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Nominated by Susan Coppedge

"Ira Foster, Georgia Legal Services Program’s general counsel, has dedicated his career to helping close education and professional gaps for individuals of color.  

Ira began his legal career with Georgia Legal Services Program (GLSP) in 1988 as a staff attorney, continually increasing his leadership responsibilities and becoming managing attorney of GLSP’s Macon Regional Office.  Ira developed a specialization in Education Advocacy, particularly in the areas of school discipline and special education – both areas which disproportionately affect children of color and those with disabilities, and where there are often significant unmet legal needs.  He recognized the importance of removing barriers that keep children out of school unfairly or illegally, including the inequitable application of discipline and provision of inadequate supports to children of color.  Too often, these practices lead to children dropping out of school, significantly decreasing their likelihood of academic success and increasing their likelihood of entering the criminal justice system.  

Ira served as GLSP’s statewide education expert for several years, supporting staff working on education issues in all 10 offices and leading the development of client-focused materials and education.  Included among his pioneering achievements was a series of workshops developed and delivered with community partners, parents’ groups, and service agencies to help combat the “School Dropout to Prison Pipeline.”  These workshops provide both parents and students with valuable information about their rights during the disciplinary process.    

Ira has served as general counsel since 2017, continuing his leadership by developing programs to address the underrepresentation of Black attorneys in the legal profession. Both GLSP and the communities it serves benefit from Ira’s vision of a more diverse profession and equitable society, as well as his willingness to do the work necessary to achieve that vision.  Ira developed the “Roadmap to Law School” program through which undergraduate students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) receive encouragement from law school deans, faculty and advisors.  Students hear from current law students and recent graduates about the law school experience and how they can make the most of their undergraduate years to prepare; they also receive encouragement from Black judges, administrators and attorneys from a range of practice areas who understand both the challenges these students are likely to experience and the importance of persevering through them. More than 300 students have attended these sessions, both in-person and virtually.    

Ira’s commitment to diversity in our profession doesn’t stop at law school admission. He was instrumental in developing a competitive summer clerkship program at HBCU law schools through which students are chosen to spend the summer working in public interest law, seeing first-hand the impact they can have for clients, particularly in rural communities. Initially launched in conjunction with North Carolina Central University School of Law, Ira’s alma mater, the program recently expanded to Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University – College of Law. The program has proven effective in inspiring future legal aid attorneys; several alumni of the program have joined GLSP after graduation to serve in rural communities in Georgia."