Amicus Mundi Award: The Lawyer Advocating for LGBTQ+ Inmates

Every month, We The Action gives the Amicus Mundi Award to an outstanding lawyer in our community who donates their time to projects they believe in.

June is Pride Month, and it’s only fitting that this month’s award go to a lawyer who has been working with incarcerated transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) people to help them live full, healthy lives.

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The big picture: A lawyer from Chicago, Neva volunteers with Transgender Law Center (TLC) to help TGNC people in jails and prisons access information or resources to support their legal cases or improve their living conditions.

  • Through TLC’s project, Neva was assigned letters from TGNC inmates asking for legal help or advice to solve a challenge facing the incarcerated person.

  • In all, Neva has already corresponded with at least 32 inmates on issues ranging from name changes to educating inmates on prison housing policies to make their incarceration safer.

  • TLC is currently recruiting for a similar project open to lawyers barred in any state. Click here to sign up!

Seeing the need firsthand: A queer person themselves, Neva first saw how difficult life in incarceration can be for transgender and gender nonconforming people during their time working as a jail clerk in Utah.

  • “It’s a messed up situation,” Neva says. “The homophobia and transphobia that already exists within law enforcement is rough. But it only gets worse when guards have total authority over inmates.”

  • After seeing the circumstances that incarcerated TGNC people face, Neva says they felt they had to find a way to help.

  • That’s why Neva jumped at the chance to volunteer with TLC to help inmates connect with the support and resources they need.

A dedication to service: Neva says that as a child their mom made volunteering a foundational part of their lives and usually dedicated time each week to volunteering at a local soup kitchen or participating in other local service projects.

  • Having grown up in a working class family, Neva says that they feel compelled to use their education to help however they can.

  • “The experience of volunteering stuck with me and became a norm in my life,” Neva says. “Once I graduated law school, I knew I had to use my newfound privilege to help people.”

Leadership through empowerment: Neva says that while they enjoy their work at Perkins Coie, volunteering to support incarcerated TGNC people is rewarding in a different way.

  • “I’m not saving them, I'm empowering them to have the best life possible while incarcerated,” they say.

  • Neva has begun working with TLC to explore an expansion of their partnership with Perkins Coie to include more direct advocacy on behalf of TGNC inmates.

  • Neva has even recruited junior associates to volunteer with TLC, since TLC has volunteer opportunities for attorneys of all experience levels.

You can help too: Neva says one of their favorite aspects of this project is that each letter only takes a couple of hours, so a lawyer can volunteer as much or as little time as their schedule allows.

  • “By volunteering, you can experience parts of the law you otherwise wouldn’t have experienced,” Neva says.

  • The Transgender Law Center is still looking for volunteers for a project open to lawyers barred in any state. Click here to sign up to help TGNC inmates!

On behalf of more than 40,000 We The Action volunteer lawyers: Thank you, Neva!

Want to join Neva and help advocate for transgender and gender nonconforming inmates? Sign up here!

From all of us at We The Action: Happy Pride Month!

Amicus Mundi Award: The Lawyer Fighting for the Health of Immigrant Communities

Every month, We The Action gives the Amicus Mundi Award to a We The Action volunteer lawyer to recognize their incredible work and dedication to building a more just and equitable nation.

This month, we’re proud to give the award to a lawyer who represented medically-vulnerable immigrants detained by ICE as they sought release amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Congratulations, Debbie Cooper!

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The big picture: A lawyer from New York, Debbie volunteered with the Civil Rights Education and Enforcement Center (CREEC) to help medically-vulnerable detained immigrants seek release after mismanagement at U.S. Customs and Enforcement (ICE) facilities led to preventable outbreaks of COVID-19.

  • CREEC had recently helped win a case — Fraihat v. ICE — that opened the door for thousands of medically-vulnerable immigrants in detention to be potentially released. 

  • Debbie would eventually volunteer for CREEC and several allied organizations to help immigrants advocate for their release to safer living conditions.

A track record of advocacy: Debbie started volunteering to support detained immigrants fifteen years ago, working with a local nonprofit to visit with them for a few hours twice a month.

  • “I found the detention facilities so oppressive,” she says. “And I only had to be there for a few hours. The people I visited were stuck living there.”

  • Debbie developed a particular bond with two people who had lost their cases, so she got to work finding them a law firm to provide pro bono representation.

