Equality is the need of the hour and it is now universally advocated and accepted. In today’s world to advance equality for all, actions can’t take place only in litigation. There must be other forms of advocacy. The role of journalists in shedding light on legal issues is, therefore becoming more important than ever before as will the use of social media. Eubanks, the founding partner of the public interest law firm Edwards & Eubanks, previously spent 22 years as an attorney in the US Department of Justice’s civil division, where she served as the lead counsel in the largest civil Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations enforcement action ever filed, United States v. Philip Morris.
Eubanks during a public lecture to more than 100 Northeastern University’s School of Law students, faculty, and staff in Dockser Hall expressed, “We as litigators will find benefits in coordinating with advocacy groups who identify the best causes to move the law toward recognition of equality. She serves as role models for students, demonstrating how legal skills can be used effectively and creatively to make the world a better place. The growing popularity of nondiscrimination brought civil rights to the front of the bus if you will,” Eubanks said, pointing to the passage of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 that prohibited employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
Eubanks elucidated, “Most of us don’t think of lawyers as being particularly courageous,” and added “But make no mistake: there were many courageous lawyers who brought us to many of the civil rights that we all enjoy today. This work will require lawyers to forge strategic partnerships with those outside their profession to meet new challenges, from changes in the law to the evolving dynamics of information flow in the digital age.
Harminder Singh
Commentaires