Janai Nelson

Janai S. Nelson is a nationally recognized civil rights attorney, election law scholar, and President and Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF), America's first civil rights law organization.

A leading advocate for racial justice and voting rights, Nelson has dedicated her career to advancing equality, protecting democracy, and challenging systemic discrimination. Her work focuses on voting rights, educational equity, criminal justice reform, and the protection of fundamental civil rights.

Before becoming President and Director-Counsel in 2022, Nelson served as LDF's Associate Director-Counsel and held academic leadership roles, including Associate Dean for Faculty Scholarship at St. John's University School of Law.

Through litigation, scholarship, public advocacy, and organizational leadership, Nelson continues to champion equal justice under the law and empower communities across the nation.