Laura Redman was infuriated to learn that a child in Missouri had lost her health care coverage for six months because the state failed to take an automatic deduction from a checking account, making the premium payment a day late.

For Laura, the state had crossed a line. With colleagues at the National Center for Law and Economic Justice (NCLEJ) and the National Health Law Program, she took Missouri to federal court.

To help this child and the other 20,000 children in Missouri facing similar situations, the NCLEJ filed a class-action lawsuit. Laura argued both the class certification motion and the motion for preliminary injunction before the court. The court agreed with Laura and the NCLEJ, and the state announced it will comply with the judge’s orders.

Through her Fellowship, Laura has had the opportunity to collaborate with other advocates and coordinate efforts to address what she says is one of the most pressing issues facing our country—access to health care. She adds that while helping individuals and families in desperate need of health care, she is gaining legal skills she will use during her career in public interest law.

The National Center for Law and Economic Justice is a national organization committed to assuring that low-income individuals and families have a decent standard of living.

Laura Redman
2006 Equal Justice Works Fellow
National Center for Law and Economic Justice, New York, NY
Sponsor: Pfizer Inc
Northeastern University School of Law, 2003