California ChangeLawyers

California ChangeLawyers is a statewide foundation focused on harnessing the law to advance justice. This support will support ChangeLawyers’ efforts to empower the next generation of lawyers, judges, and activists to create a more diverse legal profession, a fair justice system, and a better California.

California ChangeLawyers was founded in 1989 by the State Bar of California. It is a public foundation that for nearly 30 years has raised and distributed millions of dollars for diversity scholarships, public interest fellowships, and legal aid grants. Founded originally as the Foundation for the State Bar of California, its name was changed to California ChangeLawyers in 2018 in order to explicitly express its commitment to legal changemakers — law students and attorneys dedicated to righting historical wrongs in the classroom, courtroom, and beyond. With a base of over 1,000 diverse scholars, fellows, and organizational grantees as well as thousands of individual donors, the organization has created a strong ChangeLawyers community throughout California.

California ChangeLawyers was founded in 1989 by the State Bar of California. It is a public foundation that for nearly 30 years has raised and distributed millions of dollars for diversity scholarships, public interest fellowships, and legal aid grants. Founded originally as the Foundation for the State Bar of California, its name was changed to California ChangeLawyers in 2018 in order to explicitly express its commitment to legal changemakers — law students and attorneys dedicated to righting historical wrongs in the classroom, courtroom, and beyond. This project grant will help the organization increase its capacity to continue promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as access to justice for indigent communities in California by (a) creating a pipeline and training ground to educate future legal changemakers; (b) cultivating a cadre of engaged alumni through networks and convenings; and (c) amplifying its message through thought leadership and communications.