. Bruemmer Monique Korn Buckles Michael G. & Linda S. Caudell-Feagan Cait Clarke Mr. & Mrs. F. David Clarke Keith S. & Elizabeth Parker Crow John W. Dyess Michael J. Egan III Kevin Evanich Marcia Feola Marc L. Fleischaker
Brian E. & Marcy Frosh Barry Goldstein Jeff Graddy Eric H. Holder Jr. Paul & Louann Igasaki Michael D. Jones Deborah R. Jospin Ann M. Kappler Tom Kornbluh Rachel Kronowitz & Mark Lewis Karen Lash Daryl A. Libow Sacha Lindekens Paul J. Murphy Lawrence S. Ottinger & Cinthia H. Schuman William J. Perlstein
Stephen & Ruth Pollak Steve Rumery Catherine Samuels Dena Sher Emily J. Spitzer Henry D. & Paula L. Stern Thomas A. Troyer Mark Tushnet Barbara A. Uhler The Honorable Patricia M. Wald & Robert L. Wald Scott Wallace The Honorable Ann Claire Williams Mark & Alicia Wittink Jeffrey D. & Mary M. Zients Andrew T. Zovko
$500 – $999 Michael G. Allen Donald Baer Janell Byrd-Chichester Martha M. Ertman Diane Fuchs & Ron Simon Caitlin Halligan Frank Holozubiec Donald G. Kempf Jr.
Carolyn N. Lerner & Dwight P. Bostwick Seth D. Levy Deborah Lewis Marjorie Lindblom Abbe David Lowell Daniel K. Mayers Alan Morrison James M. & Virginia W. Newmyer
Joseph & Margot Onek Howard Pearl Michael A. Rothenberg Stephen Schaetzel Richard A. Schneider Daniel L. and Lisbeth B. Schorr Wayne A. Schrader Susan P. Willens
EQU AL JU S TI CE WORKS
Equal Justice Works is grateful for every gift and fortunate to have a broad base of individual supporters who are too numerous to list in the space available. We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our donor lists. Please bring any omissions or errors to our attention.
Board of Directors
National Advisory Committee
Anastasia D. Kelly, Chair AIG, New York, NY Allen P. Waxman, Vice Chair Kaye Scholer LLP, New York, NY Pamela B. Gilbert, Secretary Cuneo Gilbert & LaDuca, LLP, Washington, DC Cesar L. Alvarez, Treasurer Greenberg Traurig, LLP, Miami, FL Sabrina Andrus Seattle University Law School ‘08, Washington, DC Ramon P. Arias Bay Area Legal Aid, Oakland, CA Martha Bergmark Mississippi Center for Justice, Jackson, MS David M. Brodsky Latham & Watkins LLP, New York, NY Kathleen Clyde The Ohio State University, Michael E. Moritz College of Law ‘08, Colombus, OH Marc Gary Fidelity Investments, Boston, MA James L. Henderson III Sutherland, Atlanta, GA The Honorable Sven E. Holmes KPMG LLP, New York, NY Mandy Hu New York University School of Law ‘08, Brooklyn, NY Kim Koopersmith Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, New York, NY Larry D. Kramer Stanford Law School, Stanford, CA Carol Ann Petren CIGNA Corporation, Philadelphia, PA Donn P. Pickett Bingham McCutchen LLP, San Francisco, CA Amy W. Schulman Pfizer Inc, New York, NY Marc M. Seltzer Susman Godfrey LLP, Los Angeles, CA Laura Stein The Clorox Company, Oakland, CA James C. Sturdevant The Sturdevant Law Firm, San Francisco, CA Jessica Sutton Boston University School of Law ‘09, Brooklyn, NY The Honorable David S. Tatel Washington, DC Stacy Tolos Emory School of Law ‘10, Atlanta, GA Gerald Torres The University of Texas School of Law, Austin, TX Beth A. Wilkinson Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, Washington, DC The Honorable Ann Claire Williams U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, Chicago, IL Morgan Williams Tulane University School of Law ‘07, New Orleans, LA
Sabrina Andrus Class of 2008, Seattle University School of Law, Seattle, WA Malissa Barnwell-Scott Student Programs Advisor, Office of Public Service, University of Southern California Law School, Los Angeles, CA Laurie Barron Director, Feinstein Institute for Legal Service, Roger Williams University School of Law, Bristol, RI Kathleen Clyde Class of 2008, The Ohio State University – Michael E. Moritz College of Law, Columbus, OH Susan Feathers Executive Director of the John and Terry Levin Center for Public Service and Public Interest Law, Stanford Law School, Stanford, CA Annie Goldman Career Counselor, Tulane University School of Law, New Orleans, LA Taylor Healy Class of 2010, Villanova University School of Law, Bryn Mawr, PA Shijuade Kadree Class of 2010, Emory University School of Law, Atlanta, GA Aliza Kaplan Instructor of Law, Brooklyn Law School, Brooklyn, NY Bridget Kenadjian Assistant Director of Career and Professional