We are delighted to announce that Melissa Morris will become PILP’s next Director of Litigation & Advocacy, effective January 1, 2027!  

For more than two decades, Melissa has dedicated her career to advancing justice for some of California’s most vulnerable communities. She brings deep expertise in advancing affirmative litigation and advocacy in public benefits and housing and homelessness practice areas having served as counsel in numerous impact cases, including CBIA v. San Jose, Vanucci v. County of Sonoma, Banda v. County of San Bernardino, and Garcia v. City of Desert Hot Springs.

During her eight years at PILP, Melissa has led litigation and policy advocacy in land use, housing, homelessness, and public benefits practice areas while mentoring and training attorneys across the state on complex legal issue areas including state Housing Element law, the duty of state and local governments to affirmatively further fair housing, and improving access to California public benefits programs.  

Prior to joining PILP in 2018, Melissa worked for 12 years in her local community at the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley. Her work at the Law Foundation spanned many areas and included supervising the eviction defense practice to litigating affirmative fair housing cases to representing clients with mental health disabilities in public benefits matters. Earlier in her career, she represented low-income and senior clients in domestic violence, elder abuse, and housing matters at Legal Aid of Marin as a Borchard Center on Law & Aging Fellow.

Melissa will succeed PILP’s current Director of Litigation & Advocacy, Mike Rawson, who will transition to a part-time Of Counsel role after more than 30 years of leadership as a co-founder of PILP.  Mike has been a tireless champion of economic and racial justice, and PILP is profoundly grateful for his dedication and stewardship over the past three decades.

As Director of Litigation & Advocacy, Melissa will bring a deep commitment to racial, economic, and disability justice, a strong sense of stewardship, and an understanding of the unique role lawyers play in movements for social change. She is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of public interest attorneys and strengthening the field for years to come.  

Please welcome Melissa to her new role!