New York Law School (NYLS) proudly congratulates Megan Johannesen ’25 and Alexandra Ogunsanya ’24 on their selections as Equal Justice Works (EJW) Fellows.
EJW is a nonprofit organization that empowers lawyers to transform their passion for equal justice into a lasting commitment to public service. Its Fellowship program connects law students and recent graduates to legal organizations to help address unmet needs among underserved communities and ensure equal access to justice.
As an EJW Fellow, Johannesen will work with New York Lawyers for the Public Interest on their Disability Justice Project. Johannesen will advocate to ensure that New York State provides people with developmental disabilities appropriate legal services through outreach, pro bono counsel training, individual representation, legislative advocacy, and impact litigation. Her Fellowship is sponsored by Davis Polk and Morgan Stanley.
As a member of NYLS’s Civil Rights and Disability Justice Clinic, Johannesen played a key role in the Clinic’s case against the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA). Led by Professor Britney Wilson, the Clinic and its co-counsel filed a lawsuit in 2023 challenging the MTA’s policies regarding its paratransit service, Access-A-Ride (AAR). The case recently survived a second motion to dismiss, with the Clinic securing class certification to represent approximately 173,000 AAR users.
Johannesen will be joining Ogunsanya, who was awarded the EJW Fellowship in 2024. Ogunsanya’s Fellowship with The Legal Aid Society’s Criminal Defense Practice Special Litigation Unit aims to address the unequal representation of marginalized individuals in New York City’s jury pool through systemic litigation, community outreach and engagement, and policy advocacy. Her Fellowship is sponsored by Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP.
Both Johannesen and Ogunsanya exemplify NYLS’s commitment to inspiring the next generation of public service lawyers and legal leaders.