NEW YORK – The Partnership for Educational Justice today announced that Ralia Polechronis has joined the team as General Counsel. A Harvard Law School graduate, she was most recently a senior litigation associate at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton and Garrison LLP.
Ralia has significant education law experience, having led numerous matters representing charter schools and charter school organizations throughout New York City, including matters involving co-location disputes. At PEJ, Ralia will manage national litigation strategy and serve as a key partner and main point of contact for the Partnership’s national and local legal partners.
“As PEJ works toward ensuring a sound basic education for all of our kids, it is critically important that we have talented individuals like Ralia Polechronis on our side,” said Campbell Brown, Founder of the Partnership for Educational Justice. “Ralia’s vast experience, as both a litigator and education advocate, will be a tremendous asset as we help families and students take on the entrenched educational policies that do such a disservice to our children.”
“I am excited to join PEJ’s noble cause and talented team,” said Ralia Polechronis, General Counsel of PEJ. “Our education system is failing our kids and I am looking forward to joining Campbell Brown and the PEJ team in the fight for reform.”
Prior to joining the Partnership, Ralia was a senior litigation associate at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton and Garrison LLP. In that capacity, Ralia represented a broad range of corporate clients in securities, mass tort, class action and breach of contract cases. Ralia also led numerous matters representing charter schools and charter school organizations throughout the city, including matters involving co-location disputes. From 2007-2008, she served as a law clerk to Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye on the New York Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court.
Ralia holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Boston College. She is an alumna of the New York City Urban Fellowship Program. Ralia currently serves as the board chair of the Math, Engineering and Science Academy Charter High School in Bushwick, Brooklyn.
ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP FOR EDUCATIONAL JUSTICE
Partnership for Educational Justice helps students, families and communities advocate for the great public schools they deserve through coalition building and legal action. All children, no matter their background or circumstance, deserve access to a sound education. The inequalities that exist in our educational system are the civil rights issue of our time. Motivated by a pervasive lack of meaningful progress in ensuring a supportive learning environment for all students, Partnership for Educational Justice challenges antiquated education laws that prevent public schools from providing all students with an excellent education. Targeted litigation will be supported by an aggressive communications campaign at the local, state and national level. Through its work, Partnership for Educational Justice will mobilize families, community stakeholders and organizations to form effective coalitions that increase pressure on legislators and other decision makers to reform our educational system. Founded by Campbell Brown, an award-winning journalist and writer, Partnership for Educational Justice is a recognized 501(c)(3) organization.
Partnership for Educational Justice
Press Contact: Chapin Fay, 212-681-1380
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