Testimonials
Genevieve Bonadies Torres
Senior Counsel, Office of General Counsel,
U.S. Department of Education
I am proud to call Jon a mentor. When I started at the Lawyers' Committee 10 years ago, I was a new attorney with no experience in impact litigation. Jon led the charge in teaching me how to be a zealous, rigorous, and compassionate civil rights attorney. I consider him in the top echelon of civil rights lawyers that I have ever encountered.
Across a range of practice areas, he was patient with me as a junior attorney, sharing his considerable knowledge on drafting major federal court filings—from motions for summary judgment, to preliminary injunctions, and even appellate briefs at the circuit and Supreme Court level that we worked on and filed together. When I started, I didn’t know how to write a strong brief and Jon took the time to show me the ropes. To take just one example, Jon expertly taught me how to write persuasive oppositions and replies that directly address the opponent’s arguments but quickly and effectively reframe the facts. Thanks to Jon I can now (and have) drafted many oppositions and replies that quickly cut to the issues at hand.
For years, Jon painstakingly prepared me to deliver oral advocacy in high-profile trials: helping me perfect opening and closing arguments in significant affirmative action cases—including in SFFA v. Harvard and SFFA v. UNC. In those cases, my clients’ testimony in defense of affirmative action were significantly featured in district court and appellate opinions, as well as the Supreme Court dissent by Justice Sotomayor. In no small part, that was because of something Jon instilled in me—to center our clients even throughout the most technical and legal arguments. In these and other cases, Jon showed me how to effectively depose and examine both expert and fact witnesses on sensitive topics.
Despite his decades of experience and all his accolades, Jon never micromanaged. He allowed me to take the lead and to grow through the process. His feedback was consistently pointed, constructive, and always improved the work. He was responsive to all my questions, and he took the extra time to convey that he cared about both the work and my growth as an attorney.
I will be forever grateful to Jon for striking the right balance between providing me the support and confidence that I needed, while also pushing me to be a better advocate for our clients and the civil rights community.
Ezra Rosenberg
Co- Director
Voting Rights Project
Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
On the occasion of Jon’s 20th anniversary at the Lawyers’ Committee (and my 9th of working under his supervision), I thought it appropriate to provide some thoughts. I’ve been practicing law for 49 years, during which time I have had the benefit and extremely good fortune of working for and with some of the most remarkable attorneys in the country - in state and national government (including DOJ), in boutique firms and massive global firms, and in the non-profit sector. Several of these colleagues are nationally recognized as among the very best and brightest lawyers in the country. Jon easily holds his place at the very top.
Jon has a unique intelligence. His understanding of the law is buttressed by what appears to be a near-photographic memory that allows him not only to dredge up case law, but more important, the factual constructs of past cases that as he recognizes are more pivotal than the bare legal principles.
But this just scratches the surface. It is not just Jon’s enviable “book” intelligence that makes him stand out as an extraordinary lawyer. It is his ability to apply that intelligence in creative ways that makes him an extraordinary counselor and problem solver in ways that are not limited to solving legal issues. His skills are such that I could see him providing meaningful counsel at the highest levels outside not only the civil rights universe and, indeed, outside the general arena of non-profits, but also outside the non-profit sector.
You know how you’re often at a meeting discussing some particularly thorny problem, and there’s always this one person who - no matter what the issue - when they speak, you listen, because they always seem to be coming at the issue in a way that makes you say to yourself, “I wish I’d thought of that?” Well, that’s Jon. Whether the issue is how to approach legal issues or personnel issues or organizational issues, invariably Jon voices a perspective on the issue that directs the discussion, often focusing on aspects that no one else had thought of, and which more often than not leads to what turns out to be the right resolution. I have seldom used the word “brilliant” to describe anyone, but I have used it to describe Jon.
In this regard, Jon is interested not only in the outcome of litigation that those he supervises are managing, but in how the organization as a whole operates, instituting file management, calendar, and reporting systems that are necessary and efficient, and focusing on making the place he works one that is not only effective, but also a place where his staff enjoys to work.
Jon is a demanding supervisor, but not an arbitrarily demanding one. His criticisms are fair, because they’re considered, and, most important, he comes from a humane place. I have learned more from Jon in my fifth decade of practicing law than I thought would be possible at this stage of my career - and I have enjoyed working with him immensely.
