Equal Justice Works is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, DC (1730 M Street NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20036). Established in 1986, the organization is the nation's largest facilitator of opportunities in public interest law. Equal Justice Works mobilizes a network of law students, lawyers, legal services organizations, and supporters to advance equal justice and increase access to the legal system for underserved communities.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$41.9M
+0.9% YoY
Revenue
$24.0M
+13.3% YoY
Net Investment Income
$816K
+103.9% YoY
Expenses
$25.1M
+10.3% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: We create opportunities for lawyers to transform their passion for equal justice into a lifelong commitment to public service.
Core Activities:
Legal Fellowships: Directs the largest postgraduate legal fellowship program in the nation, placing lawyers in two-year assignments at legal services organizations. The organization offers two fellowship structures: Design-Your-Own Fellowships where fellows design projects alongside host organizations, and specialized programs focused on particular legal issues.
Law Student Engagement: Creates opportunities for law students and law school professionals to serve the public interest law community on their campuses and nationwide.
Career Development: Operates the Equal Justice Works Career Fair, the largest public interest legal career fair in the country, bringing together law students, recent graduates, public interest employers, law school faculty and staff.
Student Debt Management: Educates law students and lawyers about options to manage student debt and advocates for loan repayment assistance programs (LRAPs) and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).
Program Areas:
- Housing Justice Program
- Disaster Resilience Program
- Financial Empowerment Project
- Opioid Crisis Response Program
- Crime Victims Advocacy Program
- Rural Summer Legal Corps (RSLC)
- Regional Public Interest Awards
Fellows address a wide range of legal issues including veterans' benefits, racial justice, access to education, immigration and asylum, housing, and disaster resilience.
Grantmaking
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Equal Justice Works funds in California, New York, and the District of Columbia, with fellows working across 59 cities in multiple states and territories.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2024):
- Total Revenue: $23,999,649
- Total Expenses: $25,056,566
- Total Assets: $41,853,650
- Total Liabilities: $9,130,000
- Number of Employees: 57
Previous Year (2023):
- Revenue: $21.2 million
- Expenses: $22.7 million
- Total Assets: $41.5 million
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $41,853,650 | $41,483,131 | $34,685,624 |
| Revenue | $23,999,649 | $21,173,089 | $23,316,842 |
| Expenses | $25,056,566 | $22,713,463 | $20,442,752 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $816,043 | $400,121 | $537,601 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 0 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
200 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
8 open opportunities from Equal Justice Works
Crime Victims Advocacy Program Fellowship Grant
EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS
Amount
More than US $7,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Design-Your-Own Fellowship Grant
EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS
Amount
Up to US $140,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Disaster Resilience Program - Host Organization Grant
EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS
Amount
Up to US $146,800
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for 2024.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Chief Executive Officer: Verna Williams
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| KATHRYN J FRITZ | CHAIR | 1 | — |
| FRANK R JIMENEZ | VICE CHAIR | 1 | — |
| JONATHAN CHIEL | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| JAMI MCKEON | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| JAMES CHOSY | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| BRACKETT B DENNISTON III | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| MICHAEL FRICKLAS | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| IVAN FONG | MEMBER UNTIL 12/2023 | 1 | — |
| MOLLY GIGUIERE | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| DEAN RISA GOLUBOFF | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| FATIMA GOSS GRAVES | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| HONORABLE JAMES E GRAVES | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ERNEST LAMONT GREER | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| MICHAEL HARDING | MEMBER UNTIL 12/2023 | 1 | — |
| JOHN HUESTON | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ERIN JOHNSON | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| TRACIE JOHNSON | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| KIM KOOPERSMITH | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| MARYANNE LAVAN | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| DAVID LEVINE | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| VIVIAN MARTINEZ | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| STEVE MCMANUS | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| MARC H MORIAL | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| CAMILLE NELSON | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| HONORABLE CORNELIA TL | PILLARD; MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ABID RIAZ QURESHI | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| KACE RODWELL | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JENNIFER SCHOTT | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| DONALD B VERRILLI JR | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JULIA WILSON | MEMBER UNTIL 12/2023 | 1 | — |
| TERESA YOUNGER | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| VERNA WILLIAMS | CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER | 40 | $345,499 |
| TIMOTHY S WIERZBICKI | CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER | 40 | $295,951 |
| MIA SUSSMAN SR VP | OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT | 40 | $235,151 |
| KRISTEN UHLER-MCKEOWN | DIRECTOR FOR PUBLIC PROGRAMS | 40 | $212,771 |
| AOIFE DELARGY LOWE | VP OF LSEA | 40 | $205,025 |
| SARAH LACKRITZ | VP OF MARKETING AND COMM. | 40 | $212,951 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Equal Justice Works has announced multiple significant grants supporting its Housing Justice Program and other initiatives to expand legal services to low-income and underserved populations. The organization continues to expand its fellowship programs, including specialized initiatives addressing disaster resilience, financial empowerment, and crime victims' advocacy.
Equal Justice Works Housing Justice Program Receives a Total of $1.93 MillionSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Equal Justice Works fund?
**Mission:** We create opportunities for lawyers to transform their passion for equal justice into a lifelong commitment to public service. **Core Activities:** • **Legal Fellowships:** Directs the largest postgraduate legal fellowship program in the nation, placing lawyers in two-year assignments at legal services organizations. The organization offers two fellowship structures: Design-Your-Own Fellowships where fellows design projects alongside host organizations, and specialized programs foc…
How do I apply for a grant from Equal Justice Works?
**Fellowship Structure:** Equal Justice Works places approximately 160 fellows annually across 138 host organizations in 59 cities across multiple states and territories. **Typical Award Ranges:** $5,250–$315,052 **Recent Grant Activity:** • Housing Justice Program received $1.93 million in total grants to provide legal services to income-eligible clients facing eviction and housing instability • Housing Justice Program awarded $3.75 million in grants to continue operations • Received $575,000 …
Where does Equal Justice Works make grants?
Equal Justice Works funds in California, New York, and the District of Columbia, with fellows working across 59 cities in multiple states and territories.
What is Equal Justice Works's EIN?
Equal Justice Works's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1469738. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Equal Justice Works's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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