Carolyn Perez

Throughout her 15-year legal career, Carolyn Perez has been committed to pro bono work, supporting low-income and marginalized clients in both law firm and legal aid settings. She has focused on bridging gaps in access to legal services through major pro bono initiatives and direct representation. Her experience encompasses a wide range of areas, including civil rights, housing, public benefits, immigration, disability, and veterans' rights.

Most recently, Carolyn was program counsel in the Office of Program Performance at the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), where she partnered with legal aid organizations throughout the United States. In this role, she provided guidance on best practices and developed strategies to improve the delivery of legal services to low-income communities, supporting initiatives to expand access to justice across the country.

Prior to LSC, Carolyn served as senior counsel at the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless (WLCH) in Washington, DC. At WLCH, she provided comprehensive legal services to individuals experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity. She recruited, trained, and supervised pro bono law firm attorneys, revamped legal guidance materials, and managed on-site legal intakes at shelters, soup kitchens, and health centers. Carolyn maintained an active caseload, handling complex cases involving shelter access, disability benefits, public benefits, eviction defense, and civil rights claims. She also led community engagement efforts, launching an Ambassador Program, and spearheading a successful fundraising campaign.

Earlier in her career, Carolyn spent a decade at a global law firm, where, alongside her focus on complex civil litigation and white-collar criminal defense, she made significant contributions to the firm’s pro bono practice. As a long-standing member of the pro bono committee, she managed an array of impactful cases that spanned immigration, veterans’ rights, disability law, housing, and civil rights. Carolyn’s pro bono efforts included securing a landmark ADA settlement for an unhoused client in a suit against a sheriff’s office, obtaining Social Security disability benefits for dozens of vulnerable clients, setting precedent for widows of veterans who suffered post-traumatic stress disorder, and leading a trial team to win an immigration deportation defense case. Her dedication to pro bono work earned her numerous accolades, including the Lois G. Williams Extraordinary Service Award from WLCH, and her former law firm’s awards for  Pro Bono Associate of the Year and Litigation Matter of the Year .

Before attending law school, Carolyn worked in public service for Congressman Sander Levin and contributed to both congressional and presidential campaigns. During law school, she interned with the DC Public Defender Service and for the Honorable Ricardo M. Urbina of the US District Court for the District of Columbia.

Raised near Detroit, Michigan, Carolyn earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and her Bachelor of Science in Broadcast Journalism from Miami University (Ohio), and her Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School.