2026 Equal Justice Conference: Full Schedule

8:30am EDT

Frontline

Wednesday May 13, 2026 8:30am - 5:00pm EDT

Symphony 2

Wednesday May 13, 2026 8:30am - 5:00pm EDT
Symphony 2

Pre-Conference

10:00am EDT

Using Online Dispute Resolution Pre-Suit to Address Medical Debt

Thursday May 14, 2026 10:00am - 11:15am EDT

Symphony 2

Hear from a state preparing to expand its online dispute resolution pilot to a statewide initiative. Steered by the TN ADR Commission and supported by the TN ATJ Commission, the TN AOC has built its own platform to allow creditor hospitals, trained mediators, and debtors to resolve medical debt quickly and efficiently. Panelists will share lessons learned from their experience.

Speakers

Dana Schmidt

Manager, Mediation Programs and Grants, Tennessee Supreme Court, Administrative Office of the Courts

Dana Schmidt is a seasoned legal professional with over two decades of experience in child welfare, family law, and mediation services. A 2002 graduate of Regent University School of Law, she began her career in 2003 as a litigation attorney with the Tennessee Department of Children’s... Read More →

Anne-Louise Wirthlin

Assistant Director; Director of Access to Justice, TN Supreme Court Administrative Office of the Courts / ATJ Commission

Anne-Louise Wirthlin is the Director of Access to Justice and an Assistant Director for the Tennessee Supreme Court Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC). She earned her Bachelor’s degree and J.D. from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Anne-Louise has an LLM in Taxation... Read More →

Alexander McVeagh

Linda Warren Seely

Pro Bono Counsel, Butler Snow, LLP

Linda Seely is a licensed Tennessee lawyer and listed Mediator. She served as the Director of the American Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section in Washington, DC until May of 2021 when she assumed her position at Butler Snow as Pro Bono Counsel. For 20 years, she served as Pro... Read More →

Thursday May 14, 2026 10:00am - 11:15am EDT
Symphony 2

Sessions

11:30am EDT

LSC Pro Bono Innovation Fund (PBIF) - for current and former grantees

Thursday May 14, 2026 11:30am - 1:00pm EDT

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Thursday May 14, 2026 11:30am - 1:00pm EDT
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Networking Lunch Sessions

1:15pm EDT

Advocating for Equity in Medicaid Eligibility Systems in the Automation Age

Thursday May 14, 2026 1:15pm - 2:30pm EDT

Symphony 2

Tech companies and policymakers tout automation in programs like Medicaid, promising accuracy, speed, and reduced administrative burden. But, often, the reality does not match this vision. This session will bring together a panel of advocates and technologists to discuss past pitfalls and how we can learn from them. We will focus on advocacy opportunities to improve these systems, highlighting the role of procurement and contracting in shaping these systems and the rights of Medicaid enrollees.

Speakers

Sarah Grusin

Emma Weil

Senior Policy Analyst, Upturn

Emma Weil is a Senior Policy Analyst at Upturn. They use their technology background to support advocates challenging computer systems and algorithms that mediate access to social safety net programs, as part of the Benefits Tech Advocacy Hub. Their work at Upturn also includes major... Read More →

Susan Garcia Nofi

Senior Attorney, TechTonic Justice

Susan Garcia Nofi is a Senior Attorney at TechTonic Justice. She spent most of her career as a frontline legal aid attorney at Vermont Legal Aid, Central West Justice Center (MA) and New Haven Legal Assistance (CT), where she also served as Deputy Director and Executive Director... Read More →

Shandra Harly

Senior Attorney, National Health Law Program

Shandra Hartly is a Senior Attorney at the National Health Law Program (NHeLP), where she works in NHeLP's Eligibility & Enrollment and Services Practice Areas. At NHeLP, much of Shandra's work focuses on issues surrounding algorithms and automated decision-making systems (ADS), and... Read More →

Thursday May 14, 2026 1:15pm - 2:30pm EDT
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Sessions

2:45pm EDT

Going on Offense: Using Affirmative Litigation to Achieve Better Outcomes in Eviction Cases

Thursday May 14, 2026 2:45pm - 4:00pm EDT

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For most legal aid attorneys, eviction prevention primarily involves defending eviction actions. Putting up a strong defense is essential, but eviction prevention does not have to end there. In many cases, local and statewide ordinances, as well as contract law principles, can be leveraged to assert claims against a landlord. In this session, we will cover how to issue spot potential claims, how to build an affirmative case, and other relevant considerations when going from defense to offense.

Speakers

Lydia Ellsworth

Supervising Attorney, Community Legal Services of Philadelphia

Lydia Ellsworth is a Supervising Attorney in the Housing Unit at Community Legal Services of Philadelphia. She earned her JD from the Villanova Charles Widger School of Law. Before working for Community Services, Lydia was an Appellate Attorney for the Supreme Court of New York, Appellate... Read More →

Beverly Beaver

Supervising Attorney, Community Legal Services of Philadelphia

Beverly Beaver is a supervising attorney at Community Legal Services of Philadelphia in the housing unit where she primarily focuses on eviction defense. Prior to joining CLS in August of 2024, she was an attorney at the Defender Association of Philadelphia for 13 years. As an assistant... Read More →

Thursday May 14, 2026 2:45pm - 4:00pm EDT
Symphony 2

Sessions

4:15pm EDT

(NOT CLE ELIGIBLE) Redefining Success in Challenging Times: Preserving Rights, Reimagining Justice

Thursday May 14, 2026 4:15pm - 5:30pm EDT

Symphony 2

What does it mean to “win” when the rule of law is under attack? As democracy faces unprecedented threats, success in pro bono work must be reimagined. This session brings together nonprofit advocates and law firm leaders who are reshaping justice work in uncertain times. Panelists will share creative strategies, reflections on resilience, and evolving measures of impact, offering practical insights to sustain pro bono advocacy and safeguard democracy.

Speakers

Tamara Serwer Caldas

Rene Kathawala

Pro Bono Counsel, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP

Rene Kathawala serves as Orrick's firmwide pro bono counsel, responsible for managing and initiating the firm's pro bono activities, including all administrative and legal aspects.

Rene works with other pro bono counsel and legal services nonprofits to increase the quantity and quality of pro bono representation that is being provided to indigent clients in each of the cities worldwide where Orrick has a presence. In addition, he supervises and directly works... Read More →

Chriselle Raguro

Director of Pro Bono and Strategic Partnerships, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area

Chriselle Raguro (she/her/siya) serves as the Director of Pro Bono and Strategic Partnerships at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area (LCCRSF). In this role, she drives the organization’s vision to grow and strengthen its pro bono program, mobilizing... Read More →

Katie Niejadlik

Katie Niejadlik is the Global Director for Pro Bono at the Center for Reproductive Rights, where she leads a global team of pro bono professionals and drives the organization’s strategy to expand and deepen partnerships with the private bar in support of reproductive rights as human... Read More →

Bianca Sierra Wolff

Executive Director, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area

Bianca Sierra Wolff is Executive Director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area (LCCRSF) and brings more than two decades of executive and legal leadership to the organization. Prior to joining LCCRSF, she served as Executive Director of the California... Read More →

Thursday May 14, 2026 4:15pm - 5:30pm EDT
Symphony 2

Sessions

10:00am EDT

How to Kill your Darlings: Making Bold Changes to Maximize Pro Bono Program Impact

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

Symphony 2

Hemingway famously advised writers to "kill their darlings" - those aspects of a story that they love but no longer serve the overall purpose. This advice also applies to organizations running longstanding but outdated pro bono programs. Using case studies from several legal services organizations, this session will discuss knowing when your program needs a change, determining what changes to make, and successfully implementing those changes to maximize program impact.

Speakers

Sarah Babcock

Co-Director, Community Justice Resource Center, Alaska Legal Services

Sarah Babcock is the Director of Saturday Lawyer and Eviction Defense Programs at Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation. These programs connect tenants experiencing housing issues with legal advocacy, information about their rights, and representation by pro bono attorney volunteers... Read More →

Darcy McLean

Director of Pro Bono & Community Engagement, Alston & Bird

As the Director of Pro Bono & Community Engagement at Alston & Bird, Darcy McLean develops and maintains relationships with legal services organizations and law firm pro bono coordinators firmwide. She facilitates trainings and volunteer opportunities for attorneys and staff and manages... Read More →

Kate Gaffney

Director of Pro Bono, Atlanta Legal Aid Society

Kate Gaffney is the Director of Pro Bono at Atlanta Legal Aid Society. Kate develops, manages and oversees the many ways Atlanta Legal Aid Society works with private attorneys, law students and volunteers to help further the organization’s mission of helping low-income people meet... Read More →

Sarah J. Anderson

PBU Deputy Director/Clinics & Compliance, Georgia Legal Services Program

Sarah Anderson serves as the Pro Bono Unit Deputy Director / Clinics & Compliance for Georgia Legal Services Program (GLSP). In this role, she develops clinic models that can be implemented across GLSP’s regional offices and oversees compliance with Legal Services Corporation (LSC... Read More →

Friday May 15, 2026 10:00am - 11:15am EDT
Symphony 2

Sessions

3:00pm EDT

Empowering Legal Aid: A Toolkit for Serving Communities Impacted by Opioid Use Disorder

Friday May 15, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm EDT

Symphony 2

Discover how Opioid Crisis Response Fellows are addressing the opioid epidemic. The panelists will identify civil legal aid issues associated with the opioid crisis and provide collaborative and systemic approaches to the development of an OUD-focused Medical Legal Partnership. Participants will feel empowered to join the growing workforce of Legal Aid OUD-specialists to create community-based solutions and close service gaps.

Speakers

Touri Goode

Program Manager, Equal Justice Works

Lauren Williams

Equal Justice Works Opioid Crisis Response Fellow, Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio

Lauren Williams is an Equal Justice Works Fellow at Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio (LASCO), where they provide direct legal services and build partnerships with medical, judicial, and community organizations to help reduce opioid fatalities. Working within a harm reduction... Read More →

Carrie Stambaugh

Equal Justice Works Opioid Crisis Response Fellow, Legal Aid of the Bluegrass

Carrie Stambaugh is an Equal Justice Works Fellow in the Opioid Crisis Response Program and a Staff Attorney at Legal Aid of the Bluegrass. Based in rural northeast, Kentucky, her practice is centered on providing direct civil legal services to low-income and substance use affected... Read More →

Justin Apperson

Equal Justice Works Opioid Crisis Response Fellow, Appalachian Research and Defense Fund of Kentucky

Justin Apperson is an attorney and Equal Justice Works Fellow, Opioid Crisis Response Program working with AppalReD Legal Aid in Prestonsburg, Kentucky. His fellowship project focuses on building partnerships with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) treatment providers in Eastern Kentucky to... Read More →

Helen Gratil

Consultant, Beyond Opioids

Helen Gratil is a national consultant and speaker focused on civil legal interventions for individuals impacted by the opioid crisis – specializing in fundraising, training, and project management. In 2019, Helen raised $2.2 million to launch Beyond Opioids Project, through her... Read More →

Friday May 15, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm EDT
Symphony 2

Sessions

8:30am EDT

10:00am EDT

11:30am EDT

1:15pm EDT

2:45pm EDT

4:15pm EDT

10:00am EDT

3:00pm EDT

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