WASHINGTON, Feb. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law ("Lawyers' Committee"), a leading national civil rights organization, announced today that Thomas Sager and Hon. Shira A. Scheindlin have been named as the new co-chairs of the Lawyers' Committee Board of Directors. Both Judge Scheindlin and Mr. Sager will lead and advise over 200 lawyers across the country to ensure that the Lawyers' Committee continues advancing civil rights issues and securing justice for all.
"Thomas Sager and Judge Shira Scheindlin are leading the Board of Directors of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law at a time when the civil rights of vulnerable communities are under attack. Their respective records of leadership in the legal profession, commitment to social justice and efforts to advance diversity make them well positioned to lead our Board at this critical moment in American democracy," said Kristen Clarke, President and Executive Director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. "As the nation's leading civil rights legal organization that carries out its work in partnership with the private bar, we are proud to have Judge Scheindlin and Thomas Sager joining our fight to advance justice and promote civil rights. Last year, through the leadership of our Board members, we marshalled over 66,000 pro bono hours from the private bar valued at over 44.8 million dollars."
Mr. Sager serves as a Senior Counsel for Ballard Spahr LLP, where he leveraged his experience steering the legal department at a heavily regulated, Fortune 100 global corporation to a broad portfolio. He spent the majority of his career as in-house lawyer at the DuPont Company where he last served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel, and previously in the role of Chief Litigation Counsel for ten years overseeing complex commercial litigation and government investigations. As a champion of diversity in the legal profession, Mr. Sager helped pioneer the DuPont Company Legal Model—an industry benchmark within which a company's in-house counsel and external providers have clearly defined roles and are invested in each other's financial success. Through the model, which has received national acclaim, companies employ strategic partnership and collaborations to help achieve success.
"It's an extraordinary honor to lead this storied civil rights organization," said Thomas Sager. "The Lawyers' Committee boasts a board of directors that is comprised of the most accomplished individuals in the legal profession that all share a vision of promoting equal rights for everyone living in our nation. I am equally honored to have the confidence of my fellow board members to lead this organization at this critical time in our nation's history, and look forward to advancing the mission of the organization."
Judge Scheindlin serves as Counsel for Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP. As a federal judge for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York for 22 years, Judge Scheindlin presided over many high profile trials, including the landmark stop and frisk litigation in New York City, as well as well as many civil and criminal cases involving cutting edge issues that often involved claims of discrimination or a violation of constitutional rights. . She spent seven years as a member of the Judicial Conference of the United States Committee on the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, which ensured that revisions to those rules were beneficial to the entire legal community. She previously served as a Magistrate Judge in the Eastern District of New York and as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in that district. After holding those positions, she practiced law for eight years as a partner in two large New York City law firms, representing clients in both commercial litigation and product liability. Most recently, she authored a benchmark study of diversity in the legal profession. She is now engaged in the practice of arbitration and mediation.
"The Lawyers' Committee has been at the forefront of efforts challenging and pressing the most crucial civil rights issues of our time. From voting rights to fair housing, criminal justice, and equal educational opportunity, I am honored to lead this organization in its efforts to advance social justice in our nation and look forward to continuing these efforts, particularly in these challenging times. The mission of the Lawyers' Committee is more important than ever, and I am grateful to have the opportunity to support this very special organization's mission in my new capacity as co-chair."
To learn more about the Lawyers' Committee visit https://www.lawyerscommittee.org.
SOURCE Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
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