Michael Jones
Partner (Ret.)
Kirkland & Ellis, LLP
REMARKS BY MICHAEL JONES IN PRESENTING
THE EDWIN D. WOLF AWARD TO JON GREENBAUM
DECEMBER 7, 2023
Thank you, thank you. The Edwin Wolf Award is awarded to a staff member who has exhibited outstanding service and commitment to civil rights. And in Edwin’s particular case, he had some personal health issues as he was delivering the incredible service.
I think you all think you know Jon Greenbaum. If you’re a trial lawyer, you realize that you really get to know someone when you work shoulder-to-shoulder with them in a trial for 12 hours a day. If you work 12 hours a day over the course of a week or two weeks, you develop a certain affinity with them. If you work with Jon like I did, shoulder-to-shoulder, for 12 hours a day for 105 trial days, they become your brother.
In addition to the 105 trial days, I can probably multiply the days of mediation days that we sat and talked the table from the State of Maryland. Jon, I accounted 60 to 70 mediation days. To say nothing of the very late-night calls that Jon and I had together even as he was dealing with very trying personal circumstances and family circumstances.
When I was in law school, I received the Thurgood Marshall Award, and I was so proud of that because I looked up to Thurgood Marshall and the other heroes of the 1960s and the civil rights movement. And I have to say that I believe that Jon Greenbaum is the Thurgood Marshall of our era, and having gotten to know him in such an intense kind of circumstances whereas Ali would say, we shook up the world, we made history, in the most challenging kind of circumstances through two long trials, the 4th Circuit of Appeals, legislative hearings during Covid, and having to figure out a legislative strategy to overcome the public announcement of the Governor of Maryland that the last and final offer of $200 million to settle Maryland’s HBCU case. And we silently toasted each other when the Governor publicly acknowledged and announced a $577 million settlement.
I’ve had the chance to try cases with and against some of the best lawyers in the world. None, in my view, are comparable to the brilliance, the tenacity, the insightfulness, and he has a great sense of humor. Jon Greenbaum, I’m happy to call you my brother in arms, and congratulations on this award.
Nancy Anderson
Director of Pro Bono
Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
Congratulations to Jon Greenbaum for 20 years at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (LCCRUL)! I’ve worked with Jon during his entire tenure at the LCCRUL, including as his supervisee for the last 14 years. Jon has been a tremendous manager, thought partner and mentor over the years.
While I’m not a litigator, I've benefited tremendously from Jon’s knowledge and skill set in my role as Director of Pro Bono. Jon has the ability to ask the right questions to get one thinking outside the box, even if the issue area isn’t one at which he’s an expert. He pushes staff, but in a way that makes one feel valued and want to do a better job. He lends an ear when needed and knows when to gently push you back on topic and in the right direction. This not only pertains to the programmatic work, but also to the actual job of managing. Jon has helped me time and time again in identifying issues and problem solving.
Over the years, I’ve worked with Jon on a number of impact projects. He has bold and innovative ideas leading to significant initiatives, including Election Protection and the Lawyers’ Committee’s recently created Protecting and Advancing DEI Pro Bono Initiative. Jon approaches a problem from multiple angles, identifying possible different solutions while weighing multiple factors, such as staffing needs, outcomes, time commitment, financial implications, to name but a few. These are all weighed when making an ultimate decision on the best approach. And he makes sure different perspectives are at the table and taken into account.
One of the things I most appreciate about Jon is his ability to recognize and then utilize peoples’ strengths, beyond the job title of a person. Working with Jon, one feels heard, appreciated and respected. Your expertise and skill set is not pushed aside, but instead embraced.
But perhaps most importantly, as many of us struggle through these challenging times, Jon makes sure to create the environment where one can find moments of joy in the work, even when the issues are hard. We all could use more of that these days.
POOJA CHAUDHURI
Counsel, Voting Rights Project
Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
I have known Jon for the past eight years in his role as the Chief Counsel of the Lawyers’ Committee. Jon is a prolific litigator and problem solver, a mentor, and a teacher. One of his greatest strengths is that he cares deeply about the people on his team and their development. I consider myself lucky to have had the opportunity to work with Jon, more so during my first years as a lawyer.
