Bio
Liz Jarit is a senior staff attorney in the ACLU’s Abortion Criminal Defense Initiative where she manages a network of defense attorneys nationwide to defend those facing investigation or prosecutions related to abortion care. In that capacity, Liz engages in litigation, policy, and advocacy work to stem the tide of abortion criminalization and mitigate the harms caused by the carceral state.
Prior to joining the ACLU, Liz was a public defender for more than 10 years with the New Jersey Office of the Public Defender where she represented clients challenging their convictions on appeal. Liz regularly appeared before the Appellate and Supreme Courts of New Jersey on behalf of individuals and organizations as amicus. In addition to her caseload, she managed a team of appellate attorneys, oversaw the agency’s Trial-Appellate Partnership program, led litigation strategy concerning implementation of the Criminal Justice Reform Act (New Jersey’s bail reform statute), served as a member the OPD Forensic Science Workgroup, and regularly contributed to the agency’s training program.
Liz graduated from Middlebury College and NYU School of Law. Prior to joining the NJ OPD, she clerked for the Honorable Anne M. Patterson on the New Jersey Supreme Court.