Public Interest Law Center

The Public Interest Law Center, founded in 1969, is a nonprofit law firm based in Philadelphia. The Public Interest Law Center works primarily in the greater Philadelphia region occasionally taking on issues on a national scale.

Public Interest Law Center
Founded1969
TypeNonpartisan
PurposePublic interest litigation
Location
Area served
United States
Key people
Jennifer R. Clarke, Executive Director
Employees
12 (2016)
Website

The Public Interest Law Center's project areas include Education, Voting, Employment, Environmental justice, Healthcare, Housing and Community Services and Voting.

History

Founded by Edwin D. (Ned) Wolf, The Public Interest Law Center's history dates back to 1969,[1] rooted in the Philadelphia chapter that was one of seven local affiliates of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.[2] In its early years, the Public Interest Law Center's initial mission was to dismantle specific aspects of institutional racism by targeting discriminatory policies and practices.[3]

Project Areas

The Public Interest Law Centers aims to use high-impact legal strategies to both promote and protect the marginalized through project areas including Education, Voting, Employment, Environmental Justice, Healthcare, Housing and Community Services and voting.

A full list of The Public Interest Law Center's litigation can be found on the organization's website.

Notable former associates

Thaddeus Stevens Awardees

The Public Interest Law Center annually presents the Thaddeus Stevens Award to either individuals or organizations whose actions best correspond with its social mission.

Awards
  • 1978: The Delaware Valley Council on Services for the Handicapped's Annual Award for Outstanding Service to the Handicapped Community
  • 1997: Citizen's Committee on Public Education in Philadelphia's John N. Patterson Award for Excellence in Education
  • 1997: The Barristers' Association of Philadelphia's Cecil B. Moore Community Service Award
  • 1999: National Down Syndrome Congress' Education Award
  • 1999: The Michigan Academy of Pediatrics' Special Recognition Award
  • 2009: Inglis Award for Continuing Excellence
  • 2006: Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics' Special Recognition Award
  • 2012: Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center's Be The Change Award for Extraordinary Work Protecting Pennsylvanians' Right to Vote[6]
  • 2015: The Barristers' Association of Philadelphia's Martin Luther King, Jr. Award for Outstanding Service to the Community[7]
  • 2015: NAACP's Juanita Jackson Mitchell Award[8]

References
  1. "History & Mission | Public Interest Law Center". www.pilcop.org. Retrieved 2016-10-04.
  2. "Part of a Network". Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  3. "History & Mission". Public Interest Law Center. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  4. "City man is Rhodes Scholar". The Philadelphia Inquirer. 24 November 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  5. "May Law Center Update" (PDF). May 1, 2000.
  6. "PBPC Celebrates 5th Anniversary | The Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center". pennbpc.org. Retrieved 2016-07-27.
  7. Epps, Joanne A. "Martin Luther King Breakfast with the Barristers' Association". Temple University Beasley School of Law. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  8. "Law Center Honored to Receive NAACP Award | Public Interest Law Center". www.pilcop.org. Retrieved 2016-07-27.
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