Mary Bauer Named ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½'s New Legal Director
Mary Bauer, who has directed the Southern Poverty Law Center's Immigrant Justice Project since its inception in 2004, has been named as the ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½'s new legal director, effective Aug. 1.
ÌýMary Bauer, who has directed the Southern Poverty Law Center's Immigrant Justice Project since its inception in 2004, has been named as the ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½'s new legal director, effective Aug. 1.
During her tenure at the ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½, Bauer has directed groundbreaking lawsuits aimed at enforcing the rights of immigrants, foreign guestworkers and migrant farmworkers.
"Mary is an incredibly talented advocate who is committed to protecting the civil rights of the most vulnerable people in our society," said ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ President Richard Cohen. "We're delighted that she's taking the reins of our legal staff."
Bauer has devoted her career to representing those who have no other champions. Before joining ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½, she was the legal director of the Virginia Justice Center for Farm and Immigrant Workers, the legal director of the Virginia ACLU and an attorney for a legal services program. She graduated from the College of William and Mary and earned her law degree from the University of Virginia in 1990. She is a former Skadden Fellow.
Bauer is the author of two ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ reports that gained national attention — Close to Slavery: Guestworker Programs in the United States and Under Siege: Life for Low-Income Latinos in the South. She also has testified before Congress on issues involving the exploitation of migrant workers.
Bauer replaces Rhonda Brownstein, the ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½'s legal director since 2001. Brownstein is leaving the ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ to be closer to her parents, who live in the Northeast.
The legal director guides the ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½'s legal advocacy, which includes impact litigation in state and federal courts, public policy advocacy and legislative reform.
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