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Elizabeth White

E. Paige White is a distinguished criminal and civil rights attorney whose career has been defined by a series of impactful and high-profile roles.

 

Currently serving as Of-Counsel at Ben Crump Law, Paige has had the privilege of contributing to landmark civil rights cases, further refining her expertise in the pursuit of justice and equality. Paige previously worked as an Associate Attorney at Ben Crump Law and contributed to high-profile civil rights cases including the Tyre Sampson and Astroworld cases. Her time there was instrumental in enhancing her expertise in advocating for justice and civil rights.

Prior to her tenure at Ben Crump Law, Paige garnered significant experience at DiCello Levitt LLP where she represented families in high-stakes police brutality cases, notably the Jayland Walker and Jalen Randle cases, showcasing her ability to navigate complex litigation with precision and poise. Paige also drafted and filed the first complaint in the widely covered hair relaxer mass tort case and a class action sexual harassment case against a major manufacturer. Her portfolio also includes representing clients in employment, sexual abuse, and police misconduct cases against prominent defendants.

Paige's legal journey began at two of the most prestigious public defender offices in the country: the Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem and the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia. At the Public Defender Service, celebrated as one of the premier offices nationwide, she honed her skills handling serious felony offenses, including homicides, with unmatched dedication. Her work at the Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem further solidified her holistic approach to legal advocacy, addressing not only the legal challenges but also the broader social and personal impacts faced by her clients.

Growing up in Hampton, Virginia, Paige was influenced by her parent's pioneering spirits and commitment to serving their communities inspired her to pursue a career where she could blend her passions for performance, advocacy, and fighting against injustice. Her personal experiences, combined with her identity as a Black queer woman, offer her a unique perspective that enriches her approach to legal advocacy.

Paige’s mission as an attorney is to provide quality, personalized service while maintaining a steadfast commitment to social justice and challenging unjust systems. Her ability to build strong client relationships through honesty and genuine care sets her apart in her practice.

Paige’s academic credentials underscore her commitment to excellence. She graduated from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2016, where she was an active member of the Trial Team and distinguished herself as the only woman selected for the Trial Team’s "Final Four" competition that year. Her undergraduate studies were completed at Temple University, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Sociology while also excelling as a scholarship track athlete.

Recognized for her contributions to the legal field, Paige was named by The National Black Lawyers in 2025 as one of the Top 100 attorneys in the country and in 2022 was named Young Lawyer of the Year by the Bar Association for the District of Columbia. Paige currently serves as the co-chair of the Womens Bar Association of D.C. Women of Color Taskforce and the Content Curator of the American Association for Justice Minority Caucus. She is also a graduate of several prestigious leadership programs, including the 2024 D.C. Bar’s Leadership Academy, the 2024 American Association for Justice Leadership Academy, and the 2024 American Bar Association’s Diverse Leaders Academy. Paige has served as the Historian for the Young Lawyers Division of the National Bar Association, was the 2024 Co-Chair of the American Bar Association’s Women of Color, and chaired the Young Lawyers Section for the Bar Association for D.C.

Dawn Smalls

Ms. Smalls is an accomplished leader with experience in law, politics, government and philanthropy. Her clients benefit from her strategic advice and legal counsel on complex legal, policy, and regulatory matters. Smalls’ service in two presidential administrations gives her unique insight into government and politics. Smalls recently served as the Monitor of a tier-one global financial institution having been appointed to that position by the New York State Department of Financial Services.
Smalls is a strategic advisor and multi-disciplinary leader with experience across law, government, politics, and philanthropy. Her clients turn to her for her independent sensibility and her trusted and strategic advice. In 2021, Smalls was named to the inaugural edition of "Northeast Trailblazers" by the American Lawyer, and recognized by Crain's New York Business as a "Notable Women in Law" , the National Black Lawyers as one of their Top 100 lawyers, and the Legal 500 in Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Criminal Defense. Smalls was featured as a "Power Player" in government and politics by City & State New York and the Amsterdam News in 2020.
In her private practice, she has fought for undocumented immigrants, victims of financial crime, and voters facing intimidation. Smalls litigates high-stakes matters, successfully securing two TROs, one against the Trump Campaign and one in 2021 against the City of New York. Previous representations include serving as co-lead counsel for one of the largest Fair Labor Standards Act class actions on record, representing more than 90,000 au pairs for wage fixing and violations of federal, state and minimum wage. She also served as counsel for the class of investors in two of the largest “feeder funds” that financed Bernard Madoff’s Ponzi scheme.
Her knowledge of the intersection of law and politics comes from serving, first, in the Clinton Administration as assistant to the White House Chief of Staff and as a liaison on policy and budget issues for the District of Columbia, and the Chief Regulatory Officer at the Department of Health and Human Services in the Obama Administration. In the 2008 election cycle, Dawn served as a regional political director for the Hillary Clinton for President Campaign, covering six states, and in the general election as the New York political director for then-Sen. Barack Obama.
In addition to her private practice, Ms. Smalls is a recognized civic leader. She serves on the board of the Roosevelt Institute, a think tank and campus network that serves as the non-profit partner to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde Park, New York. She also serves on the Board of the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, a non-profit farm and educational center whose mission is to shape an ecological food culture that centers farmers and their stewardship of the land to amplify their success. Previously, Smalls served on the Board of the American Constitution Society, the nation’s leading progressive legal organization, from 2015 – 2021.
As a commissioner of the New York State Joint Commission on Public Ethics, Smalls provided oversight to the state agency tasked with ensuring that state elected officials and lobbyists comply with the state’s ethics and lobbying laws and regulations. Previously, Ms. Smalls served as the Secretary of the New York City Bar’s Ethics Committee.
Ms. Smalls also worked for the Open Society Foundations and the Ford Foundation, two of the largest philanthropies in the world, managing approximately $40 million of grants promoting and increasing civic engagement, political reform, and grassroots activism. Ms. Smalls is actively engaged in politics, advising candidates on the local, state and federal level.

