Equal Justice Works

Founded by law students in 1986, Equal Justice Works is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a just society by mobilizing the next generation of lawyers committed to equal justice. To achieve this, we offer a continuum of opportunities for law students and lawyers that provide the training and skills that enable them to provide effective representation to underserved communities and causes.

To help foster public interest values in students, we collaborate with law schools to expand public interest programming on law school campuses. We also host one of the largest public interest law conference career fairs in the country, bringing students and public interest employers from across the country together in one place for job opportunities, networking and leadership training.

The Equal Justice Works Fellowships programs fund hundreds of public interest attorneys each year to close the justice gap on issues such as foreclosure, community economic development, immigration, civil rights, homelessness, access to healthcare, and domestic violence. These Fellows have a lasting impact well beyond their fellowship. More than 85% of fellows continue doing public interest work after their fellowship ends.

In the face of staggering educational debt loads, Equal Justice Works has taken a leadership role in successfully advocating for loan repayment assistance programs (LRAPs) and federal legislation that enable graduates to pay back their loans as a percentage of income and to get loan forgiveness after 10 years of public service. Through outreach and counseling, as well as an online resource center, we educate thousands of law students and law school advisors about these programs that enable lawyers to take public interest jobs without regard to their educational debt.