We The Action’s Guide to Voter Protection Opportunities for Lawyers

Make your plan to help protect our freedom to vote!

Voter protection efforts are underway! Each state has unique needs and our goal is to help you find the best way to get involved. This election season, there is a role for every We The Action lawyer.

Do you want to volunteer in your state? 
For the following volunteer opportunities, you must be licensed to practice law and/or be registered to vote in the state where the work occurs.

  • Observe the Official Canvass: Volunteers will observe the official canvass and report on mass challenges to ballots and attempts to halt the canvassing process. Shifts are available in Florida, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

  • Be an Election Protection Challenger: Challengers have the right to challenge the actions of poll workers if the challenger believes that the poll worker is not following the law. Shifts are available in Michigan at Absent Voter Counting Boards.

  • Restore Voting Rights: Several states have laws that make it hard for people with past convictions to restore their right to vote. Lawyers are needed to file rights restoration petitions in Florida, Arizona, and Tennessee.


Do you want to travel to protect the vote? 
Election protection themed vacation? Yes! The following in-person opportunities are open to any bar license and residency. Out of state volunteers are welcome!

  • Observe the Official Canvass: Volunteers will observe the official canvass and report on mass challenges to ballots and attempts to halt the canvassing process. Shifts are available in Wisconsin.


Do you want to volunteer from your office (or couch)?
The following opportunities can be completed remotely. Some require a specific bar license or expertise. 

  • Support Election Officials: Provide election officials with legal help in response to the increasing wave in harassments, threats, and state laws subjecting them to criminal penalties for performing their jobs. Priority needs in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. If you are not licensed in a priority state, you can still join here. 

Over 6,500 We The Action lawyers have already donated $47M worth of legal services to 40 organizations working to make the 2024 elections safe, secure, and accessible for every voter. You don’t need us to tell you how critical the next few weeks will be. Now is your chance to do something!

Volunteering is more fun with a friend! Please forward this guide to lawyers in your community and encourage them to sign up for a voter protection shift today! 

Thanks for doing your part to protect and preserve our democracy!

Amicus Mundi Award: The Lawyer Supporting Election Officials!

Happy Pro Bono Week!

Today, we begin our National Celebration of Pro Bono, and we want to take this opportunity to thank you for supporting our nonprofit partners and, of course, fair elections!

This week, we challenge you to find and sign up for a project that matches your interest or your expertise. Don’t worry, we have plenty to choose from!

To start Pro Bono Week strong, we are recognizing our October Amicus Mundi Award Winner, a volunteer who exemplifies our shared values of service and dedication to building a more just and equitable society. We are excited to celebrate a lawyer who used their expertise to advise an election official facing harassment.


Join us in saying…

Congratulations, Gene Farber!

Community Service and Election Protection: Gene Farber has displayed a lifelong commitment to service through various roles, including clerking for his state Supreme Court.

  • Gene also served on his town council and engaged in extensive pro bono work on election projects focused on recounts, recalls, and ballot issues.

  • When the opportunity came to work with Election Official Legal Network (EOLDN) and help someone in need, Gene enthusiastically signed up.

The Important Work of Protecting Election Officials: While U.S. elections are safer and more secure than ever, rampant election misinformation continues to fuel the harassment and intimidation of election workers. 

  • In response, EOLDN, a project of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Center for Election Innovation & Research, has assembled a network of pro bono attorneys passionate about free and fair elections who can provide advice or assistance to these public servants just trying to do their jobs.  

  • Gene joined the network to ensure that elections run smoothly. And when an election official in his state needed urgent support, Gene responded to the request, meeting with the election official that same day.

  • Angie Pitha, Project Lead at EOLDN, explains, “Gene has been standing by to help election workers since 2022. When the time came for an urgent response, Gene rearranged his day to contact the election official without a second thought. His longtime commitment and quick action truly demonstrate his dedication to this work.”

  • Gene adds, “At this point in time, no projects are more worthy than protecting election officials. In terms of ensuring that the election runs smoothly, nothing is more important.”

The Impact of a Volunteer: When election workers request legal support from EOLDN, they often share that it is one of the most difficult times in their lives. EOLDN expresses that they are so thankful that Gene answered the call to help an election worker through that time. 

  • Angie says, “Volunteers like Gene not only provide crucial legal support, but they help many election workers feel less alone.” 

  • Gene says, “It's really important that if an elected official is feeling pressured — and that's happening quite a bit now — that they have somebody they can turn to. It's a real public service that these officials are doing.”

