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Hi friend,

Every month, We The Action recognizes lawyers who embody our mission to expand access to justice and deliver free legal services where they are critically needed. This month, we celebrate volunteers who have dedicated their time to supporting the Prisoners Legal Advocacy Network (PLAN) Foundation and contributing to the Jailhouse Law Library, advancing legal access for incarcerated individuals nationwide.

Join us in congratulating Akilah Bacy, Nikita Easley, Derrick Flemming, Tenika Griggs, Danielle Rowland Lindahl, and Sharena Smith!
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Meet our Nonprofit Partner: PLAN joined We The Action (WTA) in 2024, hoping to connect with legal volunteers committed to challenging the prison system’s stranglehold on legal resources and information for incarcerated individuals.
* The voting rights of individuals impacted by the criminal legal system are routinely challenged in court, creating widespread confusion and fear among potential voters. This climate of uncertainty deters some eligible individuals from exercising their right to vote. To address this, PLAN worked with a team of WTA volunteers to update state-specific guides that provide clear voting information for individuals affected by the criminal legal system.
* The organization also receives multiple reports throughout the year from incarcerated people, citing inadequate access to their facility's law libraries and the lack of adequate training on how to use legal databases for their cases. WTA volunteers helped develop legal resource materials designed to empower incarcerated pro se litigants with the knowledge they need to understand and assert their civil rights.
* “Our society can only achieve the dream and promise of functioning as a true democracy if the voices of all eligible voters are represented in our elections,” says Amelia.

The Lawyers who Embody the Legal Community’s Commitment to Justice: Meet the December Amicus Mundi award recipients.
* Akilah Bacy, a graduate of Texas Tech University School of Law and former prosecutor, joined the project to reinforce civic engagement for justice-involved communities. “In taking on this project, it was with the hope of empowering those who find themselves incarcerated to exercise their rights. I wanted to create a sense of citizenship, community, empowerment, and responsibility.”
* Nikita Easley, a graduate of UIC School of Law, has long dedicated her work to supporting vulnerable communities and viewed this project as a continuation of that mission. “I felt it was important to work on a project that helps people who may not know their rights or cannot afford an attorney. Many are vulnerable in their situations, and this is work that truly matters.”
* Derrick C. Flemming, a criminal defense attorney and graduate of Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University, was drawn to this project as an additional outlet to delve into legal research involving criminal reform. “When I came upon the project and how the opportunity had elements of research and legal writing in service of the underserved, I knew I had to jump in immediately.”
* Tenika Griggs, a graduate of Cooley Law School, grew up witnessing the impact of the criminal justice system and felt that public service was the best way to support her community. “The most meaningful moment was advocating through legal writing and making an impact that protects constitutional rights.”
* Danielle Rowland Lindahl, a corporate litigator and a graduate of Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, valued the opportunity to put her commitment to racial justice into practice while developing the legal resource. “I loved that this project allowed me to offer something tangible to help incarcerated individuals. It also gave me the chance to mentor law clerks, which felt incredibly meaningful.”
* Sharena Smith, a graduate of the Sturm College of Law at the University of Denver, has built her legal career in real estate for the past decade. Sharena emphasized the importance of social justice work through the pro bono lens and thought she could make a difference on this project. “This project definitely deepened my understanding of the criminal justice system, and I found the research meaningful.”

The Impact of Empowering Incarcerated Communities: These six attorneys created resources that will be used across the country by individuals seeking to understand their rights and advocate for themselves.
* Their memos and guides strengthen the Jailhouse Law Library, support Election Protection efforts, and help counteract legal misinformation that often isolates incarcerated communities.
* “These memos also serve as a beacon of hope,” says Stanley Holdorf, Supervising Attorney and Member of the PLAN Board. “For communities that often convey feelings of isolation and being forsaken, this project work serves as a powerful embodiment of the legal community’s commitment to justice and care for people in custody.”
* Amelia shared that the presence of WTA volunteers enriched not only resource development but also the experience of PLAN law clerks, who expressed feeling more inclined to pursue public service opportunities in law than they were prior to this project work. She notes that this project created knowledge, community, and a pathway for future advocates to enter this work with guidance and confidence.

2025 in Review: This year, 3,700 We The Action volunteers have donated 21,000 hours of legal services, worth more than $15M in billable hours, to 181 nonprofit partners.
* As we wrap up 2025, We The Action celebrates the volunteers who contributed their time and expertise to PLAN, along with our volunteers across the country who make a difference for our nonprofit partners.
* To follow in their footsteps and support mission-driven organizations like PLAN, sign up for a We The Action project ([link removed]) today.
* And as your community decides who to support this holiday season, I hope that you will encourage them to add We The Action to their list. Gifts ensure that we can keep connecting lawyers with meaningful opportunities to make a difference. ([link removed])

On behalf of our community of 55,000 lawyers, congratulations to Akilah, Nikita, Derrick, Tenika, Danielle, and Sharena.

Best,
The We The Action Team

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