Step Right Up And Meet Our Fellows!

Learn why “equitable enforcement” is a vital piece of overhauling America’s justice system from PRP’s brilliant cohort of attorneys.

Here at Public Rights Project, we offer two different fellowship programs, both of which are aimed at moving the needle towards justice, catalyzing social change through community engagement, and bolstering affirmative litigation that supports public interests. (As opposed to private.)

We’re keenly invested in innovative strategies that will enforce residents’ civil and legal rights — in policies that center people over profits.

1/ The Public Rights Project Fellowship is for attorneys looking to move into public service careers in local, state, or tribal governments

2/ Our Affirmative Leaders Fellowship is geared toward current state or local government attorneys looking to initiate, expand, or deepen the impact of their office’s equitable enforcement work.

Speaking of equitable enforcement, it’s something PRP is all about, but we recognize it’s a complicated term that can use some unpacking. We asked all our fellows to talk about what it means to them — personally, professionally, and for this nation.

What does ‘equitable enforcement’ mean to you and why is it vital in fighting back against the inequities of the American justice system?

Stephanie Gharakhanian

Serving as a PRP Fellow at the Travis County District Attorney’s Office in Texas, focusing on economic justice initiatives.

The enforcement of our laws is an expression of political power. Systemic injustice exists in the United States, in part, because the laws of our country have traditionally been enforced to privilege the few and benefit the powerful. Equitable enforcement attempts to correct this course of history by marshalling public resources to defend rights and address harms that the United States’ justice system has historically ignored or dismissed.

Heena Kepadia

A native Houstonian serving as a PRP Fellow in the Harris County Attorney’s Office within the newly launched Affirmative Litigation Division.

To me, “equitable enforcement” doesn’t mean applying the law equally to society. Instead, it is applying the laws against bad actors in our society to create a more just and equitable life for all Americans. It is strategically applying the levers of the American justice system and its laws to support and uplift people who are structurally disadvantaged.

Molly Gupta

Returning home to Nashville, Molly will serve as a Justice Catalyst–Public Rights Project Fellow with the Nashville city attorney at the Metro Nashville Department of Law, focusing on promoting sustainable urban growth through improved access to housing and public transportation.

Equitable enforcement is fulfilling the law’s promise to protect all, regardless of socioeconomic status. By applying the law to remedy specific instances of injustice and abuse of power, equitable enforcement helps ensure that the legal system is not merely a tool to entrench existing hierarchies.

Seema Rupani

Serving as a PRP Fellow at the Oakland City Attorney’s Office of Community Lawyering & Civil Rights, focusing on impact litigation to advance housing and economic justice.

At its worst, the law is a tool used to oppress and maintain power for a few. We know that this has been the foundation of the American legal system. At its best, the law can be a tool to protect individuals and communities so that we can live free of discrimination and harm and have opportunities to live healthy, safe, and fulfilling lives. Equitable enforcement means ensuring the law can be used in this latter way — to secure rights and opportunities for communities who have been harmed or forgotten by the legal system, in pursuit of creating a more just society.

Brian Remlinger

Joining the Michigan Bureau of Elections as a Public Rights Project Fellow, Remlinger will help draft regulations and guidance to standardize election administration and increase ballot access throughout Michigan.

Equitable enforcement means that everyone plays by the same rules, no matter how much or how little power you hold. The American legal system has always had different rules for different people; equitable enforcement is the notion that our country can move beyond those systemic biases and disparate impacts. Only by ensuring that the law truly and fairly applies to everyone can we do the hard work of pursuing justice.

Sara Zollner

Joining the Economic Crimes Against Workers Unit at the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office as a Justice Catalyst/Public Rights Project Fellow, Zollner will focus on affirmative workers’ rights litigation.

Equitable enforcement means equal application of the law. The justice system was designed with a privileged class of people in mind and has routinely been used to protect and maintain a system of inequality. Equitable enforcement not only holds the privileged class accountable for harms they cause, but also proactively addresses the social and economic disparities that cause crime in the first place. This is key in empowering local communities and fostering social change.

Derrick De Vera

A native Seattle-ite, De Vera’s work in the Seattle City Attorney’s Office has focused on enforcing civil rights and labor standards codes, advancing justice by navigating the interwoven realities of individuals in the context of broader systems.

Identifying and actively sharing power with communities through the redesign and reimagination of policies, systems, and daily practice. It requires us not only to face hard truths and implement robust solutions, but to make sure people thrive and feel seen. We must remember that laws addressing worker protections, housing, and public health are not abstract concepts — they are the foundation of our day-to-day lived experiences and we all have a shared responsibility to improve those experiences for the benefit of all, not just some.

Melodie Meyer

Based in Klamath, California, Meyer’s work centers the Yurok Tribe, championing environmental protection and justice efforts.

To me, equitable enforcement means holding polluters and corporations responsible for harm to a tribe’s lands, resources, and people, while using restorative justice and education-based strategies within our own communities to advance proper environmental care.

Historically, indigenous land stewardship has been ignored and disrupted in favor of over-consumption and profit.

In working with tribes to exercise tribal sovereignty through environmental law enforcement we are continuing a tradition of indigenous resistance.