Founded in 2015, Just City’s mission is to transform local criminal justice policy and practice to ensure it is fair for all people regardless of wealth, race, or ethnicity. Just City is unique in our combination of proximity to people struggling against the criminal legal system, successful advocacy, and statewide legislative presence. Each of our primary program areas – Clean Slate, Bail Fund, and Court Watch – are designed to directly support people, but more importantly, further inform our advocacy efforts and address the root causes of harmful policies, whether local or statewide. Learn more at www.justcity.org.For two decades, I have worked as a defense attorney and advocate in the criminal legal system. I started my career as an assistant public defender with the Office of the Shelby County Public Defender and returned to that office in 2010 as part of new leadership that began to rebuild and reimagine indigent defense for our community. Building on that work, I was inspired, along with other advocates, to organize Just City in 2015. Since then, I have built a diverse team and raised more than $7.5 million. I have also served as local counsel in strategic civil rights litigation, resulting in reforms to jail conditions, driver licensing, and bail practices. I have led the fight to change state law, reform local policy, change the narrative around public safety, and our team at Just City has helped thousands of people find a better pathway through the criminal legal system and ultimately leave it behind.

As the Director of the Defender's Resource Network, I led community engagement and outreach efforts including reentry services, media relations, social media presence, and public speaking opportunities.I also helped manage special projects for Chief Public Defender including creation and launch of a partner non-profit organization. I managed the implementation of a new electronic case management system and led Street Court, a ground-breaking effort to help ease the burden of old criminal court debt enabling people to reinstate driving and voting privileges and qualify for criminal record sealing. I also served on the office's Special Litigation Team, which administered the award-winning Jericho Project, a post-disposition jail diversion strategy for people with serious and persistent mental illness and substance use disorder. Participants in the program experience a 50% reduction in recidivism rates as compared to others who face criminal accusations and struggle against similar challenges.

Social media strategy and implementation for a start-up direct marketing agency.

General insurance defense practice; general litigation; medical malpractice defense; long term care defense; criminal defense.

General and criminal defense practice

Assistant public defender for large, urban public defender office. Managed large misdemeanor and felony caseloads. Team member at Shelby County Drug Court.