Mara Bridgman graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in Public Administration before moving back to Madison. Since joining the firm in 2007 as the first administrative hire, she continues to play a key role in building and maintaining many of CJI’s agency partnerships and legal clinics throughout the community, including Neighborhood House Clinic and Law for Learners with Ascendium. Mara previously served as CJI’s Operations Director, before becoming Executive Director. As Executive Director, she is responsible for financial and personnel management, fundraising and event planning, innovative development, hiring, and volunteer coordination. Over the years, Mara remains committed to improving access to affordable quality legal services, along with being the office’s long-term “morale booster.”

Morgan Newcomb graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2018 with B.A. degrees in Legal Studies, Psychology, and Political Science, as well as a certificate in Criminal Justice. After graduation, Morgan worked for the Wisconsin State Senate Democratic Leader as the Constituent Relations Director up until she started law school in September 2020. While in law school, Morgan worked as a clinical associate at the Wisconsin Innocence Project, where she studied, investigated, and litigated claims of innocence. She was also a law clerk at Hawks Quindel, S.C., where she provided legal services for wronged or injured individuals and took special interest in cases pertaining to workplace discrimination, sexual harassment, LGBTQ+ rights, disability law, and mental health law. Morgan firmly believes the justice system exists to protect all people, regardless of the amount of money or power possessed by a wrongdoer. She is thrilled to be using her law degree to advocate for marginalized communities and to dismantle systems of oppression.

Emma Ferguson earned her B.A. in Philosophy from St. Norbert College before attending the University of Wisconsin Law School. During her time in law school, Emma worked with the Wisconsin Innocence Project where she assisted with the representation of innocent people who were wrongfully incarcerated in both Wisconsin and Georgia. She was an active competitor and coach on Wisconsin’s Moot Court team, and in her final year of law school she interned with Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Ann Walsh Bradley. After graduating from law school in 2021, Emma worked as a civil rights attorney litigating police misconduct and employment discrimination cases in Madison. Now, Emma represents clients who otherwise would not be able to afford an attorney in matters including divorce, child custody and placement, and domestic violence injunctions. She lives in Madison with her husband and their two cats.​

​Louis Palmatier is a 3rd year law student at UW Madison, who joined the CJI team as a legal intern during the 2024 summer. He is now completing his last semester of law school, as an extern with CJI, before his upcoming graduation.

Keith Sayles is originally from the Madison area and received a BA from Carleton College.  Keith graduated from the University of Minnesota with a JD in 2008.  During law school, Keith interned at the Ramsey County Public Defender’s Office and later volunteered at the Drug Court Diversion Program in Hennepin County.  Keith was admitted to the Wisconsin Bar in 2009.  Immediately after admission to the Wisconsin Bar, Keith moved to New Jersey and then New York and was involved with CASA of Mercer County, NJ and New York Legal Assistance Group.  When Keith and his family returned home to Madison, he began volunteering with and later working at the Tenant Resource Center (TRC).  At TRC, Keith conducted legal research, drafted materials, taught seminars, and worked directly with both tenants and landlords with housing problems.  Keith is committed to helping provide open access to free and reduced cost legal services. 

In the fall of 2019 Jennifer transitioned to an Of Counsel position with CJI. She has been with the firm since 2005, previously holding the positions of Managing Attorney and Development Director, and will continue to support its mission with a focus on guardian ad litem appointments and volunteer development projects. She is currently the Director of the UW Law School Family Court Clinic.  

Jennifer currently serves as Chair of the Dane County Bar Association’s Delivery of Legal Services Committee (DLSC). Jennifer has chaired the committee since 2004. During this time the DLSC has worked to develop, maintain, and coordinate pro bono and pro se projects, including pro se clinics and attorney training opportunities. This committee has won several awards for service. In 2007 Jennifer was honored as a Leader in the Law by the Wisconsin Law Journal and in 2013 was honored by the Pro Bono Society of the UW Law School for her pro bono work. In 2015 Community Justice Inc. was honored as a legal innovator by the State Bar of Wisconsin for the firm’s Restraining Order Program. In her Of Counsel role, Jennifer primarily practices in the area of family law, frequently serving as Guardian ad Litem for children and vulnerable adults.  

Jennifer volunteers her time to assist pro se litigants through the DCBA Family Law Assistance Center, the Small Claims Assistance Center, the Veterans Law Center and the Senior Wills Program.