Jessica Morton (Litigation, 2015-2021), senior counsel at Democracy Forward, practiced in the firm’s Litigation Department. Jessica received her B.A. from the University of Notre Dame and her J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School.

1. What do you find most rewarding or impactful about your work at Democracy Forward?

There is incredible empowerment in working at a place where you can read an article in the news about an injustice and, instead of shaking your head, pitch a case to your colleagues. I have been very privileged to work on matters that have had meaningful impacts on real-world communities, developing legal strategies in areas as wide-ranging as the criminal legal system, public health, and government transparency. And along the way, I have met community leaders who are doing the hardest work every day. It is such a gift to be in a position to ensure that when they’re fighting for justice, they aren’t doing so alone.

2. What traits would you say make a good senior counsel, particularly in the nonprofit space?

In many ways, we value the same skills that are valued among Paul, Weiss associates: diligence, creativity, uncommonly good writing, a commitment to client service, kindness to colleagues. Folks who succeed best in nonprofit spaces tend to be those who are extremely self-motivated to see a case through and are eager to move things along without waiting for direction. Because teams are often much more leanly staffed than in the private sector, it’s essential to hone good judgment in determining how long to spend on different tasks and measuring their marginal value to ultimate outcomes.

3. What advice would you give to young lawyers interested in using their legal skills to protect democracy and promote the public interest?

That it’s never too early to start. When I was an associate at Paul, Weiss, I had extremely formative pro bono experiences that have been directly relevant to my work today. It can be hard to carve out time to do pro bono work, but it is worth it, on so many dimensions. I also encourage early career lawyers to think strategically about the transferable skills they can learn from every matter they’re on; being a great public interest lawyer requires being a great lawyer, and every case presents an opportunity to build those skills. And finally, reach out to folks doing the work that excites you. I’m always happy to talk to other lawyers about the work I do, and the rest of the public interest community is equally welcoming.