Thursday, November 29, 2012 | news
In January 2013, Maryland law professor Sherrilyn Ifill will become the seventh president and director counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. She recently inherited the position, which was left vacant in March by the untimely death of her predecessor, John Payton, a brilliant courtroom strategist who led the LDF in resounding legal victories. Ifill’s […]
Thursday, April 28, 2022 | staff
Amir Badat serves as Manager of Black Voters on the Rise and Voting Special Counsel at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. As Manager of Black Voters on the Rise, Amir leads LDF’s year-round election protection, voter education, and election administration advocacy efforts, using legal, organizing, and advocacy tools to defend and advance the […]
Friday, September 28, 2018 | ldf-perspectives
UPDATE August 30, 2018: Twenty-five Harvard student and alumni organizations, represented by the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF), filed an amicus brief August 30 in a Massachusetts federal court condemning a divisive lawsuit that seeks to eliminate the consideration of race in admissions, thereby threatening diversity at the college. The brief, filed on behalf […]
Monday, June 7, 2021 | staff
Amia L. Trigg serves as Senior Counsel & Director of Professional Development at LDF. As the Director of Professional Development, she plans and manages legal skills trainings for LDF’s litigation team, and manages the summer intern and fellowship programs. Amia was lead counsel in Florida NAACP v. Lee, a case that challenged several provisions of […]
Wednesday, February 26, 2025 | case-issue
Case: Economic Justice Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services Safeguarding Title VII protections Amicus Brief Filed: Jan. 24, 2025 SCOTUS Decision Issued: Jun. 5, 2025 What’s at stake? Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services is an employment discrimination case before the Supreme Court that centers on the correct application of laws aimed at […]
Thursday, July 6, 2023 | page
The Power of Language American, Redefined How Language is Weaponized to Oppress and Marginalize By Keecee DeVenny Senior Digital Strategist “I am not a fan of DEI. They’re very good, nice, flowery words, but equity is not a word that we — that is really American.” – Parent, Colorado Springs School Board Candidate Forum, October […]
Friday, October 11, 2019 | news
We are thrilled to share that our President and Director-Counsel, Sherrilyn Ifill, has been inducted into the 239th Class of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences on October 12, 2019 for her extraordinary work in civil rights. The American Academy of Arts of Sciences has as their mission: “Founded in 1780, the American Academy […]
Thursday, October 22, 2020 | staff
Amber M. Koonce is an Assistant Counsel. She joins LDF from Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, where she maintained an active pro bono practice as a Litigation Associate. Amber previously clerked for the Hon. William A. Fletcher on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and worked as a Luce Scholar […]
Monday, January 29, 2024 | staff
Amalea Smirniotopoulos is a Senior Policy Counsel and Co-Manager of LDF’s Equal Protection Initiative, an interdisciplinary project that brings together litigation, policy, communications, organizing, and research to defend and expand programs that create equal opportunity for Black communities. In her role as Senior Policy Counsel, Amalea works on fair housing, fair lending, employment discrimination, anti-poverty […]
Thursday, December 1, 2016 | news
Leaders to Hold Press Conference today at Supreme Court, Deliver Letters to Senators Today, almost 150 national civil rights and progressive groups are jointly announcing their opposition to nomination of Senator Jeff Sessions to lead the Justice Department. They are delivering letters to every member of the Senate today. “Senator Sessions has a 30-year record of […]
