About
Equal Justice Foundation is a student-run organization devoted to the promotion of public interest law. EJF works to provide stipends for UGA law students who have chosen to work in unpaid, public interest positions over the summer. Public interest law is not a lucrative field, and students who pay the high cost of legal education need financial support. EJF’s mission is to:
- Raise money for stipends and distribute the funds to public interest law students in a fair manner,
- Provide networking opportunities for students interested in public interest law careers, and
- Promote the viability of public interest law careers at UGA by our fundraising efforts and supporting other public interest organizations at the University of Georgia School of Law.
Leadership
Advisor: Professor Alexander W. Scherr
| Auction Chair | Brooke Carrington | brookec3@uga.edu |
| Auction Chair | Devon Pawloski | devon.pawloski@uga.edu |
| Secretary/Treasurer | Judith Jones | judith.jones@uga.edu |
| Alumni Outreach Chair | Lauren Lisauskas | laurenlisauskas@uga.edu |
| President | Melina Lewis | mel528@uga.edu |
| Auction Chair | Olivia Bowman | oliviabo@uga.edu |
Annual Auction
EJF will host the 34th Annual Equal Justice Foundation Auction featuring both a silent and live auction over Alumni/Alumnae Weekend on the evening of March 30, 2019 at The Foundry at Graduate Athens. Previous auctions have included weekend getaways, bar prep courses, concert tickets and professor packages. All proceeds go towards funding fellowships for School of Law students taking unpaid public interest jobs. Join us to enjoy a wonderful evening in support of public interest law!
We would like to invite all our Georgia Law alumni to attend this event and help support the Equal Justice Foundation.
Ways to Support EJF
(All levels of support are appreciated and 100% tax deductible as allowed by law. Your employer may match your contribution.):
Donate:
- Check payable to: UGA Foundation
For: Equal Justice Public Interest Law Support Fund (9172900)
Attn: Phyllis Cooke Webb
University of Georgia School of Law
Office of Law School Advancement
225 Herty Drive
Athens, GA 30602-6012
- Online
- Phone: 706-542-7637
Contribute an auction item
(100% tax deductible as allowed by law):
- Email Lauren Lisauskas, EJF Alumni Outreach Chair, for more information.
- Call Lauren Lisauskas at 630-901-7066
Donations
Thank you for considering a contribution to the Equal Justice Foundation! Your support will ensure our fellowship program can continue to support aspiring public interest lawyers who volunteer for vital community organizations.
EJF accepts in kind and cash donations. To make an in kind donation, please contact Emily Wyche (emilycwyche@gmail.com) or Anna Stangle (anna.stangle25@uga.edu). Cash donations may be made online by bank draft or credit card through the secure GAIL website. You may also make a cash donation by sending a check by mail. Please make checks out to the "University of Georgia Foundation" with “Equal Justice Foundation” in the memo line.
Checks can be sent to:
University of Georgia School of Law
c/o Phyllis Cooke
Attn: Development Office
Athens, GA 30602-6012
Fellowships Frequently Asked Questions
- Who may apply for the EJF Fellowship Program?
Any first or second year student who (1) has not received an EJF Fellowship previously and (2) who will work in an uncompensated public interest legal position this summer.
- What is public interest law?
The best definition EJF has found of ‘public interest law’ is Equal Justice Works’ definition (seewww.equaljusticeworks.org): “the use of law by nonprofit organizations, law firms and government agencies to provide legal representation to people, groups, or interests that are historically underrepresented in the legal system. Areas of public interest law include, but are not limited to, civil rights and liberties, women’s rights, children and youth services, immigrant issues, worker rights employment law, consumer rights, public benefits, gay and lesbian rights, environmental law, prisoner rights, criminal law, and the death penalty.”
- Are there types of jobs that are ineligible for the EJF Fellowship Program?
Yes. EJF does not award fellowships for employment in for-profit organizations, positions on political campaigns, judicial clerkships, or research positions with professors. Furthermore, EJF will not award fellowships to students who are (1) paid to perform the proposed work, (2) could be paid to perform the proposed work, or (3) are receiving class credit for the proposed work.
- What if my summer public interest employer is only providing a small stipend or minimal reimbursement for my proposed work?
EJF will consider applications for work where the student receives minimal reimbursement for such expenses as parking or transportation. EJF reserves the right to contact employers to confirm that the employer is unable to compensate the student.
- Who chooses the Fellows?
A Selection Committee made up of seven non-applicant students and one non-voting faculty member will determine the 2014 Fellows. The process is anonymous, meaning that the names of applicants will have been redacted from all the applications before they are reviewed by the Selection Committee.
- How competitive is the application process?
The EJF Fellowship Program is very competitive. Only 40% of last year’s applicants were awarded Fellowships.
- How many Fellowships will EJF be awarding this year?
The number of Fellowships EJF awards varies from year to year. The variation is a product of the amount of money raised at each year’s Auction and the way in which the Selection Committee decides to distribute Fellowships. In 2014, EJF awarded 10 Fellowships. Some organizations where Georgia Law students have worked in the past include: the Atlanta Legal Aid Society, The Bronx Defenders, Gideon’s Promise, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Human Society and the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights.
- How much are EJF Fellowships?
A full EJF Fellowship is a grant of $3,500. A partial Fellowship is a grant of $1,500.
- What are the most important factors the Selection Committee considers?
The Selection Committee will award fellowships based on the following criteria: (1) the job description and its ability to hone legal skills, (2) the applicant’s prior public interest and community service experience, and (3) whether the position furthers the applicant’s career goals.
- Once selected, what responsibilities do EJF Fellows have?
The Fellow must (1) work at least 320 hours over the summer at the proposed public interest employer, (2) solicit at least three items for the 2015 Annual Auction, and (3) submit a Fellowship Report to the EJF Board once the summer internship is completed.
Student organizations are not a part of nor are they agencies of the University of Georgia School of Law or the University of Georgia. Neither the University of Georgia School of Law nor the University of Georgia direct, supervise, or control these organizations. Each organization is a separate and independent organization and is responsible for and manages its own activities and affairs. The University of Georgia School of Law and the University of Georgia are not responsible for any of these organizations’ contracts, acts or omissions.
The content and opinions expressed in student organization websites linked from this web page do not necessarily reflect the views of nor are they endorsed by the University of Georgia or the University System of Georgia.