Organization Expands Ongoing Work to Defend Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Washington, D.C. – The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law announced the hiring of three senior staff members who will help advance the organization’s work across key issue areas, including criminal justice, digital justice, education, and the fight to protect and expand diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The new senior staff include: Leah Frazier, director of the Digital Justice Initiative; Len Kamdang, director of the Criminal Justice Project; and Maya Raghu, national director, Protecting and Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiative.
Leah Frazier, director of the Digital Justice Initiative
Leah Frazier spent the majority of her legal career at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigating and suing companies for exploiting consumers. Frazier brought a groundbreaking case against Rite Aid for using facial recognition technology to identify potential shoplifters in a manner that disproportionately harmed Black, Asian, Latino, and women customers. Her work covered the responsible use of AI, privacy, for-profit education, lead generation, housing, credit, and debt collection.
In addition, Frazier served as an attorney advisor to former FTC Chair Lina Khan on a broad range of consumer protection law enforcement and policy matters. She also litigated in private practice, served as a law clerk to a Kentucky’s Supreme Court judge, and was President of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of the Greater Washington, D.C. Area. She advocated for racial diversity in the judiciary, including through an effort that culminated in the appointment of the first Black woman to the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court bench.
Frazier said, “It is a great privilege to join the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law to fight for racial justice and to lead its Digital Justice Initiative. I am excited to work alongside extraordinary and dedicated people to combat inequity in the digital environment, from the digital divide to AI bias, and ever-increasing online and AI-enabled surveillance that compromise our civil liberties.”
Maya Raghu, national director of the Protecting and Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiative
Maya Raghu joins the Lawyers’ Committee after an impressive track record in nonprofit advocacy and the federal government fighting for fair and safe workplaces for vulnerable workers. Most recently, she was a senior advisor to former Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Chair Charlotte A. Burrows and an appointee in the Biden-Harris Administration as the deputy director of policy at the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs at the U.S. Department of Labor, overseeing the development and implementation of policies and programs to advance equal employment opportunity.
Before working for the government, Raghu held positions at nonprofit organizations, including the National Women’s Law Center, leading policy advocacy and programs focused on eliminating workplace discrimination and promoting economic security. She was also previously an associate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP and a law clerk to a federal district judge. She is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center.
Raghu said, “I’m honored to join the talented team at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law at this critical moment in our country. I am thrilled to lead the Protecting and Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiative at the organization to advance racial equity and help defend our civil rights laws and institutions.”
Len Kamdang, director of the Criminal Justice Project
Len Kamdang has extensive legal experience inside and outside the courtroom in civil rights, criminal defense and impact litigation.
Kamdang spent over a decade as a federal defender in Brooklyn after starting his career at the Public Defender Service in Washington, D.C. As a public defender, he handled everything from juvenile cases to national security matters. Kamdang served as senior director of litigation strategy and trials at Everytown Law, which is dedicated to ending gun violence in America. Kamdang clerked for the Honorable Lois Bloom in the Eastern District of New York. He graduated from the University of Michigan Law School and earned his undergraduate degree from Georgetown University.
Kamdang said, “It is an honor to join the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights at this pivotal moment for the movement. The Lawyers’ Committee’s unwavering commitment to racial equality and equal justice under law serves as a bulwark safeguarding the promise of democracy for all.”
New Leaders Join Lawyers’ Committee in Ongoing Efforts to Protect Justice, Equity, and Opportunity
Damon T. Hewitt, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee welcomed the new leaders, emphasizing the importance of their roles:
“We are excited to have some of the nation’s most talented civil rights advocates join our ranks. Their deep commitment, experience, and proven leadership further strengthen our ability to protect civil rights, advance racial justice, and expand opportunities for Black and Brown communities across every realm of life. I am proud to welcome them into our organization at this critical moment. As we continue to build our team, we will be ready to meet the challenges of today as well as the challenges that lie ahead,” said Hewitt.
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About the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, established in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy, is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that fights for racial justice through litigation, advocacy, and public education. The organization’s work focuses on protecting voting rights, advancing economic justice, ensuring equal educational opportunities, and combating racial discrimination in all its forms.