Be Like Gene: Election officials, like the individual Gene helped, face challenges like this all across the country. 

  • EOLDN needs lawyers like you to ensure we are prepared to support election heroes. While election law experience can be helpful, EOLDN needs lawyers with experience in a variety of areas of the law, such as litigation, employee-side employment law, First Amendment/defamation, and criminal defense, or who can provide general guidance on legal options. 

  • You can find more information about the projects and sign up here.

  • “There's a certain privilege that goes with being a lawyer,” says Gene. “And I truly believe we have a duty to give back to the community. We have a duty to help maintain a functioning justice system.”

On behalf of 50,000+ lawyers, congratulations Gene!

Amicus Mundi: The Lawyer Protecting Your Right to Vote

Every month, we give the Amicus Mundi Award to an outstanding lawyer in our community who exemplifies our shared values of service and dedication to building a more just and equitable society. This month’s award recipient has tirelessly devoted herself to voter protection, volunteering hundreds of hours to ensure that a vote cast is a vote counted.


Join us in saying…

Congratulations, JoAnne Klabin!

An Asset to Voters: JoAnne Klabin is a powerhouse of volunteerism. An exemplary leader with the national nonpartisan voter hotline (866-OUR-VOTE), she has completed nearly 200 shifts since 2020, dedicating over 800 hours to assisting voters and supporting fellow hotline volunteers. 

  • Jo has been promoted within the Election Protection volunteer structure twice and now serves at the highest level of leadership. 

  • As a captain, JoAnne is the backbone of the hotline, directly supporting volunteers as they assist voters. She has gone above and beyond by single-handedly writing extensive updates on materials for Hawaii, becoming the go-to expert on that state.

  • Katharine Fullenkamp, Election Protection Legal Analyst at Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, says, “JoAnne is deeply invested in protecting the right to vote. She is a major asset to the program and the voters of our country.”

Living Out Her Values: JoAnne has a deep history of service. She inherited her commitment to volunteerism from her father, who she describes as a lifelong learner and a committed volunteer.

  • She explains, ​​“This work has allowed me to learn new facets of law and has given me the chance to act out a perfect combination of the values that he passed on to me.”

  • Katharine adds, “JoAnne takes her volunteer duties very seriously and frequently checks in with staff and fellow leaders to make sure everything is handled correctly.”

Protecting the Vote: The national, nonpartisan Election Protection coalition, of which We The Action is a partner, provides Americans from coast to coast with comprehensive information and assistance at all stages of voting – from registration, to absentee and early voting, to casting a vote at the polls, to overcoming obstacles to their participation. 

  • Election Protection helps voters make sure their vote is counted through a number of resources, including the 866-OUR VOTE hotline. 

  • The year-round hotline is staffed by trained legal volunteers, many of whom come from We The Action. 

Your Chance to Get Involved: The Lawyers’ Committee is still looking for legal volunteers to serve as captains for the national voter hotline. Volunteers have access to state-specific voter guides and training, and all volunteering is done remotely.

  • JoAnne encourages other lawyers to apply to be a captain. She says, “This is an incredible, supportive community. Plus, it's not very often that you have the opportunity to do something that has as much of an impact on somebody as easing their path to voting.”

  • She continues, “There are so many amazing people doing this work. There are hundreds of other people who should be recognized for their volunteer work along with me.”

To be like JoAnne, apply to be a captain and help protect the vote by signing up here. For more election-related volunteer opportunities, check out this Voter Protection Guide.

On behalf of 48,000+ lawyers, congratulations JoAnne!

Legal Nonprofit We The Action Names Leading Lawyer Michael Gottlieb To Advisory Council

Michael Gottlieb joins Council Chair Dana Remus and several other prominent lawyers from nonprofit, academic, and private sectors to help steer We The Action’s efforts to strengthen democracy, advance gender and racial justice, and more.

Today, We The Action announced that Michael Gottlieb (Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP) will join their Advisory Council to help shape the work of the nonprofit’s community of more than 47,000 volunteer lawyers and 650 nonprofit organizations.

Michael Gottlieb is an impressive and well-decorated lawyer with an admirable commitment to pro bono work. He received High Honors in the D.C. Courts’ 2023 Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll in recognition of over 100 hours of volunteer legal work.

In the past two years, Gottlieb was also nominated as American Lawyer’s Attorney of the Year, Forbes named him as one of America’s Top 200 Lawyers, and Lawdragon recognized him twice — both as one of America’s 500 Leading Lawyers and as one of America’s 500 Leading Litigators.

