Courtney Wilkes is a Staff Attorney at Tzedek DC leading Tzedek DC’s victims of crime work through the Economic Exploitation and Fraud Project. The project focuses Tzedek DC’s consumer practice on the needs of District residents who are victims of crime, addressing the related issues of debt collection, consumer credit, fraud, and identity theft. Prior to joining Tzedek DC, Courtney worked as a Senior Associate at the DC Affordable Law Firm (DCALF), a local non-profit that provides low-cost legal services in the areas of probate, immigration, and family law to modest-income DC residents. While at DCALF, Courtney represented survivors of domestic violence and served as a Guardian ad Litem in D.C. Superior Court.

During law school, Courtney was a summer law clerk at the East Bay Community Law Center (EBCLC) Consumer Justice Clinic, where she provided brief legal services on issues such as contract disputes, student loans, medical debt, and credit reports, attended legislative hearings, and presented know-your-rights presentations on payday loans. Courtney also worked as a student attorney for the Community Justice Project: Health-Justice Alliance clinic at Georgetown. As part of this clinic, Courtney developed a report and advocacy toolkit on sexual harassment in low-wage workplaces. Courtney also served as President of Georgetown’s If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice chapter; Co-President of the International Migrant Bill of Rights (IMBR) Initiative; and as a delegate on the Student Bar Association.

Courtney received a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree from Barnard College of Columbia University, where she majored in East Asian Language & Culture and Human Rights. She also holds both a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree in Civil Justice and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Georgetown University Law Center. Upon graduating from her J.D. program, Courtney received Exceptional Pro Bono Pledge Recognition for contributing over 200 hours of pro bono service. She was also awarded a Dean’s Certificate in recognition of special and outstanding service to the Law Center community. She is admitted to the District of Columbia Bar. She is a member of the Women’s Bar Association and the American Bar Association.