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2023 annual impact Report

WE ARE SEEKING JUSTICE

Across the country, we partnered with local governments and communities to fight back against the companies, people, and institutions that threaten our civil rights.

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section One

Defeating Abuses Of Power

Public Rights Project is Committed to Using Government Power For Good.

In 2023, we stood up against bullies and for voters across the country—to make sure they rightfully retain power over their democracy and their own bodies. We defeated partisan efforts to retaliate against elected prosecutors in Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee; ensured fair electoral maps in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Wisconsin; won relief for workers harmed by corporate greed in California; and stood up for abortion rights in Arizona, Missouri, Wisconsin, Texas, and the Supreme Court. You’ll learn more about our wins and our network as you continue reading. And to everyone in this fight with us, thank you. Let’s keep going.

Jill Habig signature

Jill Habig,
Founder & Chief Executive Officer

Protecting Millions Of People Across The Nation

From protecting Black voters in Alabama, to fighting to keep abortion on the ballot in Missouri, to recovering millions for working people—we grew impactful relationships in new cities and strengthened our existing partnerships with elected officials who are standing up for democracy in bold and effective ways.

ENSURED A NEW CONGRESSIONAL MAP FOR BLACK VOTERS IN ALABAMA

With Mayor Randall Woodfin

Kept abortion on the ballot in Missouri

With Mayor Quinton Lucas

DEFEATED PARTISAN RETALIATION 
IN GEORGIA

With District Attorney Sherry Boston

BEAT GERRYMANDERING IN WISCONSIN

With Mayor Katie Rosenberg

RECOVERED $6 MILLION FOR GIG WORKERS FROM HANDY

With SF/LA District Attorneys
USA map showing PRP offices

674

government and community partners in 43 states

100%

win rate for all PRP-led litigation

131

fellows across
24 states

section three

Seeking Justice 
Across America

Support communities & governments working to protect civil rights.

We believe that every community should have a government fighting for their civil rights, and that every fight brings us closer to a fair and equitable democracy.

PRP is helping to build a world where governments and communities work together to provide justice for those who have been harmed, hold exploitative parties accountable, and actively protect civil rights for all—not just the rich, powerful, or white.

Our work of upholding our inalienable rights—enforcing the laws that safeguard them and fighting the people and corporations stripping them away—is more critical than ever. 

Though our work is far from complete, we’ve accomplished a great deal alongside a vast network of like-minded leaders, fellows, attorneys, activists, and organizers.

2023 wins
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53 Million

people served by our work

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$4.8 Million

recovered in community relief, and $1.2 million in attorneys’ fees from Handy settlement

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25 Amicus Briefs

authored with a total of 656 sign-ons with 388 unique partners

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67% Win Rate

on 25 amicus briefs

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9.5 Million

voters protected

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23 New Fellows

trained across 12 states

GOVERNMENT PARTNER

Sherry Boston

District Attorney
DeKalb County, Georgia

“What we will see is legislators creating these commissions across the country in an effort to control prosecutor independence and discretion. And that should concern and scare everyone. When I heard that PRP was willing to stand with and fight for us, it was a godsend. It was a gift.”

Sherry Boston
Atlanta skyline
Quinton Lucas
GOVERNMENT PARTNER

Mayor Quinton Lucas

Kansas City, Missouri

"There's nothing more important you can do as a lawyer than helping to lift up communities. There may be people in powerful positions, but the real power will always be with the people."

Kansas City skyline
Zarah Rahman
PRP FELLOW

Zarah Rahman

Deputy City Attorney,

Oakland City Attorney's Office

“Throughout my career, seeking justice has been a theme. Being in government is such a unique place where we can be proactive and support others who don't necessarily have the resources to fight on their own. People's lives are on the line, and we have a part to play.”

Oakland skyline
DONOR PARTNER

Cristina Uribe

Director of Advocacy and Judicial Strategies, Collaborative for Gender + Reproductive Equity

“There is a record distrust in institutions right now in our country, in part because the people who serve as judges don't look like me. They don't look like the fellows. They don't have our background in being public advocates. We have to build a multiracial feminist democracy that reflects who we are. And that's who the fellows are.”

Cristina Uribe
New York City skyline
Randall Woodfin
Birmingham skyline
Government PARTNER

Mayor Randall Woodfin

Birmingham, Alabama

“It's essential that we remain vigilant against attempts to dilute the power of marginalized communities. Our democracy thrives when every citizen, regardless of their race or background, has a fair opportunity to be heard.”

Seeking Justice 2023

Honoring Justice Seekers Rob Bonta And David Ureña At Our First-Ever Gala

Seeking Justice 2023, our first in-person gala gathered donors, friends, activists, and leaders to honor our 2023 Justice Seekers California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Massachusetts Assistant Attorney General David Ureña for their work to protect and defend civil rights.

Thank you to our sponsors, whose generous support enables us to defend, train, and amplify the work of local government officials on the front lines of the fight for civil rights. Oh, what a night!