Michael Gottlieb’s legal expertise and pro bono experience will be valuable assets for We The Action and its community of lawyers both in this critical moment for our democracy and beyond.

Amicus Mundi: The Lawyer Protecting Access to Reproductive Health

Every month, we give the Amicus Mundi Award to an outstanding lawyer in our community who exemplifies our shared values of service and dedication to building a more just and equitable society. This month’s award recipient used his time and talent to help a healthcare provider navigate abortion restrictions and keep their doors open in the aftermath of Senate Bill 20 in North Carolina.


Join us in saying…

Congratulations, George McGregor!

A Change in Path: George McGregor began his career working in biomedical engineering and mathematics, and spent decades researching AIDS, cancer treatments, and the effects of airborne toxins. 

  • After deciding to pursue a legal career, he attended law school at night for four years, passed the bar in 2007, and has since devoted his career to the law.

  • George was raised in a family that valued service, a commitment evident in his work with Disability Rights Vermont, where he advocates for individuals with disabilities. 

  • George joined We The Action in 2021, expecting to volunteer in his areas of expertise. Fate took a turn when he connected with Janet Crepps, Director at Regulatory Assistance for Abortion Providers (RAAP).

Navigating the Post-Roe Landscape: In the aftermath of the Dobbs ruling, state and federal laws and regulations have been used as a tool to hinder access to abortion services. 

  • RAAP relies on volunteer lawyers like George to work with providers in states to help them navigate abortion restrictions and reduce the negative impacts of anti-abortion laws.

  • This assistance includes assessing the legal implications of providing abortion to patients from states with abortion bans, understanding current threats to medication abortion services, and responding to new and evolving restrictions.

Protecting Healthcare: George has worked tirelessly with RAAP in North Carolina, which passed new restrictive laws in 2023, to help reproductive healthcare providers keep their doors open and remain compliant with the law. 

  • These providers can now confidently work within the law, so they can focus on the day-to-day running of their operations.

  • Janet says, “George has been committed for a long time, but his enthusiasm hasn’t diminished at all.”

  • She continues, “Without volunteers like George, our clients would have to go elsewhere because we wouldn’t be able to meet their needs.”

Trying Something New: George had not previously worked in the reproductive health space before taking on this project. He has embraced this new area of law in stride, and encourages others to do the same.

  • He explains, “If you're going to take on a volunteer project, you might want to look at something you haven't done before. It's going to be a challenge. It adds a little spice to life, so it will give you a little more energy to take it on. Take it one step at a time, inch by inch.”

 

To follow in George’s footsteps and get involved in reproductive freedom work, check out our projects here. 

On behalf of 47,000+ lawyers, congratulations George!

Amicus Mundi Award: The Lawyer Protecting Children from Deportation

Every month, we give the Amicus Mundi Award to an outstanding lawyer in our community who exemplifies our shared values of service and dedication to building a more just and equitable society. This month, we’re celebrating a lawyer that has dedicated years to fighting for three young women on their journey to permanent residency in the United States.

Join us in saying…

Congratulations, Elaine Chapnik!

A Heart for Social Justice: Elaine is a retired attorney living in New York who spent her career working in the NYC public hospital system. Growing up as the child of Holocaust survivors, she always had a heart for social justice.

  • While she has volunteered throughout her life, she had never done pro bono legal work until a colleague introduced her to Safe Passage Project just a few years before her retirement.

Free Lawyers for Immigrant Children: Every year, tens of thousands of children travel alone to the United States looking for a better life. 

  • Immigrants are not entitled to court-appointed legal counsel. As a result, more than half of immigrant children must go through immigration proceedings without the aid of a lawyer. 

  • Unable to effectively argue their claim for the legal protections they may qualify for, more than 80% of these children are issued deportation orders. 

  • Safe Passage Project, working with dedicated volunteers like Elaine, is committed to providing free legal representation to refugee and immigrant children in New York City and Long Island, ensuring that children do not face the immigration process alone.  

A Commitment to Service: When Elaine signed up to volunteer with Safe Passage Project in 2017, representing a child who crossed into the U.S., she assumed she would be taking on a straightforward immigration case as a way to do some good and learn something new. 

  • Seven years later, she is still working with the young woman and her two sisters, who also came to the U.S. on their own. 

  • Over the years, they have been able to lean on Elaine for support, whether they’re facing immigration court or retrieving an item left in a cab. 

