Emily Woo Kee, Paralegal

Emily Woo Kee is a paralegal in the Public Justice Center’s Workplace Justice Project.

Phone: (410) 625-9409
Email

Public Justice Center

Baltimore, Maryland

June 2022

Be a critical member in a team of social justice advocates! The Public Justice Center seeks an attorney to join its Education Stability Team.

The Public Justice Center (“PJC”) and the Education Stability Team

The Public Justice Center pursues systemic change to build a just society. Founded in Maryland in 1985, the PJC uses legal advocacy tools to pursue social justice, economic and race equity, and fundamental human rights for people who are struggling to provide for their basic human needs. The PJC is a civil legal aid office that provides advice and representation to low-income clients, advocates before legislatures and government agencies, and collaborates with community and advocacy organizations. Our website is www.publicjustice.org.

The Public Justice Center’s Education Stability Project seeks to advance racial equity in public education by combatting the overuse of practices like suspension, expulsion, and school policing that disproportionately target students of color and push students out of school. Project attorneys represent individual students facing disciplinary removals from school; educate students, parents, and community members on the rights of students with respect to student discipline and school policing; and engage in policy advocacy to discourage school pushout and support the use of effective and inclusive strategies for achieving positive student behavior and school climate. The attorney will report to the lead attorney of the Education Stability Team.

COVID-19 Info: As long as there is a state of emergency during the pandemic, this position and most PJC positions will be working remotely most of the time, and will be required to come to the office, schools, the courts, or other public meetings only as necessary. The PJC is providing PPE for employees and guests and maintaining other risk reduction measures in the office.

Core duties:

• Providing legal advice and representation to public school students facing school pushout, along with their parents or guardians;
• Providing know-your-rights trainings and outreach to community groups;
• Thorough and timely case and file management;
• Developing and advancing the goals of the Education Stability Team at the PJC, including contributing to the team’s workplan and race equity analysis;
• Actively participating in coalition and team meetings and advancing policy advocacy, including in the Maryland General Assembly, before local school boards, and at the state board of education.

Desired Skills and Experience

The following qualifications are valued for this position. Applicants should also identify other related or supplementary skills and experiences.

• Maryland bar admission or admission to another state bar.
• Prior legal experience with low-income and other oppressed communities and clients.
• Passion for social justice and commitment to the vision of the Public Justice Center.
• Understanding of the principles of race equity analysis and the intersection of racism and poverty and their application to the PJC’s organizational life and to our work.
• Attention to detail and keen organization skills.
• Ability to work under deadline and manage multiple tasks.
• Lived experience with our client communities is highly desired.
• Ability to empathize and sensitively respond to people in crisis situations.
• Excellent use of MS Outlook, Word, and Excel.
• Strong problem-solving abilities, time management, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively with others both in and outside of the PJC.

Compensation: This is a full-time, exempt, professional position. The attorney may be called upon to work hours in excess of 40 hours in a workweek, including the potential for evening and weekend work. Local travel will be required at times. Salary range for an attorney with 1-5 years of experience is $60,000- $70,000 and increases with experience, plus $1,000 Spanish language bonus if qualified. An excellent cafeteria benefit package is offered including options for health, dental, disability and life insurance, and retirement plans.

Applications: Applications will be accepted and interviews conducted on a rolling basis until the position is filled, but we encourage candidates to apply as soon as possible and expect to fill the position in August 2022. To apply, please submit, by email only, a cover letter explaining your interest, resume, two legal writing samples, and the names and telephone numbers of three references. Please send applications to Monisha Cherayil by email, with “Education Attorney applicant” in the subject line.

Physical/Mental Demands and Office Environment

The physical/mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The Public Justice Center is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer that encourages all interested persons to apply regardless of race, color, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, citizenship, creed, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, age, religion, genetic information, physical or mental disability, marital status, or any other legally protected status. We strongly encourage Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and other applicants of color, people with disabilities, and other people historically underrepresented in the practice of law to apply.

Amanda Insalaco is the Legal Research Specialist at the National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel. Before joining the NCCRC in February 2022, Amanda was an Equal Justice Works Fellow at the Center for Disability & Elder Law (CDEL) where they implemented the Housing Preservation Project. As Fellow, Amanda provided outreach presentations to hundreds of senior homeowners and trained and supervised pro bono volunteers who provided almost 400 legal services for estate planning, title searches, and property tax exemptions, with the goal of increasing housing stability, affordability, and the intergenerational transfer of wealth. She also handled a wide variety of other civil legal matters. Amanda graduated cum laude from DePaul University College of Law in May of 2019 and summa cum laude from Northern Illinois University in May of 2014 with a degree in Community Leadership and Civic Engagement.

