Volunteer Spotlight: Emily Wexler

Emily Wexler is Pro Bono Counsel at Sidley Austin LLP where she coordinates the firm’s Veterans Advocacy Project. Prior to her current role, Emily was a litigation associate in Sidley’s Chicago office for six years, where her practice focused on consumer class actions, general commercial disputes, RICO, fraud, and professional ethics. 

How did you get started volunteering with us? 

We have a firmwide initiative at Sidley to help veterans through pro bono work, and I run that program for all domestic offices. I started volunteering with the City Bar Justice Center in 2016 when our client, JPMorganChase, suggested that we do a clinic together. The Justice Center hosted an amazing, very thorough, training. We walked across the foyer from the training room to the big meeting room to meet veterans and kick off working on cases that same day. Right from theory to practice – it was great! 

What inspires you or motivates you to do Pro Bono work? 

Every time I read through a new case, I’m blown away by what people have been through. In working on these matters, I read client records and see the physical and mental disabilities they are experiencing. But I also see their personnel records and the missions that they were asked to perform. Many completed these operations despite serious injuries because everyone in the military is so focused on the mission and on service. It’s honestly really inspiring. I feel like the minimum that we can do as a firm and me as a person is show our gratitude through helping with these claims. 

What has been your favorite or proudest moment as a volunteer, or what is a moment that has particularly stood out to you?

We had a recent case through the Justice Center for an Iraq war veteran that stands out to me. The appeal was pretty straightforward– a technical issue regarding the date his payments should begin. There was a year of benefits on the line, worth more than $20,000. After our submission was made, we learned that a letter from the VA which contained a tight deadline for response didn’t get delivered, which is unfair and has absolutely nothing to do with the merits of the case. My colleagues and I came up with a… I will say… creative and aggressive stance. We just kept pursuing it and eventually, it paid off. 

I was really proud of that moment because we just didn’t take no for an answer. Not that doing that will always win, but I think a lot of veterans give up because it’s so discouraging to be told “no” so much. We were just so frustrated that someone could lose because the mail was not delivered. It was just so simple and wrong. I’m proud of our work on that case. He got all of the money that was owed to him. 

 I feel that one aspect of pro bono service is to encourage our clients. Often, there is more fight left to fight, and they don’t have to do it alone. 

Why do you find this work to be important in our current world? 

So many of our clients feel really forgotten. I hope that by the work that we’re doing, they realize that they’re not. Maybe they’ll even feel a little bit more hopeful about other parts of their life, but at a minimum, they can change that narrative of feeling neglected or told “no” arbitrarily. It is discouraging to see our clients feel neglected after they volunteer to serve. Veterans are a very small percentage of our whole country, and it’s difficult to see those people who made that sacrifice feel forgotten.  

How has doing this work affected you and/or your legal practice? 

By doing this work, I’m putting on my “plaintiff’s hat.” My previous job was primarily corporate defense work, which gave me valuable skills. I’m grateful for that work, but this is just a different mindset. We mostly represent individuals pursuing individual claims, but at times we also represent plaintiffs in class actions, which is a real change from the work I used to do, defending against those types of claims. It’s exciting to get to make arguments on the other side. 

What would you tell someone who hasn’t volunteered with CBJC but is thinking about starting? 

I would tell them that they should definitely volunteer and that they will get lots of support. Makedah, who runs the veteran program, is so knowledgeable and very available. I email her all the time with strange procedural questions, and she’s very responsive. I think among the things that people worry about when they take a new type of case is the question of, “How will I know what I’m doing, and who am I going to talk to if I encounter something?” The answer is the Project Directors. They will be there to help you so that you will get lots of support. So, you should do it. 

What song do you currently have on repeat? 

I am more of a turn on the radio and see what’s on type of person!  

Interested in volunteering? Visit our “Do Pro Bono” page for more information.