The Path to a Better Life: After a thorny immigration process, with the support of Elaine and other attorneys, these young women are finally ready to file their green card applications.

  • Tania Cohen, Managing Attorney at Safe Passage Project, says, “Without Elaine working on this case, these three sisters would be aging out of the only form of relief they have. Because of Elaine, within the next year, they will be able to have their green card, which means having stability, employment authorization, and a path to citizenship. The alternative was deportation.”

  • "I think about them coming across the border by themselves,” says Elaine. “They weren't together. They were separated. If they can do that, then I can help them. These kids have gone through a lot. All they wanted was to have a chance at a good life and be reunited with their mother.”

You Can Change Lives: Lawyers who volunteer with Safe Passage Project do not need prior immigration experience to get involved. Staff attorneys provide training, mentorship, and oversight on all cases. They aim to ensure that a lack of direct experience does not prevent anyone from helping children in need. 

  • Elaine says, “Safe Passage Project has great mentors to help you along. Everything I do is reviewed by an attorney at Safe Passage Project, so I'm never nervous. You're not out there on your own, so no one should worry about not having experience.”

  • You don’t need to make a seven year commitment like Elaine, but to get involved and help children who are looking for a better life, sign up at the link here. 

On behalf of 46,000+ lawyers, congratulations Elaine!

Amicus Mundi Award: The Lawyers Fighting to End Solitary Confinement

Every month, we give the Amicus Mundi Award to outstanding lawyers in our community who exemplify our shared values of service and dedication to building a more just and equitable society. This month, we’re celebrating two lawyers using their passion and expertise to improve the lives of incarcerated people by representing individuals facing solitary confinement.

Join us in saying…

Congratulations, Elise Czuchna and Keli Cochran!

A Passion for Justice: Elise Czuchna and Keli Cochran went to law school with the sole purpose of advocating for incarcerated individuals and addressing incarceration-related issues. 

  • Elise has been working in this issue area since she was an undergraduate, where she worked on a theater program for incarcerated individuals. Since 2021, Elise has worked at Prisoners' Legal Services of New York, focusing on providing direct services to incarcerated individuals, particularly concerning disciplinary hearings and confinement issues.

  • Keli is a fierce advocate for incarcerated people and has been pushing for change in the justice system with the #HALTsolitary Campaign since 2012. Motivated by her two brothers' experiences within the New York prison system, she draws inspiration from them to combat the school-to-prison pipeline and advocate against inhumane incarceration practices. Through her organization, Advocates for the Voiceless, Keli works with individuals in all steps of the disciplinary system, from schools, to prison, to reentry.

Campaign to End Solitary Confinement: The #HALTsolitary Campaign joined We The Action in 2021, shortly after the New York State legislature passed the HALT Solitary Confinement Law. The campaign leads the charge to end the torture of solitary for all people and create more humane and effective alternatives.

  • Under the new HALT law, for the first time ever, people in New York prisons and jails are allowed representation at disciplinary hearings that could result in solitary confinement or restrictive housing. These can be complex cases, as the representatives have to navigate the difficulties and bureaucracy of the incarceration system. That’s where We The Action lawyers come in.

  • Scott Paltrowitz, Member of the #HALTsolitary Campaign, says, “These hearings are an opportunity to partner with a person facing this racist and oppressive system, support that individual in trying to stay out of torturous conditions, and help to ensure the HALT solitary law is being implemented properly.”

The Fight for Humane Treatment: Both Elise and Keli have been working with the #HALTsolitary Campaign for years, using We The Action to find and share individual cases in New York. 

  • In addition to providing direct representation, Elise trains other attorneys and advocates, sharing insights and strategies for navigating disciplinary hearings. Scott says, “Elise has been a trailblazer in this space, and has done a remarkable job at the forefront of this new endeavor. It’s a new system and high learning curve and she’s done an amazing job of both representing people and also sharing her wisdom and expertise with others.”

  • Families of people in solitary confinement often reach out for help, and Keli has remained steadfast in her commitment to providing high quality, pro bono representation whenever she is able. Scott explains, “Keli jumped in when there wasn’t much history doing this. She has balanced her work and has been able to help individuals and push back against these harsh punishments.”

You Can Make an Impact: The work of the #HALTsolitary Campaign is far from over. Law students and New York barred lawyers are always needed to take on cases, and the campaign works to train volunteers to prepare for the hearing process.

