The U.S. attorney’s office has hired a new lawyer in its Civil Division to enforce the nation’s civil rights laws in Vermont.
Julia Torti, who grew up in Vermont and has been working for a civil rights law firm in New York, is one of 34 civil rights attorneys the U.S. Department of Justice is hiring across the country.
The U.S. attorney’s office for the Vermont District participated in a competitive application process to win one of the 34 new attorneys, according to a news release. The office first developed its civil rights program in 2010.
Federal civil rights laws prohibit discrimination and harassment because of race, national origin, gender, religion or disability, according to the U.S. attorney’s office. They also prohibit police misconduct and protect the constitutional rights of people who are institutionalized.
“The addition of a new assistant united states attorney concentrating in this area will significantly increase the office’s ability to reach and to protect the civil rights of Vermonters,” Nikolas Kerest, the chief of the Civil Division in the U.S. attorney’s office, said in the release.
Eric Miller, the U.S. attorney for the district, said his office is “committed to a level playing field for all Vermont residents, promoting equal opportunity for Vermonters, and educating the public about their rights and responsibilities under federal civil rights laws.”
To learn how to file a civil rights complaint with the U.S. attorney’s office, click here.
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