Tamara Caldas Named New Deputy Director

By: Martin Ellin, Executive Director, AVLF


With real pleasure, I announce that Tamara Caldas will become the new Deputy Director of the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation.

Tamara is a graduate of Princeton University, the University of Texas School of Law, and the Lyndon Baines Johnson School of Public Affairs. After graduating with a law degree and masters degree from UT, she clerked for the Honorable Martha Craig Daughtrey of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. She then became a senior litigator at the Southern Center for Human Rights from 1998 - 2004, after which she worked at the law firm of Claiborne, Outman & Surmay, LLP, which specializes in adoption and reproductive technology.

Tamara has worked with the Foundation in a number of capacities since her hire in September 2005, including serving as Foundation's Managing Attorney since 2007. As but a few examples of the work she has performed for AVLF's clients and with AVLF's Partners, Tamara headed and designed the recent revitalization of the Saturday Lawyer Program, helped with the design of legislation for Georgia and other community responses to the federal PTFA legislation, and promoted the development Fulton Court's Self-Help Center. As importantly, internally, she was a driving force behind the successful completion of the AVLF Strategic Plan, coordinates the implementation of that plan, is heading the development of a Communications Plan and has become the staff technology leader, especially promoting an enhancement of the Foundation's database.

Tamara is a talented, relentless litigator, is a skilled negotiator and is a trained mediator. She is a deeply effective community advocate, whether the "community" is made up of clients, lawyers and/or court personnel, and is an entertaining and compelling spokesperson for AVLF and its clients. In every circumstance, Tamara shows leadership, passion and vision: in every setting, she presents the dignity and integrity that is critical to realizing the Foundation's mission.

We are proud of what Tamara has accomplished, and we are confident that assuming the position of Deputy Director of the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation will allow her to promote equal access to justice even more effectively.

Congratulations, Tamara!