NEW YORK – Aug. 2, 2022 – Global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP will present a two-part webinar, “Courageous Conversations: How Equal Justice Works Fellows Sponsored by Greenberg Traurig Transform the Legal System for Marginalized Communities,” on which former and current fellows will discuss how they have turned their passion for community change and empowerment into successful careers advocating for marginalized and underserved people.
The program is presented by the firm's GTDRIVES Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiative and its Global Pro Bono Program, together with Equal Justice Works (EJW). The sessions will be from 3 to 4 p.m., Aug. 4 and 11. To register, click here.
The firm’s popular Courageous Conversations webinars tackle topics of race and social justice and drive forward meaningful change. Through its Holly Skolnick Fellowship Foundation, which is funded by Greenberg Traurig attorneys, the firm serves as the largest sponsor of EJW Fellowships in the United States. Since 1999, the firm has invested over $14 million to support nearly 200 EJW Fellows. These fellows have provided over 650,000 attorney hours on behalf of underrepresented populations and over 80% remain in public interest law or related fields.
During the Aug. 4 session, speakers will discuss the laws meant to educate and protect students with disabilities, how and why some states and localities at times fail to comply with these laws, and how nonprofit lawyers advocate for this vulnerable population. The following former EJW fellows will speak:
- Matthew Lenaghan, deputy director of advocates for Children of New York
- Ericka Sanchez, executive director of the Foundation for Those with Special Needs
- Claire Nilsen Blumenson, executive director and co-founder of the School Justice Project.
On Aug. 11, the discussion will focus on how poverty and marginalization result in the criminalization of communities and how public interest law attorneys and supporters can advocate on behalf of those affected. The speakers will be:
- Annie Kurtz, current EJW fellow and attorney
- Tracie Johnson, staff attorney at Community Legal Services and former EJW Fellow
- Sean Hill, assistant professor of law at Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and former EJW Fellow
Caroline J. Heller, chair of the Greenberg Traurig’s Global Pro Bono Program and New York Litigation shareholder, will introduce the programs and participants. Pro Bono Program Manager Elba B. Gutiérrez, from the firm’s Mexico City office, and Rita Treadwell, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Initiative manager, from the firm’s Atlanta office, will serve as co-moderators.
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’s Diversity Initiative: From its inception, Greenberg Traurig has been committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. Greenberg Traurig is a uniquely empowering and diverse firm built on a foundation of fairness, equality, and authenticity. Through its Social, Racial, and Economic Justice Action Plan, the firm has committed $5 million over five years to help combat systemic racism and support impoverished communities. In addition, the firm’s efforts have been recognized through its Mansfield Rule 4.0 Certification Plus, administered by The Diversity Lab, and by local, national, and global publications and organizations including Chambers and Partners. Web: https://www.gtlaw.com/en/general/our-firm/diversity Twitter: @GT_Drives.
About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP has more than 2500 attorneys in 43 locations in the United States, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East. The firm reported gross revenue of over $2 Billion for FY 2021 and is consistently among the top firms on the Am Law 100, Am Law Global 100, and NLJ 250. 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 the Center for Resource Solutions Green-e® Energy program certifies that the firm’s U.S. offices are 100% powered by renewable energy. The firm is often recognized for its focus on philanthropic giving, innovation, diversity, and pro bono. Web: www.gtlaw.com.