We are thrilled to announce that Ted Howard has been elected by our Board of Directors as its new President!
As the Washington Council of Lawyers noted when presenting Ted with a 2023 Justice Impact Award, “Ted Howard is the quietest legend you will ever meet.” He has litigated dozens of civil rights cases, been appointed to lead national efforts such as the ABA Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defense, and won countless prestigious awards for his pro bono service. Ted is also the inaugural Pro Bono Partner at the law firm, Wiley Rein LLP, where he has inspired and mentored hundreds of attorneys and interns in their pro bono efforts.
Ted has a long history of commitment to LAJC’s mission, serving as pro bono counsel in significant cases since 2008, and as a member of our Board of Directors since 2020. His ongoing work as lead counsel representing 1,200 women at the Fluvanna Women’s Correctional Facility as they seek constitutionally adequate medical care has been courageous, relentless, and brilliant. Ted has stood with LAJC through times of growth and of struggle, and we couldn’t be more confident in his future leadership and stewardship of our incredible Board.
This means we also must say a heartfelt thank you to Cynthia Neff, our outgoing Board President. For the past four years, Cynthia has been the Board President that most nonprofit leaders only dream of. She’s fun, she’s funny, she loves LAJC, and most of all she always has our back, no matter what. The last four years have really tested the “no matter what,” as we’ve endured a global pandemic, enormous growth and change within the organization, threats from litigation foes, and many more challenges that could fill pages.
Through it all, Cynthia has been stoic, stubborn, and always upbeat. She has always known when to be serious, and when to be seriously silly. We will so miss her unbridled irreverence and her fierce dedication to our mission. If a bulldog, a comedian, and a fairy godmother could share the same body, it would take the shape of Cynthia Neff.
LAJC Board President Ted Howard with Cynthia Neff, Immediate Past President.
Please join us in thanking Ted and Cynthia for their commitment to the Legal Aid Justice Center.