Amanda lives in Chicago with their partner and orange cat, Bean. She enjoys cooking for loved ones and reading books written by Ivan Coyote.

Phone: (410) 204-8519
Email

Jeniece Jones, MPA, JD joined the Public Justice Center as Executive Director in January 2022.

She has been a champion for social and economic justice and anti-racism throughout her career as a nonprofit leader, fundraiser, attorney, educator, and volunteer. Most recently, Jeniece was Executive Director of Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Greater Cincinnati, where she led a team in advocating to eliminate unlawful discrimination in housing and promoting stable, integrated communities. She has also led Community Shares of Greater Cincinnati (a community fund focused on building awareness of and fundraising for local social, economic, and environmental justice causes); worked as an attorney dealing with civil matters; and taught courses in nonprofit law, strategic planning, and best practices to students in Northern Kentucky University’s Master of Public Administration program. Jeniece served on boards of organizations working to create an affordable housing trust fund for Cincinnati, helping to resolve landlord-tenant issues, fighting to reduce infant mortality, and advocating on behalf of human services providers in Hamilton County, Ohio.

She has been honored for her contributions to social justice by the Cincinnati Women’s Political Caucus and with the Cincinnati Bar Association’s Academy of Leadership for Lawyers Fellowship. In 2021, the National Council of Negro Women, Cincinnati Section, saluted her efforts in the advancement of racial justice.

Jeniece earned a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from West Virginia University, a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Northern Kentucky University, and a Juris Doctorate in Law from Salmon P. Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University.

Email

(410) 625-9409 x238

Albert Turner is an attorney in the Human Right to Housing Project at the Public Justice Center (PJC). Prior to joining the PJC, Albert was an attorney with the Homeless Persons Representation Project, Inc. (HPRP), where he worked in the Veterans Legal Assistance Project, the Reducing Barriers to Housing and Employment Imposed by Criminal Records Project, and the Housing Justice Project. At HPRP, Albert represented clients in veteran benefit and discharge upgrade claims, helped clients expunge past criminal records, and defended clients in court eviction proceedings and in administrative hearings with the Housing Authority of Baltimore City.

He earned a J.D. from Howard University and a B.A. from Oakwood University. Before attending law school, Albert taught English in Seoul, South Korea.

Albert is a board member for Restorative Response Baltimore, a conflict resolution and community building organization that provides ways for people to collectively and effectively prevent and resolve conflicts and crime. He also serves on the Section Council for the Delivery of Legal Services Section of the Maryland State Bar Association.

Phone: (410) 625-9409 x250
Email

The Outstanding Partner Awards go to individuals and organizations whose work makes a difference for our clients and the issues we work on. In 2021, the Public Justice Center recognizes Gallagher Evelius & Jones LLP, UNITE HERE! Local 7, Murphy Anderson PLLC, Dr. Tim Thomas, Greater Baltimore Democratic Socialists of America, Stout Risius Ross, and MOMCares.

“Outstanding” does not begin to describe the truly incredible work of the attorneys at Gallagher Evelius & Jones LLP, who worked with the PJC to sue Maryland officials to reverse a decision to prematurely terminate the federally financed unemployment insurance benefits available during the COVID-19 pandemic. Attorneys Meghan Casey, Paul Caiola, and Hannah Perng, along with law clerk Tory Trocchia and paralegal Julie Pfanstiel, successfully reversed the State’s early termination decision, enabling tens of thousands of Marylanders to continue to receive life-sustaining benefits and bringing more than one billion dollars of federal monies to the state. We enjoyed working with such smart and tenacious advocates, and we are truly grateful for their outstanding partnership!

UNITE HERE! Local 7, and Roxie Herbekian in particular, were instrumental and invaluable partners on the path to victory to restore federal pandemic unemployment benefits in Maryland. Their incredible commitment to their members and unemployed workers throughout Maryland, and their determination to fight regardless of the outcome, were inspirational. They were instrumental in helping identify workers willing to advocate for their own financial security and that of other unemployed Marylanders. They also kept members and others informed about the status of the litigation, effectively using virtual platforms to host events, and coordinated with the press to amplify the victory.