  • Both people were eventually released — and Debbie is still in contact with them to this day.

“Capturing their humanity:” A few years later, Debbie decided she wanted to continue supporting detained immigrants, but struggled to find any opportunities as a solo practitioner.

  • Thankfully, Debbie found We The Action and signed up for a project with CREEC, where she started giving limited representation to detained immigrants seeking release.

  • Detained immigrants don’t have a right to representation — and most can’t afford it — so the free legal support Debbie and other volunteer lawyers offer is often their best chance at release.

  • “Debbie really put together applications that captured the humanity of her clients,” says Elizabeth Jordan, the Director of CREEC’s Immigration Detention Accountability Project. “She took her clients’ humanity to heart, and that’s what sets her work apart.”

“Life or death:” CREEC says that the immigrants they serve would otherwise be alone in fighting their immigration cases, and a volunteer lawyer can be the difference that helps someone get released.

  • Along with representing detained immigrants, volunteer lawyers also helped CREEC file a motion, which was granted last October, to hold ICE accountable for how badly they were processing requests for release.

  • “Sometimes people say things are life or death, but it’s literally true for people in detention,” Elizabeth says. “Volunteer lawyers make the difference between deciding if someone could go home to their families.

You can make a difference: Debbie says that since We The Action’s platform makes it easy for lawyers to find projects that fit their time restrictions and interests, every lawyer should consider volunteering.

  • “I feel like I have this skill that I can use to help people,” Debbie says. “It is incredibly fulfilling to help make a difference in people’s lives.”

  • Whatever your experience level, location, or availability, Debbie says We The Action has a project for you.

  • “You really feel like you’re doing something good with your education and helping the world,” Debbie says. “The only thing bad about it is that I want to do every project!”

On behalf of more than 40,000 We The Action volunteer lawyers: Thank you, Debbie!

Want to join Debbie and help advocate for immigrant communities? Browse the latest immigration projects on We The Action here!

Press Release: New Partnership to Help Floridians With Former Felony Convictions Restore Their Right to Vote

Florida Rights Restoration Coalition announces new partnership with We The Action to expand free legal services offered to returning citizens trying to regain their voting rights.

Orlando, FL -- The Florida Rights Restoration Coalition (FRRC) and We The Action (WTA) announced a statewide partnership to provide returning citizens (formerly convicted individuals) in Florida with free legal support to restore their right to vote and gain access to civil rights restoration.

FRRC, a Florida-based grassroots organization run by returning citizens, helps the state’s formerly convicted population restore their right to vote and successfully reenter society. The organization works statewide to address the systemic challenges blocking people with former felony convictions from exercising their constitutional rights. With this new partnership, We The Action will mobilize its national network of more than 40,000 volunteer lawyers to support FRRC’s mission and ensure Florida’s returning citizens have the free legal support they need to engage civically.

“Supporting democracy is not a political issue, it is an American issue,” said Neil Volz, Deputy Director of FRRC. “We believe that the best way to respond to efforts to limit voting is to get out in the community and celebrate democracy by getting people registered to vote and getting our friends and neighbors engaged in the process.”

In 2018, Florida voted overwhelmingly to pass Amendment 4, which automatically restores voting rights to approximately 1.4 million returning citizens once they have completed all terms of their sentencing. The effort to pass Amendment 4 was spearheaded by FRRC, who have since been working to help all eligible returning citizens reinstate their right to vote.

The 2018 passage of Amendment 4 represented the single greatest expansion of our American democracy since the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. However, soon after its passage the Florida legislature implemented SB7066, which required that returning citizens must first pay all fees, fines, and court costs associated with their conviction prior to being eligible to vote. 

Voting rights advocates challenged the constitutionality of SB7066 in the 11th Circuit Court of Florida, arguing that the legal financial obligation (LFO) requirement of the bill essentially serves as a “poll tax.” After a lengthy appeal process SB7066 was upheld by the courts. Meanwhile, it also ruled that the state has no obligation to even tell a returning citizen how much they may owe. 

The result is an indecipherable labyrinth of red tape and fees that makes it effectively impossible for 800,000 Floridians with past convictions to reinstate their right to vote.

That’s what makes this new partnership so critical for Florida’s returning citizens. Through FRRC, Floridians with former felony convictions can now connect with a We The Action volunteer attorney who will work with them one-on-one, help them navigate the process of restoring their right to vote, and connect them with resources to pay any outstanding fines.

