Equal Justice Works Lawyers serve on the frontlines of many of the most pressing social issues in America. They offer first-hand, real-world accounts of the effects of public policies on the lives of those most affected by them. Equal Justice Works headquarters staff in Washington provide informed perspectives on many facets of legal services, public interest law and legal education.

Equal Justice Works Fellows and
Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Attorneys

This year 104 Fellows and 35 AmeriCorps Attorneys are working in communities around America on a range of critical social and legal issues: affordable housing, community economic development, education rights, health care, immigration reform, voting rights/electoral participation, workers’ rights and others. A roster of Equal Justice Works Lawyers, their host organizations, and programs is available at www.equaljusticeworks.org/communities/participants.

For timely access to a national network of public interest attorneys, contact James Carroll, jcarroll@equaljusticeworks.org, 202-466-3686 ext 102.

David Stern
Chief Executive Officer

David joined Equal Justice Works in 1992 as the first Director of the Fellowships program and became Executive Director in June 1995. Since then, the organization’s budget has grown from $1.5 million to more than $9 million, the staff has grown from eight to 36, the number of postgraduate fellowships has grown from 20 to more than 100 per year; and more than 95 percent of ABA-accredited schools are members of Equal Justice Works. David graduated from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1985 and clerked for two federal judges in Baltimore.

For an expert perspective on pro bono law, the need for legal services, and the future of public service in America including the effects of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007, contact dstern@equaljusticeworks.org, 202-466-3686 ext 118.

Paul Igasaki
Deputy Chief Executive Officer

Prior to joining Equal Justice Works in 2006, Paul was Executive Director of the Rights Working Group, a coalition of organizations working to restore civil rights lost since 9/11/01. He was appointed by President Bill Clinton to serve as Vice Chair, acting Chair and Commissioner of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission from 1994 to 2002. Previously, Paul was Executive Director of the Asian Law Caucus in California, Mayor Harold Washington’s Liaison to Asian Americans and counsel to the Chicago Human Relations Commission, Washington Representative for the Japanese American Citizens League, Staff Director of the American Bar Association’s Pro Bono/Private Bar Involvement Project and Reginald Heber Smith Fellow to Legal Services of Northern California. Paul is a graduate of Northwestern University and the UC Davis School of Law.

For an expert perspective on employment discrimination and political participation in minority communities, contact pigasaki@equaljusticeworks.org, 202 -466-3686 ext 119.

Cait Clarke
Director, Public Interest Law Opportunities

Cait is a respected legal educator who joined Equal Justice Works in 2007 with 18 years of experience teaching, training, and consulting on the law and legal affairs. Most recently as the director of Clarke Consulting she provided leadership and management consulting to nonprofit organizations, public defense and legal aid programs. She is extensively published, with law reviews, articles, book chapters and book reviews to her credit. Cait holds her S.J.D. from Harvard Law School, LL.M from Georgetown University Law Center's Criminal Justice Clinic, J.D. from Catholic University's Columbus School of Law, and B.S. from Villanova University's School of Commerce and Finance.

For an expert perspective on lawyers entering public service and on developments in public defense management, contact cclarke@equaljusticeworks.org, 202 -466-3686 ext 132.

Heather Jarvis
Senior Program Manager, Law School Advocacy

Heather is a national expert on educational debt and the financial barriers facing law graduates. She has been a leading player nationally in advocating for and now interpreting the new federal student loan forgiveness law, the College Cost Reduction and Access Act, and will advise on the implications of the new law in the upcoming negotiated rulemaking process. She has contributed to legislative proposals for the House Education Committee and others in Congress, made several presentations to law school faculty, administrators and students, and has given numerous media interviews on educational debt and the new law. Heather serves as Vice Chair of the American Bar Association Section of Legal Education's Committee on Government Relations and Student Financial Aid.

As Senior Program Manager for Law School Advocacy at Equal Justice Works, Heather authored the 2006 study Financing the Future, Responses to the Rising Debt of Law Students. Mrs. Jarvis earned her J.D. cum laude from Duke University School of Law in 1998 and has eight years experience as a capital defense attorney.

For an expert perspective on law school debt and the effects of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 contact hjarvis@equaljusticeworks.org, 202-466-3686 ext. 103.

Karen Lash
Senior Program Counsel

Prior to joining Equal Justice Works in 2003, Karen served as Associate Dean of the University of Southern California Law School, worked at a public interest nonprofit organization as well as a private law firm, and clerked for U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Warren J. Ferguson. She serves on the California Commission on Access to Justice and recently completed a term as co-chair of the Commission. Throughout her professional career, Karen has been active in a range of local, state and national activities to advance social justice for under-served communities and causes. She currently serves as the Pro Bono Coordinator for the Mississippi Center for Justice and is active in Katrina recovery efforts. Karen earned her B.A. in History from UCLA and her J.D. in 1987 from USC Law School.

For an expert perspective on legal services and the effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the justice system in the Gulf Region, contact klash@equaljusticeworks.org, 202-466-3686 ext. 143.