Murphy Anderson PLLC lives up to its reputation for being “lawyers serving the public interest.” Their attorneys Mark Hanna, Roseann Romano, and Adam Breihan worked tirelessly on an important case alleging wage theft and discrimination against a large business and achieved a significant victory for the workers. The PJC was proud to partner with such dedicated, smart, and passionate advocates. As just one example of how Murphy Anderson PLLC lives its values, the firm generously donated a portion of their attorneys’ fees to the PJC. We appreciate their financial support as well as their legal partnership.

Dr. Tim Thomas of the Urban Displacement Project at the University of California, Berkeley created The Eviction Study’s Baltimore Map, a dynamic and interactive visualization, highlighting which neighborhoods are at the highest risk of scheduled evictions and eviction removals and illuminating race and gender disparities in the eviction crisis. To collect the local data, he partnered with Dr. Malcolm Drewery, a professor at Coppin State University; Linda Morris, an attorney for the ACLU Women’s Rights Project; and Dr. Meredith Greif, a professor at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Thomas’ work proved essential in our advocacy for an eviction right to counsel in Baltimore City and the and the state’s access to counsel legislation.

Greater Baltimore Democratic Socialists of America (GBDSA) works to empower renters and stands up publicly and loudly for housing justice in Baltimore and Maryland. As a member of Baltimore Renters United, GBDSA advocates for justice in public transportation, housing, education, and other public services in Black working-class neighborhoods. During the last year, GBDSA organized tenants, helped plan rallies, and supported campaigns to advance housing justice—for example, helping defeat a security deposit bill (21-0022) in the City Council that would have harmed tenants and advocating for renter protections during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Stout Risius Ross has been a key partner in providing data and expertise that has raised the national profile of the eviction crisis as well as supported civil right to counsel efforts around the country—including in Baltimore City and Maryland. Stout’s meticulous, thorough reports on the costs and benefits of providing a right to counsel have helped convince policymakers in many jurisdictions to enact such a right. Stout staff have graciously and tirelessly served as a resource to advocates all over the country looking for help and guidance with thinking through data or cost considerations. Finally, Stout’s interactive tool providing easy-to-read, 50-state data about the number of at-risk tenants and predicted eviction rates, which it developed in cooperation with the National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel, has helped drive policy reform at the federal, state, and local levels.

MOMCares and Executive Director Ana Rodney have been allies in collaborating with the PJC on legislative advocacy to improve maternal health care and expand access to doula care. Ana is a doula, former co-chair of RHEAM, and an appointed member of the Maternal Mortality Review Board for Baltimore City. In her work, Ana provides birth and postpartum doula support to mothers navigating a high-risk pregnancy or Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) involvement after a traumatic birth outcome.

The John P. Sarbanes Courage Awards honor clients and others who exhibit tremendous courage in the face of injustice. In 2021, the Public Justice Center recognizes Dominique Andrews, S.B., Kevin Baxter, Jennifer Graham, Daniel Mason, and Alonzo Mitchell – the six plaintiffs in D.A. v. Hogan; Mia Ballou and Monique Dillard; and Shalonda Glascoe.

Dominique Andrews, a plaintiff in D.A. v. Hogan, showed immense courage in her honesty about how unemployment during the COVID-19 pandemic caused her to change job paths to have a better chance to make ends meet for her family. Dominique joined five other plaintiffs in the case to fight the early termination of federal pandemic unemployment benefits. Together, they demonstrated bravery in trusting the attorneys to represent them in a case whose success was uncertain and in sharing personal details of how a loss of these benefits would affect their lives with the Court and in news interviews. Their courage and candor impressed the Court and was essential to the victory.

S.B., a plaintiff in D.A. v. Hogan, showed immense courage by being open about how his unemployment during the pandemic impacted his family and pushed them to the brink of homelessness. S.B. joined five other plaintiffs in the case to fight the early termination of federal pandemic unemployment benefits. Together, they demonstrated bravery in trusting the attorneys to represent them in a case whose success was uncertain and in sharing personal details of how a loss of these benefits would affect their lives with the Court and in news interviews. Their courage and candor impressed the Court and was essential to the victory.

Kevin Baxter, a plaintiff in D.A. v. Hogan, showed immense courage in speaking on behalf of the plaintiffs in several interviews and at a news conference, where he spoke openly about his personal experiences. Kevin joined five other plaintiffs in the case to fight the early termination of federal pandemic unemployment benefits. Together, they demonstrated bravery in trusting the attorneys to represent them in a case whose success was uncertain and in sharing personal details of how a loss of these benefits would affect their lives with the Court and in news interviews. Their courage and candor impressed the Court and was essential to the victory.

