Legal Pro Bono Organization We The Action Announces Anna Chu as New Executive Director

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Today, We The Action (WTA) announced that Anna Chu will lead the organization as Executive Director. An initiative of Civic Nation, We The Action is a community of more than 42,000 lawyers who donate their services to more than 500 nonprofits addressing issues including voting rights, racial justice, immigration, gender equity, and more. Chu joined We The Action on September 1st from the National Women’s Law Center, where she served as Vice President for Strategy and Policy.

“I decided to practice law because I wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself,” said Chu. “I believe the law can be an engine for change — especially among underrepresented communities — to protect the most vulnerable, fight for justice, and defend our values. At We The Action, we put those values to work and give lawyers of every experience level, every expertise, and from every ZIP code a chance to make a difference on the issues they care about most.  There’s an unprecedented need for volunteer lawyers nationwide, and I’m thrilled to join We The Action and continue growing this community as we fight for a more just and equitable nation.”

Chu’s hire comes as We The Action celebrates its fifth birthday. Since its founding in 2017, We The Action has built an expansive network of lawyers ready to volunteer their time and skills:

• More than 42,000 volunteer lawyers have joined We The Action representing all 50 states — plus DC, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, American Samoa and Guam.

• We The Action volunteer lawyers have donated nearly 260,000 hours of free legal services worth more than $110 million.

• We The Action has partnered with more than 500 nonprofits to provide the free legal support they need to make a difference in communities nationwide.

We The Action has also partnered with leading organizations and coalitions to ensure social justice movements have the legal support they need. For instance, WTA recently partnered with the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, a grassroots organization helping people with previous felony convictions restore their right to vote. Since the partnership launched, WTA has recruited more than 400 lawyers to work with returning citizens and help them navigate the re-enfranchisement process. To date, WTA lawyers have served more than 10,000 returning Floridians.

“Anna has dedicated her career to addressing gender equity and economic inequality, utilizing her legal expertise to fight for justice,” said Kyle Lierman, CEO of Civic Nation. “Over the last five years, We The Action has made a stunning impact and we know the initiative will continue to thrive under Anna’s leadership and vision.”

Chu brings a wealth of experience to her role as Executive Director of We The Action. At the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), Anna shaped NWLC’s cross-cutting advocacy and policy work and led federal and state government relations. Prior to joining NWLC, Anna served as the Vice President of Policy and Research at the Center for American Progress Action Fund, leading its economic justice advocacy work. Chu attended the University of Southern California Law School and began her career as a law clerk to former Chief Judge Jane A. Restani in her sittings before the U.S. Court of International Trade and in six different federal appellate courts. She has also spent time as an attorney at Paul Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP and as a policy advisor in the U.S. House of Representatives.

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