Webinar: Meet a Civil Rights Lawyer Part 1: Government and Public Interest

Many folks head to law school with a strong interest in constitutional and civil rights and hoping to work as an advocate in that arena. But it might be hard to figure out how to get involved in civil rights work, or to understand what a civil rights lawyer does. Our esteemed panel of attorneys and judges—including the Honorable Judith E. Levy, United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan–will provide their insights into this fascinating but sometimes enigmatic area of the law, from the government and public interest perspective. Law students, law clerks, new attorneys, and attorneys looking to try a new area of law will benefit from this Q&A dialog. We’ll cover topics including how to get involved in civil rights work, what background and skills a successful public civil rights attorney needs to be successful, what a public civil rights practice looks like, how public plaintiff and defense work differs, why civil rights law is the best law there is (only half kidding here), and other topics. Bring your interest, and your questions, to our lively webinar that is FREE for FBA members, including law student members!

Presented by the Civil Rights Law Section, Federal Judicial Law Clerk Committee, & Law Student Division

Presenters

The Hon. Judith E. Levy, United States District Judge, Eastern District of Michigan (and former trial attorney for the EEOC and Chief AUSA of the Civil Rights Unit in the Eastern District of Michigan)

Prof. Aisha Novasky of UCLA Law, also Supervising Attorney of the Civil Rights Practice Group at Disability Rights California

Aisha C. Novasky is a supervising attorney with Disability Rights California’s Civil Rights Practice Group. Through her advocacy, Aisha aims to dismantle social injustices affecting marginalized communities, with a particular focus on the intersection of people with disabilities and their disproportionate interactions with law enforcement. At DRC, Aisha has worked on a range of litigation relating to housing, houselessness, and higher education.

Most recently, Aisha was an adjunct clinical lecturer with the Veterans Justice Clinic at UCLA’s School of Law for the 2022-2023 school year. Aisha supervised law students as they engaged in written and oral advocacy on behalf of housing insecure veterans, and organized a site visit for Soledad Garcia Munoz, the Special Rapporteur on Economic, Social, Cultural and Environmental Rights at the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights, to assess the houselessness crisis in Los Angeles.

Prior to joining Disability Rights California, Aisha was a staff attorney at Manhattan Legal Services, where she represented tenants and tenant associations in issues relating to violations of the Fair Housing and Rehabilitation Acts, warranty of habitability and rent stabilization laws.

In October 2020, Aisha was appointed to the San Bernardino Superior Court’s Elimination of Bias Committee, where she continues to work closely with judicial officers, court personnel, and attorneys from the public and private sectors to eliminate bias in the justice system and ensure court processes are accessible and equitable to all.

Aisha received her B.A. from California State University, Fullerton, and her J.D. from New York Law School. She is licensed to practice in California and New York.

Eric Foley, Staff Attorney in the New Orleans Office of the Roderick & Solange MacArthur Justice Center

Eric Foley is an attorney at the Roderick & Solange MacArthur Justice Center, where his docket includes challenges to bail systems, police misconduct, and violations of protesters’ rights across Louisiana. Prior to joining the MacArthur Justice Center in 2015, Foley worked for S.E. Louisiana Legal Services in their housing and homeless advocacy divisions and was a judicial clerk in the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico.

Kyle Kaiser, Senior Trial Counsel, Litigation Division, Utah Attorney General’s Office

Kyle Kaiser is an Assistant Attorney General and Senior Trial Counsel in the Litigation Division of the Utah Attorney General’s Office. He has been with the office since July 2011. Kyle’s practice focuses on defending claims of constitutional or civil rights violations brought against the State of Utah, its agents, agencies, and subdivisions, and Utah colleges and school districts. Kyle is also appointed as a judge pro tempore for the Salt Lake City Justice Court, presiding over civil small claims matters. Before working for the Utah AG’s Office, Kyle was employed as Staff Attorney for Justice Dale Wainwright of the Supreme Court of Texas, where he not only assisted Justice Wainwright in researching and preparing opinions and analyzing petitions for review, but was in charge of the Court’s annual hot pepper eating competition. Before that, Kyle was a litigation and intellectual property associate with the law firm of Winthrop & Weinstine, P.A. in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and served as a law clerk for Richard Dorr, United States District Judge for the Western District of Missouri, in Springfield.

Kyle received his J.D., with high distinction, from the University of Iowa College of Law in 2003, where he was Senior Managing Editor of the Iowa Law Review, was awarded the Hancher-Finkbine Medallion, and was inducted into Order of the Coif. Kyle received his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Drake University, summa cum laude, in 2000.

Away from work, Kyle enjoys spending time with his wife Pearl, their daughter Cora, and their cat Milo; camping around Utah in a 1983 Chevy RV; competing in pub trivia events (mostly virtually this year); playing percussion with the local community band and piano in the privacy of his own home; and judging mock trial competitions.

Registration

Registration for this webinar is now closed.

Registration Fees

• FBA Member: $0
• Nonmember: $75

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I access the virtual webinar?
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Q: Will recordings of the sessions be available after the event?
A: Approved sessions will be available for registrants to view live and on-demand following the webinar.

Q: Who do I contact for more information?
A: Please contact sections@fedbar.org for any other questions.

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If you have any questions regarding this program, please contact Daniel Hamilton, Program Coordinator, at sections@fedbar.org