Equal Justice Conference

Recently, the Barbara McDowell Social Justice Center’s Senior Director of Litigation, George Mykulak and Vice President, Maria Imperial, attended the 2026 Equal Justice Conference, co-hosted by the National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA) and the American Bar Association (ABA), which was held in Charlotte, North Carolina.  Over 950 legal aid advocates and pro bono leaders from across the U.S. attended.  The conference reinforced the importance of the vital work being done by the Center, integrating litigation, grantmaking, advocacy, and education to promote social justice.

The Center facilitated and participated as panelists in a workshop entitled “Securing Justice Through Debt Relief:  Ensuring Access to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.”  The idea for the workshop grew out of the Center’s exploration of possible litigation and submission of public comment challenging proposed changes to the PSLF Program scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2026. Nearly 50 advocates attended the workshop, which also featured as panelists,l Khandice Lofton, Protect Borrowers, and Vikram Swaruup, Legal Aid DC. 

Protect Borrowers, together with Democracy Forward, has filed a lawsuit in federal court, National Council of Nonprofits et al. v. McMahon, to halt the new rules from taking effect.  Legal Aid DC is one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit. 

The Center attended other workshops: Utilizing an Externship, Secondee, or Retiree Model to Grow Pro Bono Engagement; Creative Strategies to Train and Support Pro Bono Lawyers; Pro Bono Immigration Practice in a Time of Increased Enforcement; and Tech Tips. A highlight of the conference was a “Story Slam”, which featured the recounting of advocate and pro bono leaders’ experiences with advancing access to justice.  The slam ended with a captivating story told by Dana Foster, Center Board Member and Chair of Pro Bono at White & Case. 

Participating in the conference enabled the Center to join with advocates from across the country to share strategies, build partnerships, and identify collaborative approaches to advancing justice. As one speaker remarked about the conference, “It’s not just content – it’s community.”