Click through to see special moments and sponsors.

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section five

Our Funders Make Justice Possible

We are deeply grateful for the support of our funders. 

With their support, we are building a democracy that delivers equity and justice – where every person has a partner in government fighting for their rights.

We want to extend a special thank you to the following individuals and organizations for their generous donations of $1,000 or greater in 2023.

Andrew Sommer & Susan Ross
Anonymous
Baker Family Charitable Trust
Beth Bovis
The Chrysalis Fund
Dan Newman
Erin Meyer
Heather Gerken
Jenny Netzer & Ellis Seidman
Jill Habig & Addisu Demissie
Jillian Rennie Stillman
Joab & Jennifer Schultheis
John & Linda Kahle
Juan Rodriguez
Kelly Dermody
Lane Dilg & Brian Nelson
Louise King
Melissa Murray & Joshua Hill
Quinn Delaney & Wayne Jordan
S R Dorsey
Sarah & Michael McGeary
Sarita Schoenebeck
Sukey Lilenthal & David Roe
Susan Sommer & Stephen A. Warnke
VMware

section six

2023
Financial Summary

Public Rights Project is proud of the financial growth we experienced over the past year—every grant and donation makes our litigation, organizing, and storytelling possible.

Public Rights Project is proud of the growth we experienced over the past year. The financial support we receive helps us address growing threats to civil rights nationwide and makes every one of our victories possible.

We’ve grown from a $750,000 budget in 2018 to a 2023 operating budget of $5M.

Check out the charts to see our 2023 revenue and expense breakdown.

Revenue Chart 2023
Expenses Chart 2023

section seven

Growing Our
Board Of Directors

We’re grateful to each of the individuals who lend their time and skills to the Public Rights Project Board. Their advice and guidance is invaluable as we work together to protect our democracy and seek justice for every American.

Our board is a diverse group of leaders with expansive expertise across criminal justice reform, medical ethics, philanthropy, organizing, digital technologies, reproductive justice, and solidarity movements—all coupled with a deep and abiding understanding of how to leverage the law and local government for civil rights.



They have enabled us to foster a bigger and brighter partner network, refine our model, and deepen our impact across the country. Their many contributions help champion our vision and the possibility for a more just world. Thank you!

Brynne Craig
Brynne Craig (she/her)
Senior Advisor at Bloomberg Philanthropies
Margo Drakos
Margo Drakos (she/her)
Managing Director at Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation
Veena Dubal
Veena Dubal (she/her)
Professor of Law at University of California, Irvine
Alida Garcia
Alida Garcia (she/her)
VP of Advocacy at FWD.us, Former Senior Advisor on Migration for Biden-Harris Administration
Jill Habig (she/her)
Chief Executive Officer & Founder, Public Rights Project
Peter Harvey
Peter Harvey (he/him)
Partner, Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP
Louise King
Louise P. King, MD, JD (she/her)
Assistant Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology at Harvard Medical School
Bachul Koul
Bachul Koul (they/them)
Chair of the Board / Director of Value Creation at Warburg Pincus
Andrew Sommer
Andy Sommer (he/him)
Secretary & Treasurer / Retired Partner, Debevoise & Plimpton

Say Hello To The PRP Team!

We’re at a critical place in our country’s history, marked by widespread mistrust in the government and frequent attacks on local democracy—through everything from racist gerrymandering to abortion criminalization.



And to top it all off, we’re gearing up for an election season that will pour gasoline on each one of these fires. 


The ground is shaking beneath our civil rights, but we take heart in knowing that as a team, we are uniquely positioned to push back.

Together we’re leveraging our lawyering, training, organizing, and storytelling skills toward our shared vision of liberty, and we’re thankful for the opportunity to do this important work alongside such inspiring teammates.

PRP staff photo
Michael Adame
Staff Attorney
Larissa Briley
Operations Associate
Shanta Farrington
Digital and Social Media Senior Manager
Tiana Franenberg
Director of Operations
Jill Habig
Chief Executive Officer & Founder
Jocelyn Harmon
Chief Development Officer
Eushrah Hossain
Legal Fellow
Madison Jacobs
Chief Marketing and Communications Officer
Kristen Janson
Communications Manager
Pascale Joseph
Director of People
Vicki Krajewski
Director of Training and Digital Learning
Jon Miller
Chief Program Officer
Harumi Miura
Data Analyst
Shireen Nori
Director of Organizing
Dana Pownall
Director of Major Gifts
Jordan  Phillips
Legal Fellow
Ananda Robie
Salesforce Platform Manager
Josh Rosenthal
Legal Director
Christina Schuler da Costa Ferro
Paralegal
Valencia Scott
Paralegal
Aadika Singh
Staff Attorney
Emma Speiser
Development Manager
Katie Tandy
Editor-in-Chief
Stephanie Yang
Chief of Staff