“We saw record voter turnout in the 2020 elections, but hundreds of thousands of eligible voters were unable to cast a ballot in Florida: returning citizens,” said Sarah Baker, President and Executive Director of We The Action. “That’s why we’re mobilizing our community of more than 40,000 lawyers to help enfranchise a community that has been excluded from the voting process for generations. With this new partnership, We The Action can support the amazing work of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition to help more returning citizens exercise their constitutional rights and make their voices heard at the ballot box.”

FRRC and WTA first piloted this partnership in the months leading up to the 2020 elections. In all, 50 WTA lawyers volunteered with FRRC to help hundreds of returning citizens navigate the process of restoring their voting rights due to an out-of-state felony conviction.

In 2021, this joint work will expand to include more projects to give returning citizens the resources they need to access our democracy. For instance, We The Action is currently recruiting volunteer lawyers on FRRC’s behalf to help returning citizens in Florida review their felony convictions and apply for modifications to help streamline the process of reinstating their right to vote.

“We combat voter suppression with aggression, which means that we are going to be more aggressive in our effort to expand participation in our democracy,” said Desmond Meade, President and Executive Director of FRRC. “The FRRC ‘Free the Vote Bus Tour’ across the state is our response to those who are trying to limit democracy. We are registering people to vote, signing people up for our Fines and Fees program to remove barriers to voting, and while others may try to diminish voter participation, we are going to celebrate democracy all across the state of Florida!”

Lawyers barred in Florida can volunteer with FRRC here. Lawyers who are not barred in Florida, but are licensed to practice law, can sign up to help with legal research here.

Amicus Mundi Award: The Lawyer Getting Clients the Care They Need

National Volunteer Month may be behind us, but here at We The Action we believe in celebrating volunteer lawyers year round! That’s why every month we give the Amicus Mundi Award to an outstanding volunteer lawyer in our community who lives our shared values of service and fighting for justice.

This month, we’re proud to give the Amicus Mundi Award to a lawyer who helped ensure that a disabled man could get the in-home care he needed to live a full, healthy life:

Congratulations, Kathy Flaherty!

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The big picture:  A retired lawyer from Massachusetts, Kathy Flaherty volunteered with Health Law Advocates (HLA), a local nonprofit that offers pro bono representation to people struggling to access medical services.

  • That’s how Kathy was paired with “Alex,” an individual with a severe disability whose request for a personal care attendant (PCA) was denied by MassHealth, the state’s Medicaid program.

  • With Kathy’s help, Alex testified at an appeal hearing about his need for a PCA and MassHealth reversed its decision on the spot, ruling that Alex could get the in-home care he needs.

Grace under pressure. Despite the complex and sensitive nature of Alex’s case, Kathy had just 16 days between being assigned the case and the hearing date, so she had to spring to action right away.

  • Though each case is different, a lawyer needs to help the client communicate their day-to-day medical and support needs, which requires reviewing medical care documents and care history, getting firsthand testimony from the client, and requesting medical records from providers.

  • “There are times when you work for a big organization and you wonder if you’re having a direct effect,” Kathy says. “It was clear that we had a very deserving client and winning his appeal will make a significant impact on his life.”

“I wanted to do something.” After retiring, Kathy said that she felt compelled to use her skills as a lawyer to address the challenges facing the nation.

  • “I’ve always had the spirit of volunteerism,” Kathy says. “It’s extremely gratifying to work on a cause you think is important.”

  • Kathy found her project through We The Action and chose it because she saw that training and support was provided by HLA to volunteer lawyers.

  • Kathy says this support from HLA made the difference as she gathered the necessary information and worked with Alex to prepare for the appeal hearing.

“Someone who really wants to help people.” Though HLA has many lawyers in their network interested in representing their clients, HLA says Kathy’s empathy and client-focused approach sets her work apart.

  • “It requires a certain humility to try and pick up all these pieces of a case like this,” says Kara Hurvitz, a Staff Attorney for Health Law Advocates. “You’re talking to a client about some pretty personal things to make sure they can get what they need on a day-to-day basis.”

Empowering lawyers to succeed: While some lawyers may hesitate to volunteer in a subject area they’re not familiar with, Kathy emphasizes that many projects offer training and other resources for lawyers.

On behalf of our community of more than 40,000 volunteer lawyers: Thank you, Kathy!

