Kayla R. Johnson
Legal Fellow @National Organization For Women Nyc
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WORK HISTORY
Legal Fellow @National Organization For Women Nyc
New York, NY, US
I received the LL.M. Pathways Fellowship at Columbia Law School which funds my placement at NOW-NYC. In this role, I focus on legislative advocacy and policy reform, including advancing the New York Equal Rights Amendment (Proposition 1), strengthening laws to combat gender-based violence, advocating to eliminate the statute of limitations on sex trafficking, and introducing initiatives to further reproductive justice. Additionally, I provide legal support for two federal lawsuits challenging discriminatory reproductive healthcare policies affecting servicemembers.Key responsibilities include:Conducting comparative research of state laws and analyzing proposed legislationDrafting bills, policy memos, and an annual legislative agendaWriting op-eds, press releases, and advocacy piecesEngaging in oral advocacy, including speaking at press conferences, testifying at legislative hearings, and meeting with lawmakers at the municipal, state, and federal levels Educating communities through ‘know your rights’ workshops for survivors of gender-based violenceMentoring survivors and conducting outreach on issues such as sex traffickingGrant-writing, engaging with donors, and organizing fundraising initiativesConducting legal research, drafting briefs and memoranda, analyzing case law, and providing litigation support, while collaborating closely with our external legal teams
EDUCATION
Columbia Law School
Master of Laws (LL.M.)
Queen Mary University of London
Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) with Honours
The University of British Columbia
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) with Honours, Sociology Major, Environment and Society Minor
ABOUT KAYLA R. JOHNSON
I am a passionate advocate for reproductive freedom, gender equity, and human rights, dedicated to dismantling systemic barriers that deny individuals autonomy over their bodies and futures. My work spans legal advocacy, policy reform, and strategic project management, with a particular focus on expanding access to reproductive healthcare, including abortion, and advancing gender justice in the United States.I earned my law degree in England with a specialization in international human rights law, gaining a global perspective on the intersection of law, social justice, and access to reproductive healthcare. I deepened my expertise through an LL.M. at Columbia Law School, where I focused on reproductive justice and gender and sexuality law. With the support of Columbia’s LL.M. Pathways Fellowship, I joined the National Organization for Women (NOW-NYC) as a Legal Fellow, advocating for reproductive autonomy, legislative protections for marginalized communities and survivors of gender-based violence, and policies that advance gender equity.Previously, I spent five years as Intake Coordinator at the Access Pro Bono Society of British Columbia, providing strategic legal guidance to self-represented litigants across Canada, promoting equitable access to justice, and developing trauma-informed solutions for individuals facing systemic disenfranchisement.Based in New York City, I use the law as a catalyst for change—striving to protect and expand bodily autonomy and access to reproductive healthcare for all.
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