Tara L. Casey
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Profile
Tara Casey is Director of the Carrico Center for Pro Bono and Public Service and teaches in the areas of public policy and poverty law at the University of Richmond School of Law. Ms. Casey also serves as the Faculty Director for the Law School’s Bridge to Practice Fellowship Program, which, since its creation, has helped to launch law students into post-graduate, public service careers. In addition, Ms. Casey writes on social justice topics that affect Virginians, with appearances in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Virginian-Pilot, Roanoke Times, and online venues including the Maddow Blog, Yahoo! Voices, and RVA Magazine.
Ms. Casey currently serves on the Supreme Court of Virginia’s Access to Justice Commission, and is a past board member of the Richmond Bar Association, the Metropolitan Richmond Women’s Bar Association, and YWCA of Greater Richmond. She actively volunteers in the community, with such organizations as the Legal Aid Justice Center, the Central Virginia Legal Aid Society, and Richmond Montessori School. Prior to joining the University of Richmond School of Law, Ms. Casey served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, as a staff attorney for the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and as a Presidential Management Fellow for the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Ms. Casey was inducted as a Fellow into the Virginia Law Foundation in 2019. She also received the Outstanding Women of Achievement Award from the Metropolitan Richmond Women’s Bar Association in 2015, the YWCA Outstanding Woman of Achievement in Law in 2007, and was named a Virginia Rising Star Lawyer by Richmond Magazine and one of the Legal Elite by Virginia Business Magazine. She is a past recipient of the Richmond Bar Association's Pro Bono Award and was named as one of Style Weekly Magazine's "Top Forty Under Forty".Expand All-
Awards
Virginia Lawyers Weekly Influential Women in the Law, Class of 2024 (2024)
Virginia Law Foundation Fellow (2019)
Virginia Business Magazine Legal Elite Class of 2019, Legal Services/Pro Bono Category (2019)
Virginia Business Magazine Legal Elite Class of 2018, Legal Services/Pro Bono Category (2018)
Virginia Business Magazine Legal Elite Class of 2017, Legal Services/Pro Bono Category (2017)
Virginia Business Magazine Legal Elite Class of 2016, Legal Services/Pro Bono Category (2016)
Virginia Business Magazine Legal Elite Class of 2015, Legal Services/Pro Bono Category (2015)
Metropolitan Richmond Women's Bar Association Women of Achievement Award (2015)
Virginia Business Magazine Legal Elite Class of 2014, Legal Services/Pro Bono Category (2014)
Virginia Business Magazine Legal Elite Class of 2013, Legal Services/Pro Bono Category (2013)
Virginia Business Magazine Legal Elite Class of 2012, Legal Services/Pro Bono Category (2012)
Virginia Business Magazine Legal Elite Class of 2011, Legal Services/Pro Bono Category (2011)
Virginia Business Magazine Legal Elite Class of 2010, Legal Services/Pro Bono Category (2010)
Virginia Business Magazine Legal Elite Class of 2009, Legal Services/Pro Bono Category (2009)
YWCA of Greater Richmond Outstanding Woman of Achievement in Law (2007)
Virginia Business Magazine Legal Elite Class of 2006, Legal Services/Pro Bono Category (2006)
Richmond Bar Association John C. Kenny Pro Bono Award (2005)
Virginia Business Magazine Legal Elite Class of 2005, Young Lawyer Category (2005)
Style Weekly Magazine Top Forty Under Forty (2004)
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Presentations
"Legislative Drafting & Public Policy," University of Virginia School of Law (November 2023)
Law Faculty, University of Richmond, "Practitioners' Panel: Legislative and Policy Advocacy," Not Just For Learning: a Comprehensive Look on How IEP and 504 Plans Affect Youth, University of Richmond Public Interest Law Review (October 2023)
Moderator, "Criminal Legal Reform through an LGBTQ Lens," Law Over Lunch CLE Series, Carrico Center (December 2021)
Panelist, "Legislative Lunch and Learn: LGBTQ+ Panic Defense Ban in Virginia," Lunch and Learn Series, Equality Virginia (May 2021)
Moderator, "Modern Day School Segregation in Virginia Schools and Housing," Symposium: Defining the School to Prison Pipeline, Richmond Public Interest Law Review (March 2021)
Presenter, "AALS Section Luncheon Talk: Racial Justice Criminal Defense Project," AALS Annual Meeting, AALS (January 2021)
Panelist, "ABA Center for Pro Bono: Law School Response," ABA Center for Pro Bono: Law School Response, ABA Center for Pro Bono (June 2020)
Presenter, "Current Landscape for Immigration, Asylees, and Refugees in Virginia," Meeting of FLC on Migration, FLC on Migration (November 2019)
Presenter, "Federal Court Mediation and the Role of the Pro Bono Lawyer," United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia (February 2019)
Commentator, "Encouraging and Empowering the Next Generation of Public Interest and Pro Bono Leaders," AALS Annual Meeting 2019, Association of American Law Schools (January 2019)
Discussant Leader, "Encouraging and Empowering the Next Generation of Public Interest and Pro Bono Leaders," AALS Annual Meeting, (January 2019)
Presentations Prior to 2019
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Memberships
Pro Bono Attorney, Central Virginia Legal Aid Society
Member, Relay for Life Team, American Cancer Society
Pro Bono Committee Member, Campaign To Reduce Evictions in Virginia (2018 - present)
Chair, Pro Bono Committee, Pro-Bono Coordinating Consortium (2016 - present)
Chair, Pro Bono Committee, Supreme Court of Virginia Access to Justice Commission (2016 - present)