Are you interested in following Kathy’s lead and volunteering for a project that offers training to lawyers? Check out this project to help an immigrant child avoid being deported back to a dangerous living situation in Nicaragua!

No prior immigration experience is required for this project and malpractice coverage is provided. Additionally, volunteer lawyers are:

  • Connected with an individual mentor to discuss the case, review filings, and provide support

  • Given access to a library of training materials, including recorded webinars, sample filings and briefs, and representation guides

  • Provided interpretation and translation services

National Volunteer Month may be over, but please join us in thanking every We The Action lawyer volunteering their time to build a more just and equitable nation.

We The Action Spring 2021 Impact Report

There are many reasons to welcome spring: warmer temperatures, longer days, Cadbury Creme Eggs. At We The Action, we have another reason: National Volunteer Month and an excuse to highlight the work of this incredible community!

To commemorate National Volunteer Month, we’re sharing some stories about the difference this community has made in 2021. Already this year, We The Action lawyers helped Georgia voters cast their ballots, mobilized to ensure that immigrants facing deportation have lawyers by their sides, supported organizations distributing COVID-19 resources to vulnerable communities, and much more.

You continue to inspire us, and we hope you take a moment to read the stories below and reflect on the power of this incredible community.

With gratitude,

Sarah, Jacek, Drew, Katie, Beth, Erika, Paydon, Victoria & Neli
The We The Action Team

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Lawyers Dedicated to Making a Difference

  • Amid attacks on democracy, more than 1,300 We The Action lawyers completed nearly 5,200 voter hotline shifts and donated 30,000 hours to ensure Georgians could vote in the state's critical Senate runoff elections.

  • We provided legal support to Project N95, allowing them to focus on their mission of distributing more than 6 million pieces of PPE to health care workers, essential workers, and other vulnerable communities. Read more about a WTA lawyer who donated more than 800 hours to Project N95.

  • We continued supporting organizations fighting for racial justice, recruiting 65 lawyers to hold police accountable for violence, abuse, and illegal actions in Houston and 62 lawyers to help returning citizens clear their records and access employment, housing, and occupational licensing.

  • With an eviction crisis looming, we teamed up with local organizations to monitor eviction proceedings, give tenants information to protect themselves, and support tenants facing eviction.

What Our Partners are Saying

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We have new projects coming every day to help organizations on the front lines in the fight for justice. Please take a moment to browse the latest opportunities to make a difference.

From all of us at We The Action, happy National Volunteer Month and thank you for your commitment to volunteerism. 

Wishing you and yours a happy and healthy spring.

Amicus Mundi Award: The Lawyer Fighting for an Immigrant Mother

Today is the first day of National Volunteer Month, a month dedicated to celebrating the nation’s volunteers and building a national commitment to service. If you’re reading this email, you’re already in rarefied air: You’re one of more than 40,000 We The Action volunteer lawyers!

It’s only fitting that today we award our monthly Amicus Mundi Award, which we give to lawyers who exemplify the best of our community.

This month, we’re proud to give the Amicus Mundi Award to a lawyer who has been helping an immigrant mother avoid deportation -- and has become a trusted source of support for her through difficult times.

Read on to hear more about the work of one volunteer lawyer and learn how you can get involved too.

Congratulations, Audrey Kwak!

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The big picture: A lawyer from Pennsylvania, Audrey Kwak has been volunteering with the Mississippi Center for Justice (MCJ) to work one-on-one with an immigrant family to help them avoid deportation. 

  • Audrey works with “Maria,” a mother of four who immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico ten years ago and currently lives in Mississippi.

  • Maria was arrested during the largest workplace immigration raid ever conducted by Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) in a single state. In all, seven chicken processing factories were raided and 680 immigrants were detained that day.

  • Maria currently faces deportation back to a dangerous living situation in Mexico, and Audrey continues to work to keep Maria’s family together and in the U.S.

A personal touch: A child of Korean immigrants, Audrey says that she’d always been interested in immigration law, but her current job doesn’t give her much exposure to it.

  • After finding a project listing from MCJ, she signed up to help young immigrants apply for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status. But the organization quickly followed up to ask if she’d take on a case resulting from the ICE raids.

  • Since their first conversation in September 2020, Audrey has spent more than 100 hours on Maria’s case, including working with a translator to have Zoom conversations with her and meet her family.

  • “I wanted her to feel like she could trust me,” Audrey says. “I wanted her to know that I would be available for anything if she needed to talk.”

