Eugénie Iseman (Litigation, 2019–2020), staff attorney at Children’s Rights, practiced in the firm’s Litigation Department. Eugénie received her B.A. from Yale University and her J.D. from Stanford Law School.
1. What do you find most rewarding or impactful about your work at Children’s Rights?
At Children’s Rights, I have the privilege of dedicating my litigation skills to advocating for some of the most vulnerable children in our society. It is extremely rewarding to see how our impact litigation drives long-term systemic change, ensuring that children in the child welfare, juvenile legal, immigration and healthcare systems are getting the care and protection they deserve. Our work is impactful not only because of its scale (e.g., we represent one quarter of all children in state foster systems, and all immigrant children in federal custody), but also because Children’s Rights raises and amplifies the voices of individuals who have been affected by these systems.
What makes Children’s Rights so successful and interesting to work for is that we approach the work through multiple avenues. In addition to our litigation efforts, we have an amazing advocacy and policy team that maximizes our impact through strategic advocacy and public education.
2. How did you get into the nonprofit sector, and what keeps you engaged in this work?
Even before law school, I was interested in a career at the intersection of mental health, child and family advocacy, and criminal justice. My time at Paul, Weiss gave me the training, skills and confidence to pursue clerkships and then this position at Children’s Rights. At Paul, Weiss, I worked on challenging pro bono cases that helped me become a better lawyer and inspired me to use my legal training to advocate on behalf of marginalized and vulnerable individuals. At Children’s Rights, it’s easy to stay engaged because the work is urgent and has a real impact. I also love it because I get to do federal litigation for causes I respect and care about, alongside brilliant, passionate and supportive colleagues.
3. What traits would you say make a good staff attorney?
A good staff attorney needs to be hard-working and passionate about the cause but should also enjoy the process. With impact litigation, it can take a long time to see the positive effects of your work, so you have to be patient. Strong research, writing and analytical skills are obviously key. It’s also important to have fun and be a team-player, no matter how hard the work might be!