Member, Campaign for Legal Aid Advisory Council (2015 - present)
Richmond Montessori School Board of Trustees (2015 - present)
Member, Supreme Court of Virginia Access to Justice Planning Commission (2015 - present)
AALS Section on Pro Bono and Public Service Opportunities (2010 - present)
Board of Directors, Greater Richmond Bar Foundation (2009 - present)
Awards Committee Chair, Pro Bono and Public Service Opportunities Section, Assocation of American Law Schools (2009 - present)
Member, Experiential Learning Work Group, Public Services Section, National Association for Law Placement (2008 - present)
Board of Directors and Donor Relations Committee Chair, YWCA of Greater Richmond (2008 - present)
Metropolitan Richmond Women's Bar Association (2000 - present)
Chair of Adminstration of Justice Committee, Richmond Bar Association (2000 - present)
Former Chair of Pro Bono Services Committee, Richmond Bar Association (2000 - present)
Virginia State Bar (2017 - 2019)
Virginia State Bar - Access to Legal Services Committee (2012 - 2018)
Virginia Code Commission: Gender Terms Project (2017 - 2017)
Access to Justice Planning Committee, Supreme Court of Virginia (2013 - 2015)
Member, Access to Justice Planning Committee, Supreme Court of Virginia (2013 - 2015)
Board of Directors, Children's Health Involving Parents of Greater Richmond (2002 - 2009)
Chair of the Board of Development Committee, Children's Health Involving Parents of Greater Richmond (2002 - 2009)
Member, United Way, Homeless Action Council (2001 - 2004)
Volunteer ESL Instructor, Catholic Diocese of Richmond, Refugee and Immigration Services (2001 - 2002)
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Bar Admissions
Virginia
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Professional Experience
Director, Carrico Center for Pro Bono & Public Service (2007 - present)
University of Richmond School of Law, Richmond, VAAssistant United States Attorney (2002 - 2007)
Civil Division, Office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond, VAAdjunct Legal Instructor (2003 - 2006)
University of Richmond School of Law, Richmond, VAStaff Attorney (2001 - 2002)
Office of Staff Counsel, United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, Richmond, VASpecial Assistant United States Attorney (2000 - 2001)
Office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, RICHMOND, VASpecial Assistant to the Assistant Secretary (1999 - 2000)
Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, Washington, DC
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Awards
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Publications
Journal Articles
2016 Symposium: Virginia's Opioid Epidemic: Treatment and Policy in the 21st Century, 20 Richmond Public Interest Law Review 127 (with Shannon Taylor et al.) (2017).
2010-2011 Veterans Law Update, 22 Federal Circuit Bar Journal 283 (with Kathleen Dwyer et al.) (2012).
Educating New Lawyers, 39 Virginia Bar Association Journal 9 (2012).
Magazines/Trade PublicationsPro Bono at the University of Richmond School of Law, 65 Virginia Lawyer 32 (October 2016).
Public Policy Research & Drafting: A Pro Bono and Law Library Collaboration, Virginia Lawyer 53 (with Suzanne Corriell) (October 2014).
Legal Education Prepares Students to Weather Tough Times, 58 Virginia Lawyer 21 (2010).
Newspaper ArticlesOpinion: Look for the Helpers, Richmond Times-Dispatch 1E (July 2016).
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In the News
UR law students help craft bill to protect struggling Virginians from losing their home (CBS 6)
Thu., Feb. 4, 2021Making a Difference: Director of UR’s Carrico Center a ‘facilitator of good deeds’ (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Thu., Dec. 24, 2020Look for the Helpers (Style Weekly)
Tue., Aug. 25, 2020Op-ed: Parole reform - An American redemption story (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Mon., Feb. 10, 2020Even After Virginia's Passage, ERA Is On Uncertain Legal Grounds (NPR)
Thu., Jan. 16, 2020The future of learning and how it could change your classroom (The Chronicle of Higher Education)
Thu., May. 17, 2018The future of learning and how it could change your classroom (The Chronicle of Higher Education)
Thu., May. 17, 2018Look for the helpers (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Sat., Jul. 23, 2016Looking for helpers (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Sat., Jul. 23, 2016Tara (Richmond Justice)
Fri., Apr. 15, 2016The benefits outweigh the sacrifice: Two of Virginia's Top Pro Bono Attorneys Discuss Attorney Service (Virginia Lawyer)
Mon., Feb. 1, 2016"Do Justice" PSA (Legal Aid Justice Center)
Fri., Sep. 11, 2015Why can't we fix our gun problem? (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Wed., Sep. 2, 2015AG's threat is not grounded in law (The Roanoke Times)
Mon., Sep. 24, 2012Va. board reverses course on abortion clinic regs (The Washington Times)
Fri., Sep. 14, 2012Separate and unequal regulations for women (The Roanoke Times)
Thu., Jun. 14, 2012An Oath of Service Betrayed--By One-Third of the Virginia House of Delegates (RVA Mag)
Wed., May. 16, 2012A Tale of Two Mandates (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Sun., Apr. 1, 2012When It Comes to the Budget, Mandating Consent Does Not Work Either (RVA Magazine)
Thu., Mar. 22, 2012Casey: Responding to the governor on the ultrasound kerfuffle (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Tue., Mar. 13, 2012Virginia calling: An open letter to Bob McDonnell (The Maddow Blog, Yahoo! Voices, and RVA Magazine)
Wed., Mar. 7, 2012A "Kerfluffle" Over Forced Ultrasound? An Open Letter to Governor McDonnell (RH Reality Check)
Tue., Mar. 6, 2012