A source of support. Maria grew to trust Audrey so deeply that, after she experienced a violent robbery in her Mississippi home during the holidays, Maria immediately contacted Audrey for support and advice.

  • “It really speaks volumes to Audrey’s commitment to both being an attorney and a person of support for her client,” said Max Meyers, an immigration attorney for the Mississippi Center for Justice. “In a traumatic time, Audrey was the only person Maria could think of to help her.”

  • Over the holidays Audrey helped Maria navigate the immediate aftermath of the robbery, and even found new opportunities to help Maria stay in the United States.

  • “I don’t feel like I did anything extraordinary,” Audrey says. “I just feel honored that she trusted me enough to talk about it.”

“She wants to fight until the very end.” Max says that Audrey’s dedication to building a relationship with Maria makes her a particularly effective and compassionate advocate.

  • “Audrey has an ability to connect and build a relationship with her client,” he says. “She’s an incredibly dedicated and present attorney in their life.”

  • In all, the Mississippi Center for Justice has already assigned 75 cases to pro bono attorneys and now offers DACA application support for any qualified Mississippian.

  • “The only reason we’re able to do work like this is because of attorneys like Audrey,” he says. “Otherwise, we couldn’t have the people power and capacity to do this work.”

“A major impact in someone’s life.” Audrey knows that lawyers are often very busy, but says her experience has shown her how critical pro bono work is to underrepresented communities.

  • “After going to law school, you tend to take for granted all the knowledge you gain,” she says. “But after working with Maria, I don’t know how someone could navigate these processes without a lawyer in your corner.”

  • She emphasizes that volunteering doesn’t necessarily have to be a time-consuming project -- you can use We The Action to find a project that fits your schedule.

  • I think any volunteer work is important, but it doesn’t have to take a lot of time,” she says. “Sometimes all you need is an hour, but it has a major impact in someone’s life.”

You can join Audrey in helping support immigrant communities. The Mississippi Center for Justice is currently looking for lawyers to defend Mississippians from deportation. This is a remote opportunity, so you can volunteer from anywhere and you do NOT need to be barred in Mississippi to volunteer. 

Click here to sign up for the latest project from the Mississippi Center for Justice!

On behalf of We The Action’s community of more than 40,000 volunteer lawyers: Thank you, Audrey!

Amicus Mundi Award: The Lawyer Combatting COVID

We’ve now passed a year living with the COVID-19. While it’s been an enormously difficult year for many, it’s important to recognize the selfless dedication of so many lawyers helping the nation weather the health and economic crises caused by the pandemic.

This month, we’re proud to give the Amicus Mundi Award to a lawyer who has risen to the occasion and volunteered more than 800 hours to help the nation stay healthy.

Congratulations, Kristi Fielder!

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The big picture: A lawyer from Georgia with 30 years experience, Kristi Fielder has donated more than 800 hours to an organization that has distributed more than 6 million units of personal protective equipment (PPE).

  • Since May, Kristi has volunteered with Project N95, a national organization distributing 6 million pieces of PPE to health care workers, essential workers, and other vulnerable communities.

  • Shortly after signing up, Project N95 asked her to join the team as volunteer General Counsel, where she’s tackled the legal challenges of distributing PPE nationwide.

  • In her role, Kristi has worked on everything from commercial and partnership agreements, to data privacy and compliance, to managing the work of internal and external volunteer counsel and law firms.

Rising to the occasion: When she signed up, Kristi thought she would volunteer just 5-10 hours with Project N95, but she soon realized the importance of the organization's work and committed to more.

  • “When I started volunteering, I really thought COVID was going to be a short term thing,” Kristi says. “We were just going to lock the country down for a couple of weeks -- maybe a couple of months -- then we would go back to our regular lives.”

  • But as the COVID pandemic spiraled out of control and our understanding of the virus evolved, Kristi quickly realized how much the nation needed a central clearinghouse to distribute information and protective equipment.

  • “We’ve seen a continued need for an organization like ours,” she says. “Now more than ever, people need a resource to get the information and supplies that protect them.”

Volunteer-driven: Kristi says that she donates so much time to Project N95 because her work helps vulnerable populations stay healthy and she loves working with a great team of volunteers.

  • “What’s great about this organization is that we’re volunteer-led and volunteer-driven,” she says. “The amount of passion and expertise that our team brings to the table make it a joy to work with these people.”

