2026 Equal Justice Conference: Full Schedule

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8:30am EDT

Launching Community Justice Workers: a Solution to the Legal Deserts Faced by DV Survivors

Friday May 15, 2026 8:30am - 9:45am EDT

More states are allowing various forms of practice for CJWs. Alaska’s Rule 43.5 allows CJWs to practice law in certain circumstances, including going to court. We’ll share how CJWs are trained for use of the waiver and the progress CJWs are making to end legal deserts for DV survivors.

Speakers

Sarah Carver

Managing Attorney, Center for Elder Law and Justice

Sarah Carver is Co-Director of Alaska Legal Services Corporation’s Community Justice Worker Resource Center (CJWRC). She started her legal career with ALSC as the sole staff attorney in the rural Nome, Alaska office. Since 2018, she has worked to build up the Community Justice Worker... Read More →

Teryn Bird

Legal Program Director, Interior Alaska Center for Non-Violent Living

Teryn Bird is a trial attorney and Legal Program Director at the Interior Alaska Center for Non-Violent Living in Fairbanks, Alaska. She was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Utah and... Read More →

Lauren Kellogg

Community Justice Worker, Alaska Legal Services Corporation

Joy K. Anderson

Co-Director, CJWRC, Alaska Legal Services Corp

Joy Anderson is a Co-Director for the Community Justice Worker Resource Center, an initiative of the Alaska Legal Services Corporation (ALSC). Previously, Joy served as the General Counsel of the Association of Village Council Presidents, a large non-profit tribal consortium of 56... Read More →

Friday May 15, 2026 8:30am - 9:45am EDT
Symphony 5

Sessions

10:00am EDT

Impact of Disaster Related Payouts to Public Benefit Recipients

Friday May 15, 2026 10:00am - 11:15am EDT

Symphony 5

Natural disasters disrupt clients' lives in many ways, affecting not only their homes and livelihoods, but also their continued receipt of public benefits. Learn how disaster-related payouts and relief programs can impact benefit eligibility as well as effective models for delivering legal services to disaster-impacted communities.

Speakers

Carlos Valdes

Pro Bono Manager, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles

Carlos Valdes (he/him) is the Pro Bono Manager at the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA), where he supports the Pro Bono Disaster Response Team serving individuals affected by the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires. In his role, Carlos has coordinated volunteer attorneys and law... Read More →

Jonathan Brown

Attorney, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles

Jon Brown, J.D. is an attorney at the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, where he represents low-income clients with a broad range of public benefits issues as part of LAFLA’s Economic Stability Work Group. He represents clients in various administrative hearings and has litigated... Read More →

Bernadette Segura

Deputy Group Coordinator, Public Benefits Group, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid

Friday May 15, 2026 10:00am - 11:15am EDT
Symphony 5

Sessions

8:30am EDT

10:00am EDT

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