  • Keli and Elise are profoundly impacting the lives of individuals facing hardship in the justice system. To get involved like Elise and Keli, sign up at the link here. 

On behalf of 45,000+ lawyers, congratulations Keli and Elise!

Amicus Mundi: The Lawyer Increasing Access to Voting

Every month, we give the Amicus Mundi Award to an outstanding lawyer in our community who exemplifies our shared values of service and dedication to building a more just and equitable society. Today, we’re ending National Volunteer Week by celebrating a lawyer who used her expertise to make the electoral process more accessible for all Floridians. 

Join us in saying…

Congratulations, Roshelle Nagar

A Voting Rights Warrior: For over 20 years, Roshelle Nagar has dedicated her time to Election Protection pro bono efforts, engaging in both fieldwork and voter hotlines. 

  • As a corporate lawyer and litigator by day, Roshelle views volunteering beyond her expertise as an enriching learning opportunity. 

  • In addition to the projects that Roshelle finds through We The Action, she continues her active volunteer engagement by serving on the boards of a nonprofit microlending organization and a Jewish theater company.


Accessibility at the Polls: A study of the 2020 elections found that 11% of voters with disabilities reported that they faced some type of difficulty casting a ballot. The Florida Election Protection Coalition is working to improve voting access to ensure equitable voting processes for all Floridians.

  • On March 19, during Florida’s special election, Roshelle served as a volunteer legal monitor, traveling to 11 polling locations to ensure citizens were able to cast their ballots.

  • In addition to serving as a legal monitor, Roshelle evaluated polling locations for disability access, using a survey created by Disability Rights Florida.

 
Making an Impact: The work that Roshelle completed will carry over to the elections happening in Florida later this year, which is vital to the fight to make sure everyone has equal access to voting. 

  • “Poll workers wanted to make sure everyone was able to come and vote,” Roshelle says. But they also shared how improvements could be made. The process was not perfect everywhere.

  • Disability Rights Florida is currently analyzing the information collected by volunteers and will engage with counties and jurisdictions to make improvements.

  • Flose LaPierre, Election Protections Manager at Common Cause Florida, says, “Roshelle’s participation in this program was invaluable. Her work will allow Disability Rights Florida to understand accessibility needs at polling locations and advocate for improvements. The quality of work she produced will make the electoral process more accessible for all Floridians.”

  • Roshelle continues, “Since my experience volunteering, every time I go to the store, I'm looking to see if there is proper disability access. It certainly is something that's going to be more important to me moving forward because my awareness has increased so much as a result of the project.”


The Work Continues: This year, voters will continue to face obstacles, and this is especially true for voters with disabilities. Florida lawyers, please consider following Roshelle’s example and sign up to be a voting rights monitor on August 20th. 

For lawyers nationwide, We The Action’s Voter Vanguard will identify and address election administration problems, combat voter purges, educate voters about their rights, and protect the vote at polling places and call centers across the country. Join here to be notified about opportunities to protect democracy in your community.

On behalf of 45,000+ volunteer lawyers: Thank you, Roshelle!

Election protection attorneys, assemble! 🛡️

More than 150 million voters are expected to cast ballots in 2024, and at We The Action, we want to make sure that every election is free, fair and safe. That’s why today, we’re launching our Voter Vanguard campaign to provide pro bono opportunities for lawyers to defend our democracy, secure our elections, and advance the right to vote during the 2024 election cycle.

Time and time again, lawyers have used their superpowers to protect and strengthen our democracy. Whether you have been a part of We The Action since our start or are just beginning your pro bono journey, our democracy is counting on you to join us and take action in 2024. 

As part of the Voter Vanguard campaign, we’re recruiting We The Action lawyers to collectively donate 150,000 hours of legal services to protect democracy — and we can’t do it without volunteers like you, We The Action Volunteer.

In recent years, the right to vote has been under threat. This year alone, at least 284 bills that restrict voter access have been introduced across the country. In a recent survey of local election officials, forty-five percent reported fearing for the safety of their colleagues. These challenges are a call to action. 

Through our Voter Vanguard campaign, volunteers will be on the front lines of protecting voting rights and democratic institutions, advising on voter outreach efforts, representing election administrators, and working to restore voting rights to newly returned citizens. Our Voter Vanguard campaign will also offer opportunities to participate in monthly engagement, education, and training events alongside our phenomenal nonprofit partners, experts, and advocates in the field of democracy and voting rights. 

