The Brandeis Center Appoints L. Rachel Lerman as General Counsel

Washington, D.C. (July 22, 2022) – The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law has appointed Vice Chair L. Rachel Lerman to serve as the organization’s general counsel.

Lerman will assume a set of additional responsibilities in her new role, including offering legal guidance on matters affecting the Brandeis Center as an organization. She will continue working directly on many of the nonprofit’s highest-profile cases.

“We are delighted to have Rachel in this role as the Brandeis Center expands to address increased anti-Semitism in the United States,” remarked Brandeis Center Founder and Chairman Kenneth L. Marcus. “With the continued growth of our civil rights organization, we will rely on Rachel’s expertise to inform case work and represent the Brandeis Center in litigation.”

“It is exciting to reach this moment in our organization’s history, where our growth and sophistication requires a dedicated General Counsel,” said Brandeis Center President Alyza D. Lewin. “We are thrilled Rachel has accepted this role. As a Chambers ranked appellate lawyer, long-time member of the Brandeis Center’s Board of Directors, and Senior Counsel at the Brandeis Center this past year, there is no one better suited to advise us in this capacity. We are in excellent hands with Rachel as our GC.”

Lerman, an appellate litigator with more than 25 years’ experience, joined the Brandeis Center in July 2021 as senior counsel after serving as the organization’s Vice Chair for many years. Previously, she was a partner at Akin Gump LLP and then Barnes & Thornburg LLP, where she co-chaired the national appellate practice group.  She is a member of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers and has done pro bono work on behalf of refugees and non-profit organizations for more than 20 years.

“I look forward to this opportunity to take my work with the Brandeis Center a step further and help the organization sustain its impact and growth,” said Lerman. “I am honored to have been selected for this role.”

The Brandeis Center continues to add additional staff to address increasing anti-Semitism across the United States. The organization’s most recent survey revealed historic challenges faced by openly Jewish college students, demonstrating that two-thirds of Jewish fraternity and sorority members feel unsafe on campus. Continuing its ongoing expansion, the Brandeis Center is currently seeking to hire several junior litigators, a senior employment counsel role, and a public policy director. The group is also accepting submissions for law clerks, law fellows, and undergraduate internships for the 2022-23 academic year.