  • Kristi credits the team for adapting to the latest COVID news and ensuring everything on their website -- whether it’s the latest news or the equipment they distribute -- is thoroughly vetted.

  • “Our goal is to provide PPE until they’re not needed anymore,” she says. “But since the pandemic seems to be continuing, Project N95 continues to evolve to meet the need. I’m happy to have been a part of that effort.”

“She’s a part of Project N95.": As much as Kristi praises the Project N95 team, the organization says her work has been integral to their success.

  • “For us, Kristi is not just a legal advisor,” says Kimberly Paulk, who leads Project N95’s communications and development team. “She has enormous integrity and compassion. Without her, we couldn’t have navigated the evolving nature of the pandemic.”

  • Anne Miller, Volunteer Executive Director of Project N95, agrees, calling Kristi “a fabulous contributor who has become integral to our team and mission.”

  • Both members of Project N95 credit Kristi’s leadership, vision, and ability to ask the right questions for the organization’s success distributing more than 6 million pieces of PPE and protecting hundreds of thousands of people.

“An obligation to give back.”: Throughout her extensive career as a lawyer, Kristi says she always felt that volunteering was something lawyers should prioritize.

  • “As lawyers, we have an obligation to do pro bono work and give back to the community,” she says. “That’s an important part of being a member of the bar.”

  • Though lawyers are busy, Kristi emphasizes that “you can always find time to do things that are important to you.”

  • “It’s not an all-or-nothing proposition,” she says. “Even if you do small things, they add together to be quite a lot.”

On behalf of the more than 41,000 We The Action volunteers: Thank you, Kristi!

#BlackHistoryMonth 2021: Honoring the Legacy of Black Lawyers in American History

While We The Action is dedicated year round to advancing racial justice and equity, this Black History Month it feels particularly important to honor the legacy and impact that Black lawyers have had on our country and our profession.

This year, We The Action honored fourteen of the most influential Black lawyers in our country's history. You can read more about these leaders and their impact on our nation below:

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Amicus Mundi Award winner finds joy in volunteerism

Every month, we honor an outstanding lawyer from our community of more than 41,000 volunteer lawyers who exemplifies our ideals of service and volunteerism.

We’re proud to award the first Amicus Mundi Award winner of 2021 to a lawyer from Connecticut who went above and beyond to help an upstart nonprofit advance their mission of empowering inner city student-athletes.

Congratulations, Anna Dugbartey!

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The big picture: A lawyer practicing in New York, Anna was nominated for the Amicus Mundi Award by the Ohio nonprofit she helped become a 501(c)(3) organization.

  • Despite a time-consuming day job, Anna says the events of the past months motivated her to seek other opportunities to further a cause she believes in.

  • That’s how Anna connected with the Get Everything U Foundation, a Cincinnati-based organization focused on educational support, coaching, and training for student-athletes.

  • Anna helped Get Everything U navigate the legal process to become a 501(c)(3) organization, opening the door to new funding and programming possibilities.

Get Everything U is one of 34 nonprofit organizations that WTA volunteer lawyers have helped incorporate, saving the nonprofits thousands of dollars and helping them focus on making an impact in their community!

A history of activism: Originally from Haiti, Anna says volunteerism gives her joy and considers it a calling for lawyers to give back.

  • Anna started volunteering her legal skills in 2017 when President Trump signed his Executive Order banning foreign nationals from seven predominantly Muslim countries from visiting the U.S.

  • That same day, Anna and a friend drove to JFK Airport in New York to help immigrants and travelers navigate the new restrictions.

  • “That is what we’re called to do as lawyers,” Anna says. “It was heart-warming to see how many lawyers came to JFK looking to help.”


“A perfect marriage from the start.” Anna volunteered to help Get Everything U because she believes education is a critical resource for young people, especially in communities of color.

  • “Anna was great from the jump,” said Brian Westbrook Sr., Founder & President of Get Everything U. “She was incredibly professional and worked around our schedule, and we are forever grateful for that.”

  • Westbrook says that their new 501(c)(3) status will help his organization keep growing, including exploring partnerships to offer tutoring, financial literacy education, and ACT prep services.


“The privilege to help the people that need it.” Anna believes every lawyer should explore volunteer opportunities to give back.

