Today, We The Action announced that on September 1, Anna Chu began leading the organization as Executive Director. Anna joins WTA from the National Women’s Law Center where she served as Vice President for Strategy and Policy.
“I decided to practice law because I wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself,” Anna says. “I believe the law can be an engine for change — especially among underrepresented communities — to protect the most vulnerable, fight for justice, and defend our values. At We The Action, we put those values to work and give lawyers of every experience level, every expertise, and from every ZIP code a chance to make a difference on the issues they care about most. There’s an unprecedented need for volunteer lawyers nationwide, and I’m thrilled to join We The Action and continue growing this community as we fight for a more just and equitable nation.”
Anna brings a wealth of experience to her role as Executive Director of We The Action. At the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), Anna shaped NWLC’s cross-cutting advocacy and policy work and led federal and state government relations. Prior to joining NWLC, Anna served as the Vice President of Policy and Research at the Center for American Progress Action Fund, leading its economic justice advocacy work. Chu attended the University of Southern California Law School and began her career as a law clerk to former Chief Judge Jane A. Restani in her sittings before the U.S. Court of International Trade and in six different federal appellate courts. She has also spent time as an attorney at Paul Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP and as a policy advisor in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Anna says she’s most excited about working at the intersection of the law, nonprofits, and activism to help drive change on the issues she cares about most. From fighting for reproductive justice, to defending the right to vote, to advocating for immigrant communities, Anna says that her vision for We The Action includes bringing diverse and underrepresented voices to the table to find innovative ways to engage the legal community and address the known and unforeseen challenges facing the nation.
“I’ve been a lawyer, and I’ve worked at nonprofits,” Anna says. “So I’ve seen both sides of We The Action’s work firsthand. I know how passionate lawyers are and how much impact they can have. And I know how even a few hours of free legal support can make a world of difference for organizations who work around the clock to improve their communities. Together, we can continue building on the incredible impact We The Action has made over the past five years.”
Anna’s hire comes as We The Action celebrates its fifth birthday. Since its founding in 2017, We The Action has built an expansive network of lawyers ready to volunteer their time and skills:
More than 42,000 volunteer lawyers have joined We The Action. That includes lawyers from all 50 states — plus DC, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, American Samoa and Guam.
We The Action volunteer lawyers have donated nearly 260,000 hours of free legal services worth more than $110 million.
We The Action has partnered with more than 500 nonprofits to provide the free legal support they need to make a difference in communities nationwide.
We The Action has also partnered with leading organizations and coalitions to ensure social justice movements have the legal support they need. For instance, WTA recently partnered with the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, a grassroots organization helping people with previous felony convictions restore their right to vote. Since the partnership launched, WTA has recruited more than 400 lawyers to work with returning citizens and help them navigate the re-enfranchisement process. To date, they’ve served more than 10,000 people.
“Anna has dedicated her career to addressing gender equity and economic inequality, utilizing her legal expertise to fight for justice,” said Kyle Lierman, CEO of Civic Nation. “Over the last five years, We The Action has made a stunning impact and we know the initiative will continue to thrive under Anna’s leadership and vision.”