BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Board of Directors serves as the governing board for the Institute. This board is responsible for developing and approving Institute policies, public positions programming and general operations. Comprised of volunteers, board members include professors at Thurgood Marshall School of Law and the colleges of Texas Southern University as well as leaders in the community. The dean of the law school is an ad hoc member of this board.

BOARD OF LAW ADVISORS

The board of law advisors provides legal expertise and assistance to the Institute in service provider programs that include the property preservation project, the juvenile justice project, and the innocence project.  The board of law advisors also consults with the Board of Directors.   Members of this board commit to provide up to two hours of assistance in their areas of expertise.

BOARD OF ADVISORS

The Board of Advisors consists of civic activists who advise the Institute on matters of public concern. These members assist the Institute in developing general operations guidelines, public outreach and strategies and assist the governing board as needed.

DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

The Development Committee is chiefly responsible for guiding the Institute’s fundraising efforts. They recommend fundraising plans and strategies to the Board of Directors.

ECI TASK FORCES

EDUCATION TASK FORCE
The Education task force is focused on examining the American public school system, laws that affect it and policies that impact it.  This task force conducts its activities through research, writing, symposia and workshops.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE TASK FORCE
The Criminal Justice task force considers the various areas of the American criminal justice system with a goal of identifying and eliminating those social policies and laws that foster crime and unfairly target the urban community in enforcement of criminal laws.

LEGISLATIVE POLICY TASK FORCE
The Legislative Policy task force focuses on legal and social policies that impact the urban community.  Principally a government law and policy research and writing arm, this task force also convenes symposia and works with the Institute's annual presentation at the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C.

HOUSING AND ENVIRONMENT TASK FORCE
The Housing and Environment task force is structured to identify barriers to providing safe, decent, sanitary housing to all Americans.  It considers the role of environmental injustice as a principal barrier to safe, decent, high quality housing in historically disenfranchised communities.

STUDENT DEVELOPMENT TASK FORCE
The Student Development task force is designed to provide support for Thurgood Marshall law students to help enhance their law school experience and to help them enter the job market competitively.

FAMILY RELATIONS AND GENDER TASK FORCE
The Family Relations and Gender task force considers matters affecting the success of family relations and gender rights.  This task force conducts its activities through research, writing, symposia and workshops.

WEALTH AND TAXATION TASK FORCE
The Wealth and Taxation task force is designed to research those areas that affect creation and retention of wealth.  This task force provides general oversight of the Institute's Opal Mitchell Lee Property Preservation Project and conducts educational summits on areas of wealth building and retention.