  • “I’m thankful I was able to help [Get Everything U], but I also learned so much,” Anna says. “Lawyers have stressful and time intensive jobs, but if you just try your best and be flexible, it’ll mean the world to someone else.”

  • Anna emphasizes that even if a project doesn’t match your expertise, you can still help -- and give yourself an opportunity to learn a new subject area or skill!

  • “If a lawyer can use their skills to help the organizations and individuals who need it, we should do it as much as possible,” she says.

A call to service: Anna says she’s planning on volunteering for her next project in the coming months, and urges every lawyer to consider donating their time and skills to a worthy cause.

On behalf of the more than 41,000 We The Action volunteers:  Thank you, Anna!

Amicus Mundi Award: Celebrate the Unsung Heroes of the 2020 Election!

You may have noticed that we haven’t given the Amicus Mundi Award to anyone these past few months. Like many of you, we were focused on protecting the election and ensuring everyone -- regardless of race, income, ZIP code, or any other factor -- could cast their ballot.

But the Amicus Mundi Award is back, and we’re proud to award it to three lawyers who rose to the occasion to help make the 2020 election the most secure election in history!

Congratulations, Alan Rothstein!

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Doing it all: This election, Alan -- a former General Counsel for the New York City Bar Association -- split his time between two organizations, tracking changes in voting laws in three states starting in April and answering voter questions as an Election Protection Hotline Captain.

Nonpartisan and pro-voter: Alan says he enjoyed this work because it addressed barriers to voting and helped ensure everyone had an equal opportunity to cast their ballot. “I saw tremendous commitment by lawyers to give back and focus on helping voters through a difficult election,” he says.

“His dedication was unparalleled.”: "Alan's work was essential in helping us provide accurate voting information to Americans during a time that election rules were changing due to COVID-19,” says Jennifer Hojaiban, Senior Advisor for We Can Vote. “Even when his power, Internet, and cell phone service were out due to a storm, Alan drove miles to a place where his cell phone would work."

Congratulations, Tom Crowley!

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A commitment to protecting the right to vote: A lawyer from Delaware with more than 27 years of legal practice and legal education experience, Tom volunteered for more than 420 hours with When We All Vote (WWAV) to ensure voters had all the information they needed to vote. Tom also signed up for We The Action’s 20 in ‘20 Challenge, which called on lawyers to volunteer for 20 hours in 2020. He completed that challenge...21 times over!

“Even when you had an answer, it might change days later.”: After being named a Legal Fellow for WWAV, Tom worked to keep voter information up to date in three swing states, responding to daily changes to voting laws to empower voters with the knowledge they need to vote.

A calling to help: Tom says that he volunteered because he was worried about the direction of the country and wanted to find a new way to help. “I said to myself ‘I can sit here and complain, or I can find something to do,’” he says. “So I decided to find out what I could do from home.’”

“Making every vote count”: “The work of Tom and the other WTA volunteers allowed WWAV to provide its partners, organizers, and voters with up-to-the-minute information about the complex and frequently-changing rules and deadlines across the country with a focus on several key jurisdictions." said Megan Irving Tyler, Deputy Director of Campaigns at When We All Vote.

Congratulations, Siobhan Gilchrist!

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Rising to the occasion amid COVID: A lawyer and former epidemiologist, Siobhan signed up with the ACLU of Georgia to be a first-time poll worker in her home county of Fulton County, Georgia -- but soon became a poll manager overseeing the polling site. On Election Day, Siobhan worked from 5 AM to nearly midnight to ensure the polling location ran smoothly.

“It’s so critical to protect the right to vote.”: A naturalized citizen, Siobhan says she grew up recognizing the importance of the right to vote, and she instills those same values in her children.

Lawyers have the power to do good: “I loved the opportunity to have a chance to use my legal background in a way that helps people,” she says. “That’s something unique lawyers can offer. It’s a form of public service.”

Her work isn’t over: Siobhan will be filling the same role in the upcoming Georgia Senate run-off elections.

Thank you for an amazing year!

On behalf of more than 41,000 We The Action volunteers: Thank you, Alan, Tom, and Siobhan!

And thank you to every lawyer who volunteered with We The Action this year. Thanks to your commitment, we were able to help protect the election, advance racial justice, help communities weather the COVID-19 pandemic, defend immigrant communities, support survivors of domestic abuse, and much more!

As always, you can browse the latest opportunities to get involved here. We hope you have a safe and joyous new year. See you all in 2021!