If I had to describe Jon in a few sentences, here is what I would say. Jon has an uncanny ability to get to the heart of a matter by asking the right questions. The matter might be how to frame a legal argument in a brief, decide the best policy position for the organization, tailor questions to a deposition, or prepare for a court’s questions at oral argument. Jon has a talent for cutting through to the core of any issue and helping his team persuasively present that issue. Jon has always had high expectations for work product and has pushed the team working with him to produce the highest quality work.
As a voting rights attorney on the Voting Rights Project of the Lawyers’ Committee, I worked closely with Jon on various litigation matters at the different stages of litigation. Before a case was filed, Jon typically reviewed a detailed memorandum that explained the background and legal theories of the potential case, the pros and cons of filing, and the connection to the mission of the organization. On many such occasions, Jon would ask the questions that no one else had thought of and send us back to the drawing board to refine our thinking. Sometimes it was a lack of data to support our theory or a lack of connection to the mission or legal precedent we had missed. After incorporating Jon’s feedback, we would inevitably develop a much better grasp of the issues and consequently, produce better work product. In one of the first cases for which I had sought approval, Jon had predicted the outcome in the circuit court of appeal if the case were to be filed and then appealed. Another group of plaintiffs filed the case which, as Jon had predicted, went on appeal. And Jon’s predictions on how the appellate court would ultimately rule were accurate to the T.
The same was true with legal briefs—Jon pushed his team to cut to the chase and get to the heart of the matter. Jon is a voting rights expert, a fount of knowledge when it comes to voting issues. That knowledge was demonstrated by his ability to recall the most obscure cases, the factual scenarios of the cases, and the legal holdings of those cases including the reasoning in dissents. When reading our briefs, he often pointed to an authority we had missed and should have considered in developing our argument. All the voting rights attorneys on my team consider Jon a guru for his sharp memory and his ability to reference even the nuances in legal cases that he may have read years ago. On the rare occasion that Jon thought one of our first draft briefs was good, we developed a tradition of celebrating with a sweet treat! Jon’s style of providing feedback was by Socratic method — asking thought-provoking questions and guiding the writer to an answer.
Jon is also an accomplished oral advocate and an equally generous teacher and mentor to junior attorneys seeking to learn the art of oral advocacy. I saw Jon in action many times. I helped him prepare for and take expert and witness depositions and argue motions before district courts and the circuit courts of appeal. I also watched Jon coach junior attorneys, myself included, on how to prepare for argument and witness depositions, frame opening and closing statements at trial, and strategically approach trial. I will never forget the first deposition I ever witnessed, in which Jon caught the witness off guard by asking the most fundamental, important question that was at the heart of the case. The witness was so taken aback that he provided helpful answers that allowed us to ultimately win the case in district court and on appeal. The oral advocacy skills Jon imparted on me and the other attorneys have had a life-changing impact on our development as litigators.
I have learned so much from Jon. His sharp memory extends not just to legal cases but also to obscure facts like the name of the pitcher who pitched in the 5th inning of a 1996 Dodgers playoff game. He is also a pleasure to work with! I fondly remember our litigation team’s road trip to Mississippi to take depositions in a case we were litigating a few years ago. Not only did we work hard during that trip, we also played hard. We explored the local cuisine, discovered delicious restaurants (Jon and I are both foodies), and had loads of fun!
Jon is a tough critic, but his guidance and feedback on my work has made me a better writer, a stronger oral advocate, and a more well-rounded civil rights lawyer. If given the chance, I would work with Jon again in a heartbeat.
katia garrett
Principal, Mansarde Strategies
Smart. Focused. Skilled. Compassionate. I met Jon when I came in to the Lawyers’ Committee in September 2021 as the Interim COO, tasked with both corralling and building out the operations side of the house. I quickly learned that Jon both knew an enormous amount, and was a fearless and quick learner. The mission and work of the Lawyer’s Committee are vital to our democracy, and require constant hard and creative work. Jon never loses sight of those facts and brings an unparalleled work ethic – and steady sense of joy – to the task. I flagged above what Jon brings to any table – the social justice litigation community is fortunate to have him.