Join We The Action and the New York City Bar Association for the first event on April 16 from 6pm-7:30pm ET.  Speakers will include Ben Ginsberg from the Election Official Legal Defense Network and former Department of Homeland Security Secretary, Jeh Johnson.

My team and I are already counting down the days until Election Day, and I look forward to working with you to ensure that our elections remain free, fair, and secure.

Sincerely,
Anna

Anna Chu (she/her)
Executive Director, We The Action

Amicus Mundi: The Lawyer Advancing Rare Disease Research

Every month, we give the Amicus Mundi Award to an outstanding lawyer in our community who exemplifies our shared values of service and dedication to building a more just and equitable society. This month, we’re celebrating a lawyer using her professional expertise to support the fight against rare diseases.

Join us in saying…

Congratulations, Meg Snowden!

An Impactful Retirement: Meg Snowden’s illustrious career spans thirty years, during which she has provided legal and intellectual property advice and services to companies in the biopharmaceutical industry, including work to make quality medicines more accessible and more affordable.

  • However, retirement hasn’t slowed her down. Instead, it has paved the way for her to become a tireless champion for We The Action partner organizations.

  • Since 2020, Meg has been actively involved in projects related to election protection, expungement, asylum, and more. Recently, her professional experience has proved indispensable for the rare disease organizations she supports.

Rare as One: WTA recently announced our partnership with Rare As One, a collective of patient-led organizations working to improve the lives of people affected by rare diseases.

  • Rare disease nonprofits are often small operations led by parents and patients and have few full-time staff members and limited resources. A critical need of these communities is being able to call upon and rely on legal support.

  • Meg dove into this work, volunteering with CACNA1A and another rare disease organization, Cure HHT.

  • “It's incredible to be able to make a difference for these organizations and help them in their mission. I just admire these people and what they're doing in their work on rare diseases. Working with them just makes it so rewarding,” Meg says.

"Our partnership with the Rare As One Network would not be possible without legal experts like Meg. We consider ourselves incredibly fortunate to count her among our community members,” says Anna Chu, Executive Director at We The Action.

Protecting Vital Research: Meg went above and beyond on her recent project with the CACNA1A Foundation, a rare disease patient organization led by parents of children living with CACNA1A-related disorders. The neurodevelopmental disorders caused by variants on the CACNA1A gene have no specific therapies, so the organization has developed a network of researchers who are collaborating to accelerate the path to treatments.

  • Meg crafted a robust, multi-party non-disclosure agreement that will enable them to safeguard the integrity of their research network's collaborations.

  • “Rare disease organizations, like CACNA1A Foundation, are not getting enough attention,” Meg says, “so they are working on ways to make it easier for researchers to collaborate and speed up the development of life-saving drugs.”

  • “The CACNA1A Foundation extends our heartfelt appreciation to Meg. Her invaluable legal expertise and commitment to social impact are evident when you work with her," says Sunitha Malepati, Vice President of the CACNA1A Foundation.

To follow in Meg’s footsteps and volunteer with one of our Rare as One partners, take a look at these projects that critically need support.

On behalf of 45,000+ volunteer lawyers: Thank you, Meg!

With This Partnership, Lawyers are Making a Difference for Rare Diseases

I am beyond proud to share that We The Action is teaming up with the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to support their Rare As One Network. We The Action’s community of volunteer lawyers will provide ongoing pro bono legal support for the Rare As One Network, a collective of patient-led organizations working to improve the lives of people affected by rare diseases. 

Currently, there is a lack of understanding about rare diseases, and an even greater lack of treatments available. Partnering directly with the patient-centered nonprofits leading this work, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative works to connect and strengthen these communities, build their capacity, and promote collaboration. 

A critical need of these nonprofits is being able to call upon and rely on legal support. That's where We The Action's community of volunteer lawyers comes in. 

We’re mobilizing our network of lawyers to help them navigate a range of issues — from ensuring compliance with regulations governing clinical trial research, to negotiating contracts with research universities and pharmaceutical companies, to setting up governance structures for a collaborative network of nonprofit research partners. 

Want to be a part of our groundbreaking partnership? Sign up for Rare As One pro bono projects today. 

As part of this project, we will be able to support organizations like I AM ALS, CACNA1A Foundation and many others. Learn more about the partnership and the work we will do together in a piece published in Forbes today. 

This Rare Disease Day and throughout this ongoing partnership, we hope you will join us in contributing to the work of patient-led organizations to improve the lives of people affected by rare diseases. Together, we can make a meaningful impact for patients living with rare diseases and the nonprofits working on their behalf. 