Kelley Johnson

​​​​​​​Hi! I’m Kelley, a creative professional with a deep passion for graphic design, branding, and all things digital. With over a decade of experience, I’ve led teams and driven projects across a wide range of areas, including web development, SEO, social media, and large-format printing. My skills go beyond traditional titles, blending creativity with strategy to deliver impactful results.

George Edwards

George Edwards III has been involved in complex commercial cases for the last 17 years. He focuses his practice on business litigation and commercial construction litigation. After earning a degree in Chemistry from Rice University, he attended Howard University School of Law, where he served as editor-in-chief of the law school’s legal newspaper. He began his legal career at The Gallagher Law Firm, known for its extensive toxic tort and environmental litigation practice. He later joined Phillips Akers, P.C., a litigation boutique in Houston, where he represented major companies such as Kroger and HEB.

Mr. Edwards is a former member of the State Bar of Texas Web Services Committee and Grievance Committee, and he currently serves on the State Bar of Texas Professionalism Committee. He previously served on the Board of Directors of the Houston Young Lawyers Association and is a fellow of the Houston Young Lawyers Foundation. He is also an inaugural member of the Texas State Bar’s Leadership SBOT program, created to increase diverse leadership participation within the legal community by identifying and supporting attorneys with the desire and potential to take on leadership roles within their communities and the State Bar of Texas.

In addition to his professional work, Mr. Edwards is active in civic and political organizations. He is a Sustaining Member of the Harris County Democratic Party and a member of the Harris County Democratic Lawyers Association. He is also involved with the National Bar Association and the Houston Lawyers Association. Beyond these affiliations, he is a committed civil rights advocate who frequently represents victims of excessive force and constitutional violations. He also serves as guardian ad litem to assist the Harris County District Courts in resolving cases involving injuries to minors and is known for his outspoken advocacy for children who have experienced abuse.

Outside of his legal practice, Mr. Edwards enjoys traveling the world and reading novels. He has also provided legal advice and helped create strategies for a wide range of corporate entities, including joint ventures, LLCs, and LPs.

Qualifications, Admissions, and Memberships:

Mr. Edwards is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States. He has been a member of the State Bar of Texas since 2006 and is admitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. His federal court admissions include the U.S. District Courts for the Western, Northern, Southern, and Eastern Districts of Texas; the U.S. Court of Federal Claims in Washington, D.C.; and the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. His professional memberships include:

Ira Foster

Ira L. Foster is the managing attorney of the Georgia Legal Services Program’s Macon, Georgia office.

He graduated with honors from Fort Valley State University in Fort Valley, Georgia. He then attended graduate school at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio, and earned his Juris Doctor degree from North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina.

Ira is a member of the American Bar Association, the State Bar of Georgia, the Macon Bar Association, the Houston County Bar Association, the Georgia Alliance of African American Attorneys, the National Bar Association, the National Black Lawyers, and the William Augustus Bootle Inn of Court.

His honors and awards include being selected as an American Bar Association Foundation Fellow, Macon Bar Association Lawyer of the Year in 2007, Fort Valley State University Alumni of the Year in Social Sciences, the Dublin Laurens County Black Festival Committee Citizen of the Year, Adopt A Role Model Program Big Brother of the Year, the State Bar of Georgia Supreme Court Justice Robert Benham Community Service Award, the Houston County NAACP 2009 Community Service Award, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. State of Georgia 2011 Fraternity Brother of the Year, and the 2015 State Bar of Georgia Access to Justice Committee Dan Bradley Award.

Ira has served as a board member of the Fort Valley State University Housing Foundation and the Fort Valley State University National Alumni Association. He currently serves as a board member of The Alpha Georgia Education Foundation, Inc., The Central Georgia United Way, and the Macon Bar Association. He is a life member of the NAACP, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and the Fort Valley State University National Alumni Association.

He served as President of the Macon Bar Association for the 2015 to 2016 year.

Ira has represented numerous students in disciplinary and special education cases. He has authored two articles for the State Bar of Georgia Child Advocacy Newsletter on education issues and co authored an article for the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. national magazine addressing the School Dropout to Prison Pipeline issue.

He has also presented workshops across the state of Georgia, including in Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Waycross, Valdosta, Albany, Macon, Norcross, and McDonough, on the School Dropout to Prison Pipeline issue.