Eva Paterson

Eva Jefferson Paterson is President and Founder of the Equal Justice Society, national organization dedicated to changing the law through progressive legal theory, public policy and practice.

Prior to creating EJS, Eva worked at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights for 26 years, serving as its Executive Director from 1990 through 2003. She also co-founded and chaired the California Coalition for Civil Rights for 18 years.  Eva also served as Vice President of the ACLU National Board for eight years, and chaired the boards of Equal Rights Advocates and the San Francisco Bar Association.

Paterson has received numerous awards, including the Fay Stender Award from the California Women Lawyers, Woman of the Year from the Black Leadership Forum, the Earl Warren Civil Liberties Award from the ACLU of Northern California, and the Alumni Award of Merit from Northwestern University where she received her B.A. in political science.

She is the executive producer of Presidential Race a film exploring race and race issues in the context of Barack Obama’s historic election as President of the United States.