This month's Amicus Mundi Award winner helped a health care provider continue offering abortion services.
** Hi, We The Action Volunteer,
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Abortion rights continue to be under attack and lawyers like you are an important resource in the fight. From supporting abortion providers to protecting the vote in states where abortion is on the ballot, We The Action makes it easy to volunteer on the frontlines of today's most pressing concerns.
Every month, we give the Amicus Mundi Award to a volunteer in our community of 45,000+ lawyers to recognize the impact they’ve made fighting for issues they believe in. This month’s award recipient used her time and talent to help a health care provider continue offering abortion services in the aftermath of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization ruling.
** Congratulations, Rachel Spitz!
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The big picture: As the nation reeled following the Supreme Court’s Dobbs ruling, Rachel turned her anger into action and helped an abortion provider in Georgia continue treating patients amid an uncertain legal landscape.
* A “staunchly pro-choice” lawyer of 22 years licensed in Georgia, Rachel volunteered with Regulatory Assistance for Abortion Providers (RAAP), working in partnership with RAAP attorneys to help an abortion provider understand the available options to keep their doors open during a time of unparalleled uncertainty for patients and providers.
“A real sense that I could help”: When Rachel started volunteering, the Dobbs decision had already been leaked in the press, and her volunteer work became a positive outlet during an emotional time.
* “It was something constructive I could do in a time that felt bleak,” Rachel says. “The ability for patients to find care kept me going. It gave me a real sense that I could help while things were going to hell.”
Navigating the post-Roe landscape: State abortion laws have always been unique and complex, so the Dobbs decision impacted each state differently. RAAP relies on volunteer lawyers like Rachel to work with providers in each state to help them protect and expand abortion services.
* In 2019, the Georgia state legislature passed a law that banned abortion after six weeks, but at the time the law was unconstitutional due to Roe v. Wade.
* However, once the Dobbs decision became official, that six week abortion ban became law in Georgia, severely limiting the care that the state’s abortion providers could offer to their patients.
* “We gave them the best advice we could, which kept them open,” Rachel says. “They had a lot of hard decisions to make, and they had limited options. It was harrowing for them and very sad for me.”
A direct impact: For two months, Rachel worked with the staff attorneys at RAAP to analyze Georgia state law and offer guidance to the provider to help them continue providing care to their clients.
* Staff Attorneys for RAAP say the provider Rachel served is still open and providing abortion care in compliance with state law — and that Rachel made the difference.
* “Rachel’s work had a direct impact on an abortion provider’s ability to stay open and continue providing abortion care in Georgia,” a RAAP attorney said.
“We could not do our work without our volunteer lawyers”: Want to join Rachel and help abortion providers keep their doors open? Click here to sign up with RAAP to volunteer as local counsel to an abortion provider! ([link removed])
* “Just sign up!” Rachel says. “RAAP makes it really easy on you. It was honestly the best free time I‘ve spent lately.”
** On behalf of 45,000+ volunteer lawyers: Thank you, Rachel!
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Don’t forget: We’re days away from the midterm elections, and organizations need volunteer lawyers to help protect the vote! Click here to see how you can help ensure the election is safe, secure, and accessible for everyone! ([link removed])
Best,
The We The Action Team
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