Development, William Mitchell College of Law, St Paul, MN Marni Lennon Assistant Dean of Students, University of Miami School of Law, Miami, FL Timothy Little Former AmeriCorps Attorney, University of Montana School of Law, Missoula, MT Ruth Lopez Class of 2009, Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL Tim McNutt Class of 2010, California Western School of Law, San Diego, CA Caroline Richardson Class of 2009, Indiana University School of Law – Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN Leslie Ross Class of 2009, Phoenix School of Law, Phoenix, AZ Ezra Rosser Assistant Professor, American University, Washington College of Law, Washington, DC Robert Salem Clinical Professor of Law, University of Toledo College of Law, Toledo, OH Cristen Sargent Class of 2008, Washington University in St. Louis School of Law, St. Louis, MO Daniel Zeno Class of 2009, University of Iowa College of Law, Iowa City, IA
2008 ANNUAL REPORT
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Staff
Executive David Stern Chief Executive Officer Paul Igasaki Deputy Chief Executive Officer Patrick Sanders Special Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer Yvonne Wynn Executive Assistant to Deputy Chief Executive Officer Equal Justice Works/West Diane T. Chin Director Programs Law School Advocacy and Outreach Kashyap Choksi Director, Law School Advocacy and Outreach Nada El-Eryan Member Services Coordinator, Law School Advocacy and Outreach Charlene Gomes Senior Program Manager, Law School Advocacy and Outreach Ericka Hines Program Manager, Training and Evaluation Heather Jarvis Senior Program Manager, Law School Advocacy and Outreach Taryn Myers Program Coordinator, Law School Advocacy and Outreach Public Interest Law Opportunities Cait Clarke Director, Public Interest Law Opportunities Martin Costello Program Manager, AmeriCorps Eric Harsch Program Assistant, AmeriCorps Coleman McMahon Senior Program Manager, AmeriCorps Jennifer Tschirch Senior Program Manager, Fellowships Imoni Washington Senior Program Manager, Fellowships Carlyn Zaugg Program Assistant, Fellowships Development Andy Zovko Director of Development Martha Bond Regional Director of Development Sarah Brooks Development Manager Beth Fung Senior Grants Manager Juliet Kline Development Assistant Danny Reed Regional Director of Development Pharelda Scott Development Assistant Sarah Snik Individual Giving Manager Operations Amin Kakeh Comptroller Todd Peterson Senior Manager of Technology Diana Sun Staff Accountant Real Thornton Senior Administrative Manager Communications James Carroll Director of Communications Sarah Mahoney Communications Specialist Aaron Pickering Communications Specialist
Equal Justice Works’ annual report is printed on Mohawk Options 100% PC paper made from 100% post-consumer waste and processed elemental chlorine-free; it also is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). We saved: 11 fully grown trees; 4,404 gallons of water; 7.3 million BTUs of energy; 487 pounds of solid waste and 959 pounds of greenhouse gases. Calculations are based on research done by Mohawk Paper Mills, Inc.
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EQU AL JU S TI CE WORKS
Each year Equal Justice Works Lawyers collaborate with thousands of
Equal Justice Works Across America
individuals and organizations in local communities around the nation. Many of them create new streams of funding so that projects continue beyond the two years of their fellowships. Others assume leadership roles in nonprofit organizations. The exponential impact of these Fellows and of all of our programs helps to ensure a sustainable pipeline of lawyers engaged in public service.
On the Web Our map represents Law School Members, Summer Corps Participants, AmeriCorps Legal Fellows and Equal Justice Works Fellows in 2008. Visit us online at www.equaljusticeworks.org to access an interactive illustration with details on our activities in each state.
We believe that the poorest and most vulnerable among us deserve the same access to justice and quality legal representation as more fortunate citizens. We offer a continuum of opportunity to law students and lawyers – we’re helping lawyers help community.
2120 L Street, NW, Suite 450 Washington, DC 20037-1541 Phone 202.466.3686 www.equaljusticeworks.org