Expanding Access to Justice
Motivated by a desire to create meaningful change for individuals and within broader systems, Karen Barker Marcou ’95 pursued a legal education at American University Washington College of Law for its nationally recognized clinical program and its legacy of expanding opportunity in the legal profession that aligned with her goals.
“My clinical experience at AUWCL was invaluable,” she says, crediting mentors like Professors Susan Bennett, Pat Roth and Jamie Raskin.
Early in her career as a staff attorney in Anacostia, Marcou saw firsthand the deep inequities in the legal system. Representing low-income clients in housing and family law cases, she encountered individuals without the resources or knowledge to navigate the courts.
“Through this work, I saw the importance of giving people a voice,” she said. “Without an attorney, people were often unable to obtain the relief they deserved.”
That realization led her to co-found what is now Volunteer Legal Advocates. After stepping away from full-time practice to raise her children, Marcou sought to take on pro bono work but found significant barriers.
“There were many obstacles to practicing pro bono if you were not affiliated with a law firm,” she explained.
With colleagues facing similar challenges, she launched an organization to remove those barriers and expand access to justice. What began as a small effort quickly grew into a major nonprofit.
“I thought we would just be a small group … but the idea took off,” Marcou recalled.
Today, the organization has more than 50 staff members, and in 2025 alone, volunteers contributed over $23 million in free legal services, assisting more than 3,000 clients. Since its founding, it has helped 25,000 domestic violence survivors and at-risk children.
“Oftentimes, the worst abusers fight the hardest for custody,” she said. “We have to work very hard so that victims and their children can be protected. By protecting children from abuse, you help stop the cycle of violence.”
A former client once approached a volunteer attorney and said, “That organization saved my life.” That moment has stayed with Marcou, as it affirmed the human impact behind the work.
Looking ahead, funding remains a challenge, but Marcou is optimistic. Volunteer Legal Advocates’ model turns every dollar into six dollars’ worth of legal services. “Success is rooted in purpose,” she said. “It’s doing something that inspires you and helps others, even when it is difficult and challenging.”
Dozens of AUWCL graduates have volunteered with Volunteer Legal Advocates or worked on the staff since 2008. VLA provides training, mentoring, and supervision in civil protection orders, divorce, custody, and immigration cases, and these cases can take from 15 to 200 hours, depending on the time commitment an attorney wants to make.
Marcou commented that some of VLA's best volunteers have been AUWCL graduates, and she hopes that more will volunteer their time and expertise.