With gratitude,
Anna

Anna Chu (she/her)
Executive Director, We The Action

We The Action's 2023 Impact Report

In 2023, We The Action community members protected our democracy, supported immigrant communities, fought for reproductive freedom and gender equity, and advocated for racial justice. By transforming unmet legal needs into actionable, high-impact projects for civic-minded lawyers, We The Action amplifies the impact of nonprofit leaders, accelerates progress, and infuses millions of dollars of free legal support into the movement for a more democratic and equitable world.

We invite you to explore our 2023 Impact Report commemorating our achievements and offering a glimpse into what lies ahead in 2024. Whether you’re a volunteer lawyer, a nonprofit working in your community, or a supporter of our work helping spread the word: Thank you.

Amicus Mundi: The Lawyer Making Voting Accessible

Every month, we give the Amicus Mundi Award to an outstanding lawyer in our community who exemplifies our shared values of service and dedication to building a more just and equitable society. This month, we’re celebrating a law professor using his free time to help ensure an equitable democracy for all.

Join us in saying…

Congratulations, Jeffrey Gutman!

A Professor and Devoted Volunteer: As Director of the Public Justice Advocacy Clinic at George Washington University Law School, Jeffrey has led work in a number of civil rights, public benefits, and employment law matters, and currently works on Freedom of Information Act litigation. 

  • Jeffrey’s habitual dedication to equity and civil rights are evident through his work and volunteerism.

  • This time of year is extremely busy for those working in Academia. Still, Jeffrey sets aside time to volunteer with All Voting is Local. 


Working to Make Voting More Accessible: All Voting is Local fights to remove discriminatory barriers to voting to help create a democracy built for everyone. ​​

  • Earlier this year, the organization turned to We The Action to get help building a comprehensive calendar of election-related dates.

  • All Voting is Local and its partners need reliable dates to work from, as well as advance notice of ambiguities that could lead to conflicts or challenges as votes are cast or counted.

  • As one of the dedicated volunteers on this project, Jeffrey has been researching, maintaining, and updating a 2024 election calendar with important voting related deadlines in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. 


Jeffrey’s Impact: Scott Seeborg, co-director of states at All Voting is Local, says, “Jeffrey helped prepare our team, and the much wider democracy space, to fight election sabotage and ensure we never mislead the public.”

  • Jeffrey, speaking on the importance of this project, says, "We can fret and worry about voting rights or realize that there's something to be done. Just worrying about it and being mindful of it really isn't enough, you actually have to jump in and try to do something."

On behalf of 45,000+ volunteer lawyers: Thank you, Jeffrey!

Amicus Mundi: The Lawyer Helping Guide Young Activists

Every month, we give the Amicus Mundi Award to an outstanding lawyer in our community who exemplifies our shared values of service and dedication to building a more just and equitable society. This month, we’re honoring an attorney that has become a trusted part of the campaign to end the racist representation of Indigenous people in schools.

Join us in saying…

Congratulations, Melinda Lim!

An Activist at Heart: In 2022, Melinda Lim turned to We The Action (WTA) to reconnect with her passion for advocacy. Through Rise Justice Labs, Melinda connected with People Not Mascots, an organization looking for legal guidance to pass legislation retiring the use of Native mascots without specific tribal consent. 

  • Since Melinda signed up, she has gone above and beyond by providing advice and guidance to the young advocates leading this movement.

  • "This project connected me to younger people that are real changemakers,” Melinda says. “When we grow and get into our own careers and challenges, we may get a little skeptical of change. Working with them, I’m so hopeful.”

Changing the Landscape: The activists behind People Not Mascots, Lily Joy Winder and Sofia Ongele, identified the profound and dangerous consequences of the way Indigenous people are portrayed in education and media. With 1 in 19 schools nationwide using Native mascots, these racist portrayals do not accurately represent the diversity and richness within Native cultures.

  • Melinda helped Lily and Sofia develop bill language that advanced significantly through the congressional process, but, in the end, did not secure passage. 

  • "For more than a year, Melinda has been around to listen, to be there through all the highs and lows, to hype us up, cheer us on, and to be a friend,” Lily says. “When I feel like things are hopeless, Melinda is there.”

The Work Continues: The goal continues to be to create the safest possible environments for Native children. The original project lasted nine months, but Melinda has stayed deeply involved. 

