Washington Lawyer March/April 2026
By Jeffery Leon
For Ruth Enriquez, joining the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in October 2024 as a trial attorney was a full-circle moment. The recent American University Washington College of Law graduate had a strong passion for sociology, which she studied as an undergrad, and a driving interest in how the law could impact people’s lives and experiences.
“I was always curious about who benefits from the law and who is disadvantaged by the law,” says Enriquez. “Who can avail themselves of the legal process and who is marginalized by [it]?”
Those questions — along with her experiences serving communities in New York City, first as a pre-K teacher in a Washington Heights public school with Teach for America and later as a paralegal focusing on government benefits and immigration matters with the nonprofit Mobilization for Justice — pushed Enriquez toward civil rights and access to justice advocacy. These roles were formative for Enriquez, giving her hands-on experience in helping people obtain information and benefits, while guiding them through language barriers, cultural differences, and a complicated immigration system.
These jobs also showed her how government agencies work on a macro level. Enriquez saw firsthand how people’s needs were often severely overlooked, especially among marginalized groups, and it drove her to do more to help. “It made me want to join a profession that had the ability to enforce the law,” she says.
Working in the Educational Opportunity Section of DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, Enriquez helped enforce fair standards in education by investigating discrimination on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and disability. Enriquez found the work rewarding, providing another dimension to her legal and social passions.
“It was really interesting and engaging,” says Enriquez. “I got to work in a variety of different contexts while I was there, and it was a big learning experience.”
A Fork in the Road
Not even a year into her role at DOJ, the federal government underwent abrupt changes as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and the Office of Personnel Management began slashing the number of federal employees through reduction-in-force orders, hiring freezes, and deferred resignations. The rapidly shifting situation presented new challenges for Enriquez, who at the time was still a probationary employee.
While she was proud of being part of such important work at DOJ, Enriquez says her future in government looked increasingly unclear. “It was pretty obvious from early on that the scope of the work was going to change significantly,” she says. “And my relationship with my client, the United States, was also going to change.”
Choosing not to carry the anxiety that comes with unpredictability, Enriquez decided to take the “fork in the road” offer and leave government work.
Enriquez then pivoted to pro bono service, turning to the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center as she was familiar with its clinics and resources. “I joined DOJ because I wanted to help people, and I wanted to continue helping people in an individual capacity,” says Enriquez. “The Pro Bono Center makes that very easy with its structured [trainings and clinics].”
Enriquez registered to volunteer at a Pro Bono Center Advice & Referral Clinic and was paired with a mother and daughter in a housing conditions case. It was an eye-opening experience, Enriquez says, learning about the legal processes that could be used to address the substandard housing issues the family faced.
Her previous experience working alongside housing attorneys while at the New York nonprofit and clerking for a judge who handled housing matters also proved invaluable. Enriquez says she enjoyed putting that knowledge to use, as well as her bilingual skills as a Spanish speaker to connect with clients with limited English proficiency.
Taking a New Legal Path
While housing law has a steep learning curve, Enriquez says the Pro Bono Center was a great resource, providing her with documents, guidance, and tutorials on landlord–tenant law, as well as matching her with a mentor with whom Enriquez checked in weekly.
“I had [my mentor] every step of the way to make sure that whatever I was learning from various materials I was understanding correctly, and also just being able to provide me with next steps and suggestions,” says Enriquez.
Following her service with the Pro Bono Center, Enriquez made another pivot, taking a new job as a staff attorney at Bread for the City last December. She learned about the organization in law school and appreciated its work in food distribution, medical care, and legal services for Washington, D.C., residents.
“You can go there with a slew of different needs, and they will make sure they are met,” says Enriquez.
As part of the housing team, Enriquez is excited to continue her passion for helping people in the community obtain benefits and stay in their homes. “My colleagues have been really great to learn from, and they’ve been really willing to help,” she says.
Reflecting on her volunteer work with the Pro Bono Center, Enriquez says it helped her build legal skills and exposed her to tangible experiences that she wouldn’t have encountered as quickly at DOJ. She encourages young attorneys to get involved in volunteer efforts.
“[Pro bono work] helps your community, which is important. It helps your development as an attorney, and it can help you in the job market, too,” says Enriquez. “Pro bono work shows that you are someone who cares, that you are building on your skills, and [that it’s] how you want to spend your time.”
Jeffery Leon is a freelance writer based in Washington, D.C.
