ANNOUNCEMENTS

Ellis v. Costco Wholesale Corp. Update
The Impact Fund represents women managers in a certified class action against Costco Wholesale. The judge has set the case for trial for January 24, 2014. For more information, see the class website.

Dukes v. Wal-Mart continues in regional cases
The Wal-Mart case is not over. Regional class actions have been filed in California, Texas, Tennessee, Florida, and Wisconsin. For more information, see the class website.

Seeking Litigation & Training Director
For more information, click here.

Upcoming Training Institute
September 18-20, 2013
For more information, click here.

Check out our Grantee Spotlight!

Featuring the Law Offices of Timothy Rumberger and Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law. Click Here to read about them.

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Make Your Dollars Make a Change

This is a time of incredible opportunity for the Impact Fund, but more importantly, it is also an incredible opportunity for you. Your gift can make enormous change in our world. Learn how you can support us.

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Read this year's annual report!

Celebrating 20 Years of Litigation for Social Justice

T he Impact Fund provides strategic leadership and support for litigation to achieve economic and social justice. We provide funds for impact litigation in the areas of civil rights, environmental justice, and poverty law.

We offer innovative technical support, training, and expertise on issues that arise in large scale impact litigation. We serve as lead counsel, co-counsel and amicus counsel in select class action and impact litigation.

"Celebrating the Spark" 20th Anniversary Event - Thursday, May 16, 2013

To Sponsor, Purchase Tickets or RSVP click here.

Farewell and Many Thanks to Impact Fund Board Member Mari Mayeda

Renowned civil rights lawyer and founding member of the Impact Fund Board, Mari Mayeda, recently stepped off our Board when she joined the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) as Senior Staff Counsel. Last year, new legislation transformed California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act, changing the way FEHA is administered and enhancing enforcement. The DFEH now has the authority to file cases directly in court, to seek unlimited compensatory damages, and to recover reasonable attorney’s fees and costs as the prevailing party. Mari was hired to implement these changes and to file cases challenging systemic discrimination under FEHA.

As the largest state civil rights agency in the country, the DFEH is uniquely positioned to bring regionally-based government enforcement actions that could result in classwide relief, but that would not need to satisfy the Supreme Court’s decision in Dukes v. Wal-Mart. It also plans to pursue cases seeking “group relief” under the “pattern or practice” framework applicable to EEOC-initiated Title VII enforcement actions. In a recent test of the DFEH's new enforcement strategy, the federal district court for the Northern District of California (Hon. Ed Chen) granted the DFEH's motion to seek group-wide relief on a pattern or practice theory without the need for certification under Rule 23 in a case challenging the failure to accomodate persons with disabilities in taking the LSAT. DFEH v. Law School Admissions Council, Inc., No. CV 12-1830-EMC (N.D. Cal.).

All of us at the Impact Fund, and everyone we serve, owe a huge debt of gratitude to Mari for her many years of inspiration and leadership for our organization. Thank you Mari!

Watch "Making an Impact" Now

“Making an Impact” shows how social justice law suits make a real difference in people’s lives. This 17-minute video will introduce you to the plaintiffs and attorneys in four historic cases.

View the video.