  • "Melinda is more than just a lawyer to People Not Mascots,” Lily says. “She is a consultant, a friend, a confidant. She is incredible.”

  • "We still talk every couple weeks,” Melinda says. “They’re doing work that’s trending at the state level, which will ideally be a domino effect that leads to federal change… plus, they’re like famous on TikTok.”

Pro Bono Search Engine: Melinda says that she sees WTA as her pro bono search engine, and it has allowed her to tap back into advocacy on a personal level. 

  • "I have friends who would want to do pro bono but don’t know where to start. WTA takes care of that.”

  • She continues, “There is something really wonderful about walking into a space and people being grateful that you are a lawyer. If we all contributed the skills that we have as lawyers, the world would be a better place.”

Follow Melinda’s lead and volunteer today by checking out WTA’s active projects here.

And if you want to meet Melinda and other attorneys in the We The Action community,join us at the We The Action Summitin Washington, DC on October 25!

Amicus Mundi: The Lawyer Providing Compassion and Closure

Every month, we give the Amicus Mundi Award to an outstanding lawyer in our community who exemplifies our shared values of service and dedication to building a more just and equitable society. This month, we’re celebrating a lawyer who worked to find avenues of justice and to provide a sense of closure to a police officer who faced discrimination and violence from his own department.

Join us in saying…

Congratulations, LaKesia Mosley!

A Legacy of Service: LaKesia Mosley has 20 years of experience as a lawyer and has worked in firms, as a United States prosecutor, and as an in-house corporate attorney.

  • Throughout her career, she has worked on complex, sensitive cases and has cultivated a passion for justice and community service that was planted by her parents and grandparents, civil servants who volunteered to create positive change in their communities.

  • LaKesia saw a project working with The Center for Policing Equity (CPE) in a WTA weekly digest email, and signed up to see how she could help.

  • “I usually help corporate clients,” she says. “The majority of my day is dedicated to corporations, so when I have the opportunity to use my skills and talents to help an individual, it makes my struggles in law school worth it.”

A Lack of Justice: CPE, the sponsor and holder of the National Strategy for Black Police Officers, provides legal representation for Black officers nationwide who have experienced or witnessed discrimination or abuse by their police departments, either toward officers or toward local communities. Many of these officers face or fear career-limiting retaliation when reporting this misconduct.

  • CPE received a request from an officer who had observed abusive behavior by fellow police officers toward Black people in their community, including planting drugs and engaging in physical violence.

  • After reporting this conduct, the officer was subjected to a spiral of retaliation. He was later acquitted of all charges, but that did not undo the time he lost or the mistreatment he endured from guards while he was incarcerated — or the loss of his job and income as a police officer.

  • "As a former law enforcement officer, I remember what this felt like,” Dr. Tracie L. Keesee, the Co-Founder, President, and COO of CPE says. “The psychological toll that takes on a person is just unparalleled. And it's not just them. It's also their loved ones and family members.”

  • But the case was complex. It would take tremendous effort simply to determine whether any recourse was still available to him, and nobody had been willing to help until he found CPE and WTA.

LaKesia’s Work Towards Closure: After connecting with Tracie, LaKesia combed through the raft of documents the officer sent and analyzed legal avenues for him to obtain relief — work that Tracie called “masterful and thorough.”

  • Although LaKesia found all paths blocked by statutes of limitations or other procedural barriers, her professionalism and empathy gave the officer a way to move forward.

  • Tracie could tell that LaKesia shared the heartbreak she and the officer both felt. But in an “honest and compassionate” conversation, LaKesia walked through the barriers to each claim, giving the officer not only legal answers, but also the respect and support he deserved. LaKesia spent weeks working to help this client.

  • “What started as a legal review and memo, ended up guiding The Center for Policing Equity to have a counseling session with their client," LaKesia says. "It’s hard to let go when there isn’t equity in the law.”

The Impact of a Volunteer: “WTA helped us deliver on a promise to make legal representations available for Black police officers who have experienced or witnessed discrimination or abuse by their police departments,” Tracie said. “LaKesia provided relief and closure to a person who was suffering.”

  • "With WTA, there’s no excuse not to volunteer," LaKesia says, “If you volunteer through WTA once, you’ll be hooked. However you want to contribute, you can with WTA. It’s not just one cause, there are many many causes that are relevant that will continue to be relevant.”

  • “If you look at the work WTA attorneys do, how can you not want to be involved?” she asks.

Find out how you can become a volunteer like LaKesia by browsing active projects here.