Jennifer Graham, a plaintiff in D.A. v. Hogan, showed immense courage in disclosing the mental health implications of the early loss of federal unemployment benefits on her life, including in news interviews. Jennifer joined five other plaintiffs in the case to fight the early termination of federal pandemic unemployment benefits. Together, they demonstrated bravery in trusting the attorneys to represent them in a case whose success was uncertain and in sharing personal details of how a loss of these benefits would affect their lives with the Court and in news interviews. Their courage and candor impressed the Court and was essential to the victory.

Daniel Mason, a plaintiff in D.A. v. Hogan, showed immense courage in revealing the mental health ramifications of losing federal unemployment benefits early. Daniel joined five other plaintiffs in the case to fight the early termination of federal pandemic unemployment benefits. Together, they demonstrated bravery in trusting the attorneys to represent them in a case whose success was uncertain and in sharing personal details of how a loss of these benefits would affect their lives with the Court and in news interviews. Their courage and candor impressed the Court and was essential to the victory.

Alonzo Mitchell, a plaintiff in D.A. v. Hogan, showed immense courage in detailing the physical health consequences of losing federal unemployment benefits early. Alonzo joined five other plaintiffs in the case to fight the early termination of federal pandemic unemployment benefits. Together, they demonstrated bravery in trusting the attorneys to represent them in a case whose success was uncertain and in sharing personal details of how a loss of these benefits would affect their lives with the Court and in news interviews. Their courage and candor impressed the Court and was essential to the victory.

Mia Ballou and Monique Dillard showed courage, tenacity, and readiness to help others in standing up to their landlord’s multiple attempts to evict them during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sisters living in the same unit, Ms. Ballou works hard to pay the bills and care for Ms. Dillard, who has several medical issues. They have been on the brink of eviction twice because of pandemic-related loss of income. We helped them apply successfully for rental assistance under the Center for Disease Control’s order, and their eviction hearing was scheduled while they were waiting on funds to pay their past-due rent. We filed an emergency motion to reserve judgement under the CDC order, which delayed their eviction. Then, their landlord refused to accept rental assistance funds from Baltimore City, so the sisters worked with us to get relocation funds. Throughout the months-long process, the sisters have shared their story publicly in the hope that it will help people in the same situation.

Shalonda Glascoe’s persistence in the face of multiple eviction actions and public scrutiny demonstrates courage and is an inspiration. Ms. Glascoe rents her home in Baltimore and fell behind on rent when she lost income during the pandemic. We represented Ms. Glascoe against several eviction actions, including her landlord’s attempt to evict her by not renewing her lease rather than claiming failure to pay rent. The judge ultimately ruled in her favor and renewed her lease because of a local law that protects tenants from an eviction filings within six months of a complaint about serious habitability defects; she and her landlord had recently settled a dispute over unsafe living conditions in her home. Without representation, Ms. Glascoe likely would not have been able to raise a defense against her landlord. She has spoken to the press, including the Washington Post and the Baltimore Brew, and at a legislative hearing about the importance of having counsel in eviction cases to assert and defend tenants’ rights. By speaking out publicly, she helped pass the eviction right to counsel bill in Baltimore City.

You inspired and powered our work to address the immense challenges surfaced by the COVID-19 pandemic while, at the same time, advocating for laws, policies, and practices to advance racial equity and justice. Thank you!

Together, we achieved progress and important victories in our advocacy for systemic change. Let us show you examples from the last year in our FY21 Annual Report.

October 29, 2021 ~ 5:30-8:00 p.m.
The Garage at R. House
301 W. 29th Street
Baltimore, MD 21211

Registration ended on October 15, but we may have tickets available closer to the event. Add your name to the wait list.

Event Details

Join us for networking, beer, wine, dinner, and a celebration of John’s upcoming retirement and his nearly 20-year tenure as Executive Director of the Public Justice Center.

5:30 p.m.
Beer, wine, hors d’oeuvres, and a light dinner reception

6:45 p.m.
Presentation honoring John Nethercut
Dessert reception to follow

Parking: Free parking is available in the Baltimore Police Department lot on the corner of 29th Street and Remington Avenue. Enter the parking lot from Remington Avenue. Garage parking (paid) is available at Remington Row, with entrances on 28th and 27th Streets.

