Firm is Largest EJW Law Firm Sponsor in the U.S.
NEW YORK – June 3, 2022 – The 2022 Greenberg Traurig Equal Justice Works Fellows class has been named. In September 2022, the eight new public interest law fellows are slotted to join the firm’s 2021 class, seven fellows who are in the second and final year of their two-year assignment at organizations addressing the racial, economic, and social justice needs of diverse communities. Greenberg Traurig, through its Holly Skolnick Fellowship Foundation, is the largest law firm sponsor of Equal Justice Works (EJW) in the United States. Since 1999, the firm has invested more than $13 million to fund in part or whole more than 170+ Equal Justice Works Fellows in more than 100 nonprofit host organizations.
“The Greenberg Traurig Equal Justice Works fellows have always proven to be a critical bridge to recovery by addressing the most pressing legal needs faced by the communities in which they choose to work passionately. We are inspired and proud of their commitment and are excited to continue our long-term support of this unique organization,” said Ernest L. Greer, Greenberg Traurig co-president and an EJW Board Member.
The firm’s 2022 EJW Fellows are part of the firm’s $5 million commitment over five years to support programs that address the causes and effects of systemic racism and seek to provide impoverished communities and individuals with economic and social rights.
“Never has the work of public interest law attorneys been more important. The toll of the pandemic has been heavy on underserved communities, touching everything from housing to education, food insecurity, and justice, in addition to the inherent health issues,” said Caroline J. Heller, Litigation Practice shareholder and chair of Greenberg Traurig’s Global Pro Bono Program.
The 2022 fellows and their areas of focus are listed below. More information about their programs and unique backgrounds can be found linked.
Elizabeth Allen: Represent and advocate for students with disabilities at risk of and currently navigating the juvenile justice system and provide advocacy coaching to their families. A graduate of Baylor Law School, Allen will work with Disability Rights Texas.
Alexandria Cinney: Advocate for Black parents and families in Miami to prevent unnecessary removals of children from their homes by providing civil legal services and collaborating with parent-led advocacy groups to empower families. A graduate of the University of Miami School of Law, University of Florida Levin College of Law, Cinney will work with the University of Miami School of Law Children and Youth Law Clinic.
Sarah Free: Directly represent “Emerging Adults” in clemency proceedings. A graduate of Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Free will work with the Illinois Prison Project.
Paulina Lucio Maymon: Advocate on behalf of incarcerated people in Georgia who were sentenced to life in prison as children. A graduate of American University Washington College of Law, Maymon will work with Southern Center for Human Rights. Greenberg Traurig is proud to co-sponsor Maymon’s fellowship with longtime client, UPS.
Zoe Masters: Work with young people who attend alternative and nontraditional public schools in greater Philadelphia to educate them on their civil rights and support them in building power to advocate for more meaningful, accessible, and effective pathways to graduation. A graduate of Yale School of Law, Masters will work with the Education Law Center.
Stacy Nuñez: Advocate for Los Angeles County’s secure track youth with disabilities to ensure their right to a Free Appropriate Public Education through direct representation, education, and policy reform. A graduate of Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, Nuñez will work with the Center for Juvenile Law & Policy.
Zoe Russell: Represent parents in Family Court who face the removal of their newborns to the family regulation system based on allegations of substance use. A graduate of Harvard Law School, Russell will work with The Bronx Defenders.
Michael Smith: Provide civil legal help to survivors of gun violence and collaborate on systemic advocacy efforts with clients and colleagues. A graduate of Georgetown University Law Center, Smith will work with Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia in one of the first medical-legal partnerships in the United States with a hospital-based violence intervention program.
Nationwide, the EJW 2022 class has 84 fellows selected from 385 applications. View a complete list of the 2022 Equal Justice Works Fellows, their projects, and sponsors.
About Greenberg Traurig’s Pro Bono Program: Greenberg Traurig lawyers across the firm’s offices provide pro bono legal services to the indigent and working poor, as well as to numerous civic and charitable organizations dedicated to assisting them. The firm focuses its resources on specialized and interrelated issues including civil rights and affirmative action, anti-human trafficking, family law matters, children’s rights, criminal appeals, immigration and political asylum, housing, and homelessness.
About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP has more than 2400 attorneys in 43 locations in the United States, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East. The firm, often recognized for its focus on philanthropic giving, innovation, diversity, and pro bono, reported gross revenue of over $2 Billion for FY 2021. The firm is consistently among the top firms on the Am Law 100, Am Law Global 100, NLJ 250, and Law360 (US) 400. On the debut 2022 Law360 Pulse Leaderboard, it is a Top 15 firm. Greenberg Traurig is Mansfield Rule 4.0 Certified Plus by The Diversity Lab and net carbon neutral with respect to its office energy usage. Web: www.gtlaw.com.
About Equal Justice Works: Equal Justice Works is the nation’s largest facilitator of opportunities in public interest law. Following their Fellowships, more than 85% of their Fellows remain in public service positions, continuing to pursue equal justice for underserved communities across the country. Equal Justice Works is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. For additional information about Equal Justice Works, please visit www.equaljusticeworks.org