The Justice Connection Legal Network has proven to be a crucial lifeline to Justice Department employees since its launch two months ago. With the attacks on the workforce steadily increasing, Justice Connection is seeking to expand its one-of-a-kind network to ensure every targeted employee can receive full-service, pro bono representation by alumni attorneys.
“The concept behind the legal network is simple,” said Stacey Young, executive director and founder of Justice Connection. “DOJ employees are facing terminations, ethical quandaries, and criminal and congressional investigations – simply for doing their jobs. Even when employees are able to find a qualified attorney, hiring one can be cost-prohibitive, especially for those who’ve lost their salary. Fortunately, there are a lot of former DOJ attorneys who want to help our former colleagues who are under assault. We’re connecting them.”
Dozens of DOJ employees have already been paired with volunteer alumni attorneys from the Justice Connection Legal Network for pro bono representation in MSPB, EEO, whistleblower, criminal and congressional matters.
The greatest need for representation is for employees seeking to appeal their terminations with the MSBP. Justice Connection provides interested alumni who want to help with training, and it has partnered with two federal sector legal specialists at the DC Law Collective – Pam Hicks, who was fired in February as ATF’s General Counsel, and Greg Pinto – who volunteer their time to help attorneys in the Justice Connection Legal Network with MSPB-related questions as they arise.
Justice Connection released a video today featuring Hicks and Pinto discussing this partnership.
“We’re totally committed to helping Justice Connection in any way that we can,” Pinto says in the video. Referencing department leadership, Pinto continues, “They are firing people en masse, and they know that it may be difficult for you to find an attorney. That doesn’t mean you should give up your rights. They want you to go away. And you shouldn’t.”
In addition, Justice Connection recently purchased an umbrella malpractice insurance plan, allowing volunteer attorneys to participate without needing to secure their own insurance.
“We have a large pool of volunteer attorneys already but with a dramatic increase in terminations throughout the department, we may soon need more volunteers,” Young said. “We don’t want to see any targeted employees left to fend for themselves.”
Current or recent DOJ employees seeking legal support related to actions taken by the current administration can access the network by email at intake@thejusticeconnection.
Any DOJ alumni interested in joining the Legal Network as an attorney volunteer should reach out through alumni@thejusticeconnection.