Suggested Attire: Dressy casual. For example, wear dresses, skirts and dressy tops, dressy pants outfits, coats or blazers with a dress shirt or casual button-down shirt and slacks; ties optional.

Our COVID-19 safety measures include:

• This is an invitation-only event, and advanced registration is required for all attendees. Add your name to the wait list.
• Registration for the event will be limited to allow for safer socializing.
• Guests must be fully vaccinated to attend. We’ll ask you to confirm your vaccination status when you RSVP.
• Masks are required in public spaces in Baltimore City, regardless of vaccination status, except when eating or drinking.

The Garage at R. House is a large industrial space featuring high ceilings, a retractable garage door, an HVAC system with continuous fresh air exchange, and an outdoor area for mingling. We selected the venue for these features and its capacity. The Garage at R. House can accommodate a group larger than we are inviting; we are purposely limiting registrations to make this event as safe as possible.

Support the Celebration

Record and submit a short video (about 30 seconds or less) by midnight on October 24. We’ll share clips of submitted videos at the event, on our website/social media, and with John as a keepsake. Need ideas for what to say in your video? Describe John and his leadership of the PJC in five words or less. Share a favorite memory. Talk about John’s biggest impact on the PJC and our mission. Not feeling tech savvy? Share your thoughts in writing.

Contribute to the John Nethercut Fund, created to honor John’s nearly 20 years as Executive Director of the Public Justice Center. John is particularly proud of the PJC’s approach to legal advocacy, and this fund will support our capacity to respond to injustice with multiple legal strategies (litigation, advocacy, collaboration) and build power among those most affected by injustice to fight for their rights.

Public Justice Center, Inc. is a §501(c)(3) organization, gifts to which are deductible as charitable contributions for Federal income tax purposes.

California: Public Justice Center, Inc.’s audited financial statement is available upon request to Public Justice Center, Inc. 100 percent of your gift may be deducted under Federal and State income tax laws.

Florida: A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL FREE WITHIN THE STATE (1-800-435-7352) OR AT WWW.FLORIDACONSUMERHELP.COM. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. THE PUBLIC JUSTICE CENTER’S REGISTRATION NUMBER IS CH66182.

Georgia: Upon request, Public Justice Center, Inc., will provide a full and fair description of this and its other programs, and a financial statement or summary.

Maryland: A copy of Public Justice Center, Inc.’s current financial statement is available on request by contacting the Public Justice Center, Inc. at 201 N Charles St, Suite 1200, Baltimore, MD 21201 or by telephone at (410) 625-9409. For the cost of copies and postage, documents and information submitted under the Maryland Solicitations Act are available from the Maryland Secretary of State.

Minnesota: 100 percent of your gift may be deducted as a charitable contribution under Federal and State income tax laws.

Mississippi: The official registration and financial information of Public Justice Center, Inc. may be obtained from the Mississippi Secretary of State’s office by calling 1-888-236-6167 (in MS) or 601-359-1350. Registration by the Secretary of State does not imply endorsement.

New Jersey: INFORMATION FILED WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL CONCERNING THIS CHARITABLE SOLICITATION AND THE PERCENTAGE OF CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED BY THE CHARITY DURING THE LAST REPORTING PERIOD THAT WERE DEDICATED TO THE CHARITABLE PURPOSE MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY BY CALLING (973) 504-6215 AND IS AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET AT http://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/ocp/charities.htm. REGISTRATION WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT.

New York: Upon request, a copy of Public Justice Center, Inc.’s last annual report filed with the Attorney General is available from Public Justice Center, Inc. or from the New York State Attorney General’s Charities Bureau, Attn: FOIL Officer, 28 Liberty Street, New York, New York 10005; (212) 416-8401; https://www.charitiesnys.com/.

North Carolina: Financial information about this organization and a copy of its license are available from the State Solicitation Licensing Branch at (888) 830-4989. The license is not an endorsement by the state.

Pennsylvania: The official registration and financial information of Public Justice Center, Inc. may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll-free within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.

Virginia: A financial statement is available from the State Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services upon request.

Washington: Public Justice Center, Inc. is registered with Washington State’s Charities Program as required by law, and additional information may be obtained by calling 800-332-4483 (in WA) or 360-725-0378, or visiting www.sos.wa.gov/charities.

West Virginia: West Virginia residents may obtain a summary of the registration and financial documents from the Secretary of State, State Capitol, Charleston, West Virginia